Women offering wisdom: 25 ways the ladies at TELUS Digital stay motivated

Culture · Mar 8, 2018

Working in tech can be both a thrilling and challenging experience. Sometimes it is easy to slip into the habit of internalizing our stresses: short deadlines, competing responsibilities, long days, etc. In some cases, this can even be amplified by our gender. On International Women’s Day, our team wanted to break the silence and empower members in our office by learning from each other. Earlier this week, we asked the ladies at TELUS Digital: 

“How do you stay motivated inside or outside of work?” 

Their responses are truly inspiring and embody everything we strive for at TELUS Digital.

1. "My secret to motivation: Have a vision, fuel it with ambition, embrace change, trust the future, never stop hustling until you get there." - Berceste Kozanoglu, Design Lead

2. “I am intrinsically motivated by the work I do in tech. In analytics, there is always something new to learn and uncover - I love that kind of challenge.” - Joanne Taggart, Optimization Strategist 

3. “Learning and growth have always been key motivators for me. There is an opportunity to learn and evolve from both failures and successes. I always try to pass on what I’ve learned to my team or mentees. I am grateful for the opportunities that have come my way and excited about the ones to come.” - Stacey James, Director for Mobility Outcomes

4. “Being able to help a colleague with a small gesture, whether it’s providing them with a tool or a resource, or knowing I can make an impact on someone at work is rewarding.” - Marina English, People Experience Specialist

5. “Simple. I keep my eye on the prize.” - Nitasha Dewar, Senior Strategy Manager 

6. “What motivates me in my work and personal life is being able to make a difference, in a project, team, company or just in someone's day or life. And growing, growing at all times, exploring new fields, new worlds, new concepts. There's something magical about waking up and feeling you're better than what you were the day before.”  - Ruxandra Fediuc, Web Developer/Tech Lead

7. “I stay goal driven by making sure I always have something to look forward to. Whether it’s salsa classes or an overseas trip, I’m always excited for the next adventure I have planned.” - Jessica Guimond, Talent Specialist

8. “I'm motivated when I have new challenges that let me grow in order to better support people that I work with.” - Zohra Razaq, Product Owner

9. “Micro-tasking. Everyday asking the question "what is the smallest, most achievable step I can take towards my goal?" and then doing it.” - Cassandra Hui, Culture Specialist

10. “I stay motivated by having a task/to-do list on a weekly basis that I check off as I go. I love the feeling of accomplishment as I am able to view all that I have completed. Also, I am at my most productive when I am happy. I love to surround myself with happy, motivated individuals.” - Sana, Scrum Master 

11. “To be a better person and perform better than yesterday.” - Vishakha Sethi, Developer 

12. “Collaboration with my colleagues helps drive inspiration in the work that we do.” - Renée Mak, Designer

13. “I take it one day at a time, focus on the positives, and make sure I live a well-balanced life.” - Emelyn Ticong, Digital Review Board Project Manager

14. “As a young woman in the tech industry, I am highly motivated by other women in leadership roles who feel empowered in their careers and are not limited by a glass ceiling in a heavily male-dominated industry.” - Anne Booth, Content Manager

15. “Having a side hustle is key. I love having a creative outlet outside of work to continually inspire me in my practice.” - Helen Truong, Interaction Designer

16. "I'm motivated by the opportunity to make things better, whether that is in work or my personal life. Recently, I have been motivated to take better care of myself which has manifested itself in cooking and being more active." - Veronica Van, Senior Product Owner

17. “Feeding my own curiosity about the world is what keeps me motivated every day. I love to push my own boundaries to experience new things I haven’t done before.” - Alycia Wilson, Content Lead

18. “My daughter keeps me motivated (she’s 15 months).” - Viji Kanagaraj, QA Engineer

19. “Balancing my short term and long term goals so my work and personal life don’t collide.”  - Chia-chien Yu, Product Owner

20. “I feel an immense sense of accomplishment in creating and owning my schedule. Every morning I ask myself, “what are 3 things I can accomplish today?” This doesn’t mean completing big milestones but rather day-to-day activities such as going to gym or onboarding a new hire. It’s such a great feeling at the end of the day when you can check your list off.” - Aamna Contractor, Recruitment & People Analytics

21. “I always strive to try new things and push myself to be successful in anything I learn. For me, learning is not only about personal growth but also about how I can empower my teamwith what I learned.” - Lisa Wagner, Product Manager B2B

22. “Positivity. Work environment. Good weather. Fear to fail.” - Anna Khiger, Senior Developer

23. “Having quick conversations in the morning with my colleagues that I work with gives me the energy to start my day.” - Cecile Noel, People Experience Specialist

24. “The way I stay motivated is thinking about my kids - especially my girls. I strive to be a good role model by encouraging them to always put their best foot forward and teaching them that women can be strong and independent... There are often times when my oldest daughter will say, “How did you do that? You're so good!' and my response is usually, “I've practised and worked at it, and in time if you practice you will be good - if not better than me.” ” - Lucy List, UX/Design Strategist 

 25.  “When you’re a writer it’s easy to get lost in piles of copy, jargon and stock photos. I stay motivated by helping students overcome challenges in writing to share their ideas on paper. I stay motivated by helping my colleagues communicate their passion and motivations. I draw inspiration from the people around me and that motivates me to become a better writer.” - Chantelle Sukhu, Content Manager & The HUB Editor

Follow us on twitter@telusdigital and check out our careers page to work with our awesome team!

Authored by:
Chantelle Sukhu, content manager
Chantelle Sukhu
Communications Manager
Chantelle Sukhu is the Editor of the TELUS Digital blog. When she’s not editing, you can catch her blogging about mental health or stirring up a good cocktail. Twitter @chantellesukhu