In our monthly blog segment “What’s Brewing at Bigger Brains,” I’m happy to introduce members of the Bigger Brains team of experts (and the coffees that they bring to the Teams meeting table). Today let’s meet fruit-smoothie-in-hand June Peterson!
What’s your role at Bigger Brains?
I do a lot of behind-the-scenes work at Bigger Brains to support our courses. Mostly I’m the brain behind many of the Microsoft BrainBot boosters and other Microsoft-related course supporting materials.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
I get paid to learn. And I have the wonderful opportunity to work with amazingly smart talent.
How do you prioritize your many responsibilities?
I ask myself that same question every day. 🤣 As a full-time homeschooling mom who also works from home, it can get a little crazy some days. I welcome interruptions from the kids because being their mom is my primary job, but that also means that it’s very easy for me to lose my place with work-related tasks.
To help me keep on track and not lose my place with work-related tasks, I use Microsoft Planner. So, if I have to walk away for any period of time, I can always go back to my Planner board and see where I left off. Knowing that my task list is there relieves a lot of anxiety for me, because I don’t have to remember. So, I can be 100% there for the kids when they need me and then go back to my Planner board and be 100% back to the task at hand.
Click here if you want to learn more about our Planner course!
What does it mean to you to be a leader?
Being willing to get in the trenches and serve alongside everyone, regardless of rank, title, or experience level.
What are your biggest professional challenges?
I wear a lot of hats every day… and I wouldn’t have it any other way! It took me a long time to fully understand that there’s a difference between balance and prioritizing. As a full-time mom and working from home, it’s impossible to keep everything balanced. Letting go of the traditional style workday mind frame and the traditional “perfect mom” image I had in my head was the hardest, but most important thing.
I had to learn to transition to a style of prioritizing the needs for the day and tell myself that it’s okay to not wear all my hats every day and give 100% to everything all the time. As a matter of fact, it’s impossible. So, some days I wear some hats and other days I were others. It’s refreshing because now I don’t get burned out… and with all those hats it’s impossible to get bored. 🤣
What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?
My kids. Definitely! They’re good people who are making their way in today’s world and have somehow, through it all, managed to keep an eye on what’s truly important. They’re still growing, but so far they’ve exceeded every expectation I’ve ever had for them in things that truly matter.
What do you admire most about your family?
I am so proud of them! They all are genuinely good people who work hard, know how to play, and are always cheerfully willing to serve others.
What is your motto or personal mantra?
I actually have 3.
- Don’t let what you learn get in the way of what you already know to be true.
- I never lose/fail. I either win, or I learn.
- This third one is actually our family mission statement:
- We do good.
- We do hard things.
- We remember Jesus.
