Clock In with Emily Durham

Friends! Sometimes we just need to yap with our fav coworkers (you!!)

Being great at your job is supposed to get you promoted, right? So why does it sometimes feel like the better you are, the harder it is to move up? This week, Emily breaks down the hidden downside of becoming indispensable at work, why your boss might be reluctant to promote you, and how to stop being so good at your current job that you get stuck in it.

I know… me being positive about a company? But I figured it’s important for us to know what is absolutely necessary to look for in our next jobs and even in our current one.

The internet loves to romanticize quitting your job, betting on yourself and figuring it out as you go. Respectfully, some of us have bills. In this episode of Clock In, we’re talking about how to become self-employed when you are deeply, spiritually risk-averse. I’m breaking down how I made the jump from a traditional career to working for myself, the financial and career safety nets I’d put in place before leaving a paycheque, and how to test whether your business can actually support you before you need it to. Because working for yourself doesn’t have to mean risking everything. You can be ambitious, cautious and a little anxious about money — and still build something of your own. The internet loves to romanticize quitting your job, betting on yourself and figuring it out as you go. Respectfully, some of us have bills. In this episode of Clock In, we’re talking about how to become self-employed when you are deeply, spiritually risk-averse. I’m breaking down how I made the jump from a traditional career to working for myself, the financial and career safety nets I’d put in place before leaving a paycheque, and how to test whether your business can actually support you before you need it to. Because working for yourself doesn’t have to mean risking everything. You can be ambitious, cautious and a little anxious about money — and still build something of your own. During this episode's WWED, Emily and Maria discuss themes of domestic violence and aggravated assault. Should you choose not to listen, skip 31:35- 40:02. Please take care.

Should you quit the job? Ask for more money? Speak up? Take the promotion you don’t feel ready for? Start the side hustle? Or sit your ass down and enjoy your direct deposit? Career advice LOVES telling us to “take the risk” and “bet on yourself”... but not every career risk is actually worth taking. In this episode of Clock In, we’re breaking down how to tell the difference between a calculated risk and a reckless one. We’re talking about the career risks that can actually pay off, the ones that probably aren’t worth it, how to assess what you really have to lose, and how to build yourself a safety net BEFORE you make the leap. Because sometimes playing it safe is the risky decision. And sometimes… playing it safe is just smart.

Social media has completely warped our idea of what a “successful” career is supposed to look like. Suddenly everyone is making six figures at 24, quitting corporate to become an entrepreneur, landing dream jobs with unlimited PTO, getting promoted every 18 months, and somehow working from a beach in Italy. Meanwhile, most people are just… working. Building careers slowly. Having years where they earn more and years where they don’t. Taking jobs because they need health insurance. Staying somewhere longer than TikTok says they should. Getting rejected, changing their minds, making lateral moves, and occasionally having absolutely no idea what they’re doing. In this episode of Clock In, we’re talking about how the internet has distorted our expectations of work — and why a completely normal career can start to feel like you’re falling behind. We’ll get into salary comparison, job-hopping, entrepreneurship, “dream job” culture, career timelines, and the pressure to constantly be optimizing your life. Because your career doesn’t need to be an inspo post on LinkedIn to be a good one.

Tradwife content is having another viral moment — but this time, some of the women promoting it are barely adults themselves. In this episode of Clock In, we’re talking about the rise of teenage and very young tradwife creators online, the romanticization of complete financial dependence on a husband, and the increasingly viral message that women don’t need careers, their own money, or even basic financial literacy. We unpack what the tradwife trend actually is, why it’s different from simply choosing to be a stay-at-home mom, and the very real risks of encouraging young women to opt out of understanding or participating in their own finances.

Somewhere along the way, a lot of us started measuring our worth by our work. But when your identity is completely wrapped up in your career, every rejection, mistake, or bad boss feels personal. In this episode, we're talking about why building a life outside of work is one of the best career moves you can make, how hobbies and friendships actually make you better at your job, and why your career should support your life—not become it.

Color-coding your planner. Tweaking your résumé for the 47th time. Watching productivity videos instead of doing the thing. Some habits feel like progress—but they're actually keeping you stuck. In this episode, we're talking about the sneaky forms of career procrastination, why they happen, and how to tell the difference between preparing for success and avoiding the work that actually moves your career forward.

We can learn so much from each other! In this episode, we're cutting through the stereotypes to talk about what's actually happening at work. We'll cover why generational conflict happens, where each generation gets unfairly judged, and how to build better relationships with coworkers whose communication styles, expectations, and career goals look completely different from yours.