Girls In Tech

Confession: I had a ridiculously hard time coming up with a Christmas list this year. I was prodded since September for a reasonable list of things I would want to see under the tree, and it took me almost two months to pull together three items that I wouldn’t otherwise purchase for myself.

I really can’t remember the last time it took me so long to put together a wish list – I’m not selfish, but since it’s an inevitable part of Christmas (“I really don’t need anything” doesn’t fly in my family), I tend to store ideas in my mind over the year.

It got me thinking about my gift-getting preferences. Since college, I’ve found myself requesting more items I need versus things I want. Additionally, more and more of my Christmas lists have included gadgets and tech gear over clothes or jewelry (well, none of my Christmas lists have included jewelry – I’m much too picky). Last year, a GPS. The year before, an iPod. I think next year, a FitBit (still too early, need to see more consumer reviews).

As it turns out, I’m not alone: She-conomy mentioned a Wired study from last year that said 77% of women would prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond necklace, and 56% would opt for a new plasma TV over a weekend vacation in Florida.

For the women who are asking for such items, seems your requests are being heard: According to Best Buy, 28% of gift givers this year plan to give an iPod this season, while 22% will give a computer game console and 20% will give a digital camera. 19% will give a large household appliance and 14% of those polled will give Smartphones.

What’d your list look like this year? Did you have your eye on the new Droid or an upgrade to your digital camera? And are you buying more gadgets and devices for the women on your list?

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When I first started my career in public relations, I worked for an agency whose strongest portfolio was in high tech and information technology. While I didn’t necessarily have a strong personal interest in high tech, I paid my dues by publicizing semiconductors, virtualization, software test automation, service-oriented architecture and RFID, among other fabulously intriguing and, yes, wildly complex innovations.

During this time, two things were evident to me:

1. I was not talented in the area of articulating such companies to the press.
2. There were no strong female personas among the executives and thought-leaders I represented.

These days, when I think tech, I think internet and gadgets. So, when I stumbled upon Esther Schindler’s list of high tech blogs authored by women, I was pleased to see the number of women who are embracing their industry and increasing their visibility as intelligent, successful women in male-dominated roles. Among them:

1. Geek Feminism, with many women contributors, covering issues facing women in geek communities, gaming, science, technology, etc.
2. Infotropism by Kirrily Robert, on open source
3. Coding Geekette by Sarah Dutkiewicz, on programming
4. the evolving ultrasaurus by Sarah Allen, on software development
5. Sarah Mei, a Ruby developer
6. Notes Design Blog by Mary Beth Raven on Lotus Notes
7. The Hacker Chick Blog, by Abby Ficthner, on QA
8. Bea Stollnitz, on Silverlight and WPF

Kirrily Robert later commented on Esther’s post with a link to a wiki with many other women bloggers in tech: http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_women_bloggers#Technology.

Which female-led IT blogs could you not live without?

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I know I’m preaching to the choir when I talk about the wonders of technology. Gadgets, social networks, search engines, software, mobile innovation.. hell—even the remote control on my air conditioner. It’s these technologies we turn to in order to save time and make things quicker and easier. But ironically, it’s the time we save using technology to do more and more. We have gotten so good at multitasking that our lives are becoming more hectic than ever. And the “we” I’m talking about is women.

Where am I going with this? Kim Wroble and Lorian Williams-Willis of Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago paint a great picture:

“You are the last to bed at night and the first one up in the morning. You are a mom, wife, sister, friend, playmate, student, cheerleader, career woman, organizer, vacation planner, finance manager … the list goes on and on. While managing all these different roles, who cares for you?”

Economy notwithstanding, it’s important that we stay in tune with our pace to make sure we’re not overextended. We’ve gotten so used to this “make it happen” mentality that we often push our own emotional and mental boundaries to get things done. There are many more incredible technologies awaiting innovation, and as they become available, there will be new chances for us to squeeze more into our schedules. So, let’s keep the mental breakdowns to a minimum, shall we?

