Designed For Impact Profile: Dr. Myra Virgil
With a passion for responsible citizenry and social consciousness, Dr. Myra Virgil is currently the CEO and managing director of the Bermuda Community Foundation.
The organization seeks to support the third sector in Bermuda by creating a one-stop shop for contributing back to the community and charitable organizations. She will be taking part in the panel discussion “Women on Boards” at the Designed for Impact event set to take place on November 30 at the Fairmont Southampton Resort & Spa.
Here she gives some insight into how she makes it work while managing a busy job, numerous boards and committees, and a family.
Do you have any unusual work habits or work styles?
I keep an ongoing to-do list. I call it my Master List and on one side are tasks related to business and on the other, personal. Every day, I select four to five things from the master list that I would like to get done that day and write them on a post-it note. I tick off what I get done at the end of the day, create a new list and throw that post-it note away. The routine keeps me organised because I cannot juggle the number of tasks that I have to complete in a day, in my head.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
1] Don’t aim for perfection – aim for great. If something is good, but there are more things to get done, know when to push on.
2] Communicate honestly and keep your word.
What has been one thing that has happened in your life that has defined who you are today?
When I was about 11 years old, my mother was ill and was hospitalised. From a kid’s perspective, my siblings and I thought she might die. As the eldest, I felt really responsible for taking care of my two sisters and brother. I