i came across no country for young women on chocolate and zucchini, a food blog that i've been reading for years now. i love how clotilde describes her gradual switch from software engineer to food-writer: beginning with unsustainable twelve hour days, and eventually shifting to part-time work for more balance.
i really think it's important for everyone to know that you don't need to fit inside the mold of a conventional 40+ hour work week. i recently changed my own work situation from full-time-plus to a custom-fitted part-time. it took creativity and courage to suggest something that none of my coworkers do. i was worried about what people would think, and about whether i was damaging my future earning potential or setting myself up to miss important opportunities. i felt a lot of guilt about not having a large enough appetite for the cornucopia of work and family set out in front of me. but i concluded that my well-being is worth some prioritization. and that i can still enjoy a delicious meal, even more so, when i deliberately select what goes onto my plate.
once i made the switch, i was surprised at what happened next. i received such positive responses from coworkers who told me they were impressed at my dedication and professionalism while juggling challenges i'd kept quiet, and that they were excited for me to find what i'm looking for in my new arrangement. i feel very lucky to work in an environment that was receptive to my proposal. it makes me wish every employee in every workplace could feel liberated to design the work life they want.
getting back to the video, we need something like this for engineers. at least in software, women are overwhelmingly outnumbered, and i'd love to see a resource that would inspire and inform girls about the appeal, challenges, and reality of engineering work.