By now, you’ve probably heard of the term “girlboss,” which was coined by Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso and encapsulates the desire for ambition among millennial career women.
But ten years later, thanks to Gen Z employees who introduced “minimum Monday work” and “quiet resignation” into the workplace, the era of the “girl boss” seems to be coming to an end. Now its anti-hero “Snail Girl” has taken Australian workplaces by storm and gained traction on TikTok.
As the name suggests, “Snail Girls” work at a snail’s pace.
“Snail girls take the time to create,” explains Sienna Ludbey, the Australian fashion designer and founder of Hello Sisi who came up with the concept. “She’s running her own race, and maybe that race isn’t going anywhere except home and back to bed.”
In a column published in an Australian magazine fashion magazine As for why she chooses to slow down and be happy rather than busy, Ludbe adds that being a “snail girl” isn’t about stopping working altogether, but rather about not being so hard on yourself and prioritizing work-life balance.
“Think of this as a time to put yourself first, set personal and professional boundaries, and protect your peace,” she added.
Why a self-confessed “girl boss” chooses to work at a snail’s pace
Ludbe came up with the idea after five years of being “obsessed with being a girl boss” left a deep impression on her.
In 2018, she quit her job to focus on her online fashion store, and soon became “obsessed” with her constant pursuit of success. But recently Ludbe said she began to see “cracks” in what she “used to think was everything.”
Ludbe suddenly realized that success was no longer the be all and end all, and as the overwhelming light of her boss girl persona “dimmed”, her inner “snail girl” was born.
“The next chapter means I’m going to slow down and be kinder to myself,” she explains.
Perhaps not surprisingly, it didn’t take long for the concept of “slowing down” to catch on, with multiple Australian media outlets reporting on the trend’s growing popularity and TikTok users claiming it resonated with them.
“This female boss is turning in her grave,” Meiqi Zhou joked on TikTok. “Welcome to Snail Girlhood. I’m fascinated by this idea.”
“The snail girl years may look different for different people, but the key is to slow down and be kinder to yourself,” Zhou added in a video that has now received more than 35,000 views.
“Been doing this for months!” one TikTok user commented. “Hello fellow Snail Girls’ Generation fellows!”
“Starting at the beginning of this year, I’m no longer so hard on myself. I take breaks when I need to and work based on my ability that day,” said another.
Jennifer Luke, a researcher specializing in career development at the University of Southern Queensland, tells us abc news She’s not surprised by the rise of the “snail girl” concept, as her career ambitions have changed since the pandemic.
“It all comes down to the fact that people are burned out… and they’re asking themselves, ‘Am I getting myself into trouble, but I’m not actually sure why?'”
Is being a “snail girl” bad for your career?
While becoming a “snail” girl is an antidote to years of busyness affected by the “girl boss era,” it may not be the death knell for ambition.
“You can be a girl boss and still be a snail girl,” asserts Victoria McLean, CEO and founder of career consulting firm City CV and CEO of Hanover Talent Solutions. “These two approaches don’t have to be mutually exclusive; in fact, combining them may lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling career.”
she says wealth Work-life balance is an important aspect of thriving careers because it allows employees to be more productive, bring their best selves to work (and at home), cultivate healthier relationships, and overall feel more fulfilled .
“I’m wary of embracing every new career trend, and I don’t want people’s perception of this particular trend to be that you can relax or slack off at work, but I do think slowing down is the right thing to do.” This is a great way to prevent burnout and stress,” she adds. “It has to be good for employees and good for employers.”
Career coach Natalie Trice tells wealth She has observed similar shifts in attitudes among her clients as businesswomen seek a more balanced lifestyle and ultimately examine their own imposter syndrome.
“It doesn’t diminish women’s ambition; on the contrary, it recognizes that work doesn’t have to be a constant struggle to prove worth, especially to the detriment of everything else in life,” she said.
In a world where everything has become instant, Tris believes it’s important to remember that a career is a marathon, not a sprint – after all, we still have about 50 years to climb the ladder.
“Slowing down doesn’t mean the end of your career and your dreams, but it does mean you need time to do other things,” she added. “As someone who has experienced burnout more than once in the relentless pursuit of achieving your next goal, I know all too well that finding the right balance is the real key to success.”
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