The Source

To attend or not to attend? That is the question plaguing much of our female workforce today. Sure our office hours might be 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but we all know opportunities for professional development often extend past the standard work day. From business after-hours events to out-of-town conferences to grabbing a beer with a coworker, most of us have a hard time weighing the cost vs. benefit of time away from our home and family against an occasion to invest in our work. I venture to guess many readers of this blog are moms, but this is a subject with which most women I know can identify. A brand-new puppy needs to be taken out. There's a load of laundry that isn't going to do itself. House-sitters cost money.    

The average cell phone user has around 80 apps on his or her phone. When you factor in an additional iPad you’re almost certain to own and consider the number of notifications each of these apps is sending you throughout the day, it can start to feel a little overwhelming. If you’re like most technology consumers, you suffer from a real thing called “notification fatigue.”    

In celebration of Black History Month, The Source highlights Debra McGee, Senior Vice President & Director of Minority Business Development at  BankPlus. She has shown unwavering support for our program since its inception, and we are honored to have the opportunity to work with her every day.   

January has come and gone and most New Year’s resolutions have probably done the same: come and well, gone. It is no secret that many resolutions revolve around health in a variety of ways. If you have already fallen off the wagon with your resolutions, good news, the year is far from over.    

The invention of the cell phone has undoubtedly been both a blessing and a curse for our modern society. We’re connected to people and knowledge in ways we never thought possible. Yet, we probably all realize the scope of the dependence it’s created for most people.    

A few weeks ago, my social media feed was full of #TopNine posts, images of highlights from friends' 2018, and words of excitement and enthusiastic anticipation of everything a new year brings, or MIGHT bring. Don't get me wrong, I look back on a year gone by, but my sentiments lean more toward, "whew! I survived another one!"   

The new calendar year undoubtedly brings a long list of goals and good intentions. On top of that, we leave behind a holiday season full of untamed spending only to stare down tax season. What better time than now to discuss the need for financial planning?    

Liz Spratlin's career shift from politics and public relations to successful retail owner might not have been the most obvious path, but when it came time for a change, she did what so many are too intimidated to do: jumped in with both feet. We are so proud to have her experience - and style - on our Advisory Panel.   

We’ve reached the time of year when we’re supposed to pause and show gratitude for the blessings in our lives. Whether we truly find time to do this in between crazy family gatherings and excess turkey is another matter altogether. In the week leading up to Thanksgiving as you hopefully wrap up some loose ends in the office before a few days off, there’s no better time to pause and specifically reflect on what you’re thankful for professionally.    

Expert advice usually tells you to share your emotions and not keep problems bottled up. You’ve probably also heard that having a trusted friend you can talk to is a good thing. Don’t misunderstand – these are definitely all positive things. But what does this look like within the workplace? Are venting coworkers cathartic? Or problematic?