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The holiday season is coming to pass...the time of year when many of us unplug, take time off, and make our families the priority. Yet when it comes to the other eleven months of the year, it can be a lot harder to strike that balance between work and family – especially when you have a demanding job and young children.
Just ask Marie Rosecrans, Vice President of Professional Services & Support at Desk.com. For almost seven years, Rosecrans has been making an undeniable impact at Salesforce through her tireless work on diverse projects like the publication of Marc Benioff’s Behind the Cloud; launching SCRUM in Marketing; and assuming responsibility for Sales Enablement, Sales Engineering, Professional Services and WOW Support for Desk.com...all while carving out quality time to spend with her husband and two children, ages thirteen and nine.
We sat down with our December Woman of the Month for her advice on how to achieve success at work and happiness at home (without going crazy). Check out her top tips for balancing work, life, and parenting all year long.
One of the most pivotal moments of my career came when I decided to re-enter the workforce after having my second child. My current manager called me up and encouraged me to pursue an opportunity on her expanding team, and I went for it. It was a difficult decision because I was enjoying my time with my daughter, but a little “tough love” made me realize that returning to work was the right choice for me. The first six months back were very challenging, but I powered through and I admire the perseverance I found within myself to achieve both at work and at home.
A support system is incredibly important when it comes to balancing career and family responsibilities. My husband is equally committed to his career, but he does a great job of disconnecting at home and challenges me to do the same. I encourage everyone struggling to balance work and home life to seek out as much support as you can, whether that’s your family, friends, team, or manager. When you know what you want in your career, make that known and work with your support team to help you get there.
I love to run and workout in general, and try to sign up for a major race every year so that I have something aspirational to focus on outside of work. I’ve done the Men’s Health Urbanathalon and the Tough Mudder in Lake Tahoe, and can’t wait for what’s next. Training five or six days a week helps me maintain my work-life balance...and my sanity!
Four years ago, around the holidays, I sat down and watched Sheryl Sandberg’s Ted Talk. Watching that video was my Christmas present to myself, and it truly is the gift that keeps on giving. I refer to the lessons in that video often, and even though some time has passed, her advice is still so compelling.
There have been times in my career where I second-guessed whether or not I could do something. I don’t do that now—I just go for it. No matter what happens, I know that I will have some type of impact and learn something from the experience. I’ve transitioned from thinking “Should I do this?” to thinking “Let’s do this!” and really encourage everyone to do the same. Trust in yourself and others will follow!
The Salesforce Woman of the Month campaign turns the spotlight on the amazing women who help make Salesforce the World’s Most Innovative Company (according to Forbes) and one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Companies to Work For. Honorees are nominated by fellow employees and selected by a dedicated committee that works to ensure a variety of roles and regions are honored.
To hear more from Marie Rosecrans, make sure to connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn. And stay tuned for more career tips and tools for success from our next Salesforce Woman of the Month, coming your way in the new year.
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