Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Work/Life: How to remain authentic without losing your privacy

On this episode of Work/Life, Ciara Pressler, author of Pregame and Game Plan, talks with DT’s Greg Nibler about how to remain authentic in your work without oversharing or overstepping personal boundaries in a way that might work against you in the long run.

The pandemic has blurred the lines between work life and home life for many of us, as a large number of people are now working remotely. But there still need to be boundaries about how you conduct your work at home, especially if you are using video chat for meetings. “You have to pay attention to what you are letting people see or not see,” Pressler says. “Of course, it’s not appropriate to show your bathroom or your bedroom. Make sure you’re creating as neutral of a space as possible, so people are paying attention to you versus your background.”

Regardless of whether you’re working remotely or in person, “there are still things about your personal life that don’t help your case for being valued as a member of your team,” Pressler says. For example, there may be personal reasons for missing work, but telling people the reason might not work in your favor. You are not required to let people know why you are using a personal day or missing work, and often telling people that reason may not be beneficial long-term.

Assuming other people feel the same way you do about politics, religion, or the state of the world is also a road fraught with peril. The same is true for your sense of humor; there are things that are not appropriate in the workspace, and sharing personal feelings or jokes can quickly backfire and cause unnecessary conflict. When you are at work, keep it professional.

Pressler gives some advice in navigating some of these areas. For one, she says, keep focused on the work. If you’re asking for a raise, it is better to ground your case in the value of your work in the marketplace. “You’ll then be making a fact-based argument, which is more powerful. And you’ll be valued more as a member of your team,” she says.

Todd Werkhoven
Todd Werkhoven's work can be read at numerous publications and he co-authored a personal finance book called "Zombie…
Clearview A.I.’s privacy complaint , UAE goes to Mars | Digital Trends Live
digital trends live episode 420 ariya concept electric suv

On this episode of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler breaks down the top trending stories in tech, including Clearview A.I.’s privacy complaint, Katy Perry and the Tomorrowland festival, Nissan’s e-SUV, a wearable glucose reader, the United Arab Emirates' Mars mission, and more.
Aedan Macdonald

Aedan Macdonald, founder and program manager of Justice Through Code at Columbia University, discusses the free program that teaches formerly incarcerated individuals to code.

Read more
Disney World reopens, Minecraft raves, Quibi loses | Digital Trends Live
digital trends live episode 416 100534006 138505161158243 8651019304805859328 o

In this episode of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler discusses the top trending tech stories of the day, including Facebook removing pages linked to Roger Stone, Microsoft’s “Together Mode,” Disney World reopens Saturday, Quibi reportedly loses 90% of its subscribers, and more.

 
Jackie McGuire

Read more
Work/Life: How to fill in the gaps on your résumé
worklife episode 21 worklifeimage

On this episode of Work/Life, Ciara Pressler, founder and author of Pregame, talks with Digital Trends' Greg Nibler about how to deal with having a gap in your résumé when you’re on a job search. She discusses the do's and don’ts of keeping your résumé up to date so you can still be in the game when it comes to finding new work.

“A résumé gap isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it’s a lot more common than it used to be,” Pressler begins. There can be a lot of legitimate reasons for that gap -- traveling, parenting, continuing education. “But you want to tell that story in a way that puts you in control."

Read more