Here are my 5 essential rules to abide by in putting yourself first:

1. Check in with your doc. Do NOT cross this item off the list. Routine visits can help detect changes and problems early on. With all the stress we cause ourselves, it’s important to make sure our bodies are keeping up.
2. Exercise. This goes without saying, but not only does exercise help your overall physical health, it gives you 30 minutes or more of “me time”. Many people use this time to brainstorm for their next project or to go over the mental To Do list. I encourage you to zone out. Think of nothing, listen to your favorite music, focus on your breathing.
3. Let someone else make the decisions. If you’re in a powerful position at work, this a great way to let an up-and-comer show their stuff. At home, ask your roommate, spouse or friend make dinner for you – whatever they feel like cooking. During this time when you’re not cooking or working on a project, don’t add something to your list. Enjoy doing less.
4. Do one thing at a time. This has less to do with putting yourself first and more to do with having peace of mind. I have a tough time focusing – Firefox tabs alone could cause me great anxiety – but on those few days when I’m not giving in to every distraction, I get lots done. Having many items crossed off my list makes me feel accomplished and productive.
5. Ditch the guilt. No one should make you feel bad about making time for yourself. If you don’t want to watch your sister’s kids, don’t. If you didn’t go to last week’s Tweet Up, your network will not turn their backs on you. If you make the time to put you first, you might be surprised to realize that the world doesn’t end.

So, what are you doing for yourself these days?

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I saw a surprising article the other day that suggested fewer workers will be taking time off for vacation this summer. Yes, money’s tighter, and it’s likely we’ll see another summer full of staycations, but a new concern for workers is the fear that their employers will figure out ways to get the job done without them. In other words, that week-long vacation might wind up lasting a lot longer than planned if they return to find their position has been eliminated.

We’ve heard for years now that Americans increasingly have difficulties prying themselves from work for extended periods of time. Expedia’s latest Vacation Deprivation study found that a full one-third of people don’t take all the vacation time allotted to them. And, realistically, how many of the 65% of people who do use their vacation time actually unplug for the duration of their break? These days, more and more employed people are feeling overwhelmed and overworked, so a vacation is precisely what they need to recharge.

Isn’t there some compromise? How are you using your earned time off while maintaining your presence (and value) in the office? I prefer to take many long weekends over one or two week-long trips. 3- and 4-day weekends can be just as refreshing; in fact, you might find them to be less stressful to prepare for, and catching up after 1 or 2 days off is a lot easier than tackling the inbox behemoth that rears its head when you’re gone Monday through Friday.

With the warmer months just around the corner and beaches calling your name, certainly vacation is on the brain. So, what’s your plan? Are you opting not to take any time off? Why not? Or, are you planning an elaborate trip despite the economy?

Tags: lifestyle, staycation, summer, vacation
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In case you missed it, the economy isn’t doing so hot right now. Staying positive is a challenge for those with even the rosiest of glasses – home values continue to plummet, job stability doesn’t exist in many industries (including tech) and savings accounts are thinning. This news is hard to ignore, and it’s even harder not to worry. Not surprisingly, doctors are seeing growing evidence that the economy is making people sicker, too. Stress levels are at an all time high, people are forgoing routine medical visits to save a little cash, and healthy eating is becoming increasingly expensive. Where is the silver lining?

Results of a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh found that optimists live longer, healthier lives than pessimists. Optimistic women are 14 percent less likely to die from any one cause than pessimists, and optimists also were also less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes or smoke cigarettes. Optimists open themselves up to new possibilities and change, and in a time when uncertainty is high, we might just do ourselves some good by being flexible with our expectations.

So, do negative attitudes take a toll on our physical health? There certainly seems to be a link, but with so much pressure being felt from our economy, it’s more important than ever to keep our health a priority.

Catherine Morgan at BlogHer offers this advice as your first step toward positivity:

“If you’re feeling stressed over the economy, try to avoid watching and reading the news as much as possible. Sometimes a little ignorance is bliss.”

If you’re unable to do that, take a few minutes to think about the things that make you happy in any economy. You may still have difficulty thinking positively all the time, but it certainly gives you something to smile about. For me:

1. Spring (and SUMMER!) is right around the corner. Warm weather and peep toe shoes are two things that make me VERY happy.
2. RedBox is always $1. Movie nights in with my fiancé not only help us keep our spending in check, but cuddling is free and fun! Add a few friends and a bottle of Two Buck Chuck, and you’ve got a great night!
3. Wedding planning. I recently got engaged, and while wedding planning can be stressful at times, I get to exercise my creativity in ways that I don’t on a regular basis.

So, how are you staying positive? Are you naturally optimistic? Are you seeking ways to keep yourself happy for the sake of your emotional well-being?

Tags: economy, lifestyle, women
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