Meet Your Inner Employee – And Give Them a Job Worth Showing Up For

rholmes1987
Jul 5
2 min read

What if your personal and professional lives were completely split—like in the show Severance? No crossover, no emotional carryover, no late-night overthinking. Just two versions of you, clocking in and out. While we don’t have that luxury, we all have an “inner employee” running the day-to-day inside our heads—managing our motivations, moods, and mental checklists.

Chapter 1 of Human Resources for the Soul invites you to get to know that employee—and finally give them the onboarding they deserve.

📘 Want the full chapter? Grab the book here:👉 Human Resources for the Soul on Amazon

🎯 Write Your Life’s Job Description

Forget “New Year, New Me.” This is more like “Now Hiring: Me, for the job of living my own life with purpose.”Ask yourself:

What’s my job title? (CEO of Me, Inc. has a nice ring to it.)
Who are my key stakeholders? (Family, friends, future self.)
What are my deliverables? (Joy, growth, resilience.)

A paycheck is nice. But a role that aligns with your calling? That’s purpose.

🧭 Define Your Core Values

Just like every company runs on a mission statement, so should you. Mine?“To make intentional choices that build legacy, not just lifestyle.”Identify your own. Frame it. Live by it. Let it guide your decisions.

📊 Conduct a Personal SWOT

HR folks love a good SWOT analysis—now it’s your turn.

Strengths: What do people come to you for?
Weaknesses: Where do you self-sabotage?
Opportunities: What doors could open if you invested in yourself?
Threats: Who or what keeps you stuck?

Add in your soft skills too. (If you can stay calm in chaos and give solid advice at 2am, you’re already ahead.)

💡 Keep Yourself Engaged

If your inner employee filled out an engagement survey, how would they rate their job satisfaction? Staying connected to your purpose is key. Ask:

What gives me energy?
What lights me up?
What small wins deserve celebration?

Create a recognition system. Give yourself bonuses (read: snacks, naps, or solo Target trips). Don’t just survive the week—reward yourself for it.

📘 Build Your Personal Handbook

You wouldn’t run an organization without policies. So why run your life without boundaries?

Set clear rules:

Code of Conduct: What behavior is non-negotiable?
Mental Health Policy: What are your signs of burnout—and your recovery plan?
Work-Life Balance: When do you log off? How do you recharge?

💬 Conflict? Handle It Like HR

We all have default conflict styles—avoid, accommodate, compete, compromise, collaborate. The goal isn’t to change who you are. It’s to grow your range. Learn to lead yourself with empathy, flexibility, and strategy. Just like a great manager would.

TL;DR:Chapter 1 reminds you that personal growth isn’t a side hustle—it’s your full-time job. Hire yourself. Train yourself. Recognize yourself. And most importantly, give yourself a mission that’s worth showing up for.

📘 Dive deeper into Chapter 1 and beyond:👉 Buy Human Resources for the Soul on Amazon

Next Up: Emotional Intelligence & Conflict Resolution (aka: how to stop HR issues from breaking out inside your own head).