In a recent episode of Taking The Lead, No Time to Waste’s keynote speaker and podcast host, Alison Hadden sat down with Christina Brady to discuss having a clear work-life balance and being present, especially during these unprecedented times.
- Especially during these unprecedented times, it’s easy to let work take over your life. But prioritizing the present will lead to greater success, balance, and happiness.
- No Time to Waste Keynote Speaker and Podcast Host, Alison Hadden has had her fair share of highs and lows and has found the practice of being present to be her key to long term success
- Alison shares her advice on being successful in the hypergrowth tech industry while still maintaining balance and happiness
“The only thing that is constant in life is change,” says our guest Alison Hadden, and we couldn’t agree more. During these unprecedented times, everyone is struggling to balance between work and personal life. But are we forgetting what really matters? Do we know how to fully appreciate our time on earth?
According to Alison, there is no time to waste. She is a motivational speaker, business advisor, and podcast host. Above all, she is a fighter. She is on a life quest to teach people from different companies and industries how to live a life without regrets while still being successful in their jobs. She says, “You can still give 110% at your job, but make sure that you keep the things that really matter at the forefront.”
If you feel unhappy at your current job or you’re not maximizing every moment of your life, make sure you listen to the latest episode of the Taking the Lead Podcast. Hear what Alison and Christina have to say about the hyper-growth tech, work-life balance, and most importantly, living life like there’s no time to waste.
There’s no time to waste.
The sooner we realize there’s no time to waste, the sooner we’ll start living our lives to the fullest. In this episode, Alison shares both her career and life journey with us. Due to her personal struggle with terminal cancer, she has realized that we should always keep the broader perspective in mind and try to live life without regrets. She is now on an important mission to spread the message of an intentional way of living. “Death anxiety is a real thing. But it’s about confronting mortality, crafting life without regret, and then maximizing moments focused on the three things I talk about, which are gratitude, human connection, and joy.”
In light of her health struggles, Alison has managed to turn her situation into a positive one. “No Time to Waste is my legacy now. And it’s going to live beyond me, long after me. And when I get messages from people all over the world about how hearing this is really resonating with them and it’s helping them approach their lives and their relationships differently, that’s what it’s about. I have a higher purpose now. I’m no longer a marketing executive in tech. I am spreading this message of ‘No Time to Waste’ and speaking at as many companies where I can, and hosting this podcast, which fills me up through really intimate conversations.”
Alison has removed the importance of being successful at work from her assessment on her overall life success, rather, she scores herself based on what information she is able to spread to others that will hopefully help them live a happier life more focused in the present.
Work hard but prioritize yourself
Having a clear work-life balance is not easy, especially during these unprecedented times. Alison thinks that the key to achieving a work-life balance is to be present.Â
“I don’t believe it’s about the number of minutes that you are spending at work. I believe it is about being more purposeful and intentional with the minutes when you are not at work. I do think having strong boundaries is really key to everyone’s mental health right now, and I believe it will make you actually more productive.”
Choose the company, not the job title. Looking back at Alison’s 18-year-long career, she remarks that there is a common thread present – she never picked a job because of the title but because of the company. As a career advisor, she highly recommends this mindset to other professionals too. “It is far more important to choose the company for the culture and the people and the product and the leadership than it is for you to look for this specific job title.” Through maintaining this thought process, the individual person prioritizes their personal preferences for the optimal working environment, making a happier and more balanced self.
What it takes to thrive in hypergrowth tech
Hypergrowth startups have to move fast, and so do you. When you’re working in a fast-growing environment, there’s rarely a mentor to guide you. You have to figure it out by yourself and take advantage of every minute. On the bright side, you do have a lot of freedom and autonomy to make decisions. According to Alison, if you want to be successful in hypergrowth tech, you need to have good communication skills, resilience, adaptability, total lack of ego, and constant acceptance of change. Â
Not everyone is fit for a hypergrowth environment, and that’s okay. That’s why it’s important to recognize early on whether a person has what it takes to thrive. Alison shares what she looked for in candidates when recruiting them for hypergrowth tech: “Until you’re able to accept the fact that the only thing that is constant in these environments and in life, is change, and the more adaptable and malleable you become, be it in a frontline sales role or SDR, BDR all the way up to a VP or SVP or a CRO, the more successful you’ll be in these types of environments. So those are the things that I always looked for.”
This article is based on an episode of Sales Assembly’s podcast, Taking the Lead, which features top female B2B Tech Revenue Leaders, VCs, Advisors, and Icons. Bi-weekly episodes dive into a tactical topic to help listeners (regardless of gender or seniority level) learn how to be better, faster, and smarter as they navigate the craziness of the Revenue world within B2B Tech.
