What are you non-negotiables?

Hard question. If I was to ask you your non-negotiables when it comes to your professional life, could you answer?

Does that term resonate or even make sense for you?

What are these 'non-negotiables'? These are the things that you need in order for you to get the best out of you - in life, in work, in relationships (etc.). The elements that you're not willing to compromise on unless absolutely necessary - think fire / tight deadline / launch or immovable feasts.

Non-negotiables come up in the majority of career transition sessions. Why? Because they detail what you stand for, what you need in order to thrive, what makes you 'you'.

For example, one of my clients Laura (not her real name), has blocked off her morning calendar until 10am - aka no calls before 10. This allows her to set up and focus her morning ritual, eat the frog on her biggest piece of work first and get into the 'zone'. Unless absolutely necessary, this time stays sacred.

For you it could be a non-negotiable that you switch off email between 5-8pm every night to ensure that you're full present with your family. No quick-scrolls, no sneaking off to the laptop, this is your time.

One of my core non-negotiables is that I work a 4-day week. This means having to say no to opportunities, to projects that fall outside the remit here but knowing this, knowing what’s ‘ok’ for me to do my best work - and what’s not, make that decision a lot easier. I talk about it here too.

One exercise I have some Story Coachees do is to work on creating a list of the top 5 non-negotiables. So why not take 30 minutes today and check in on yours?

Things to consider here: type of work, commute, working hours, team setup, time to switch off, money, autonomy. The exercise above - 'what's important to me about...' will support with this. Spend some time thinking about your top 5 non-negotiables when it comes to work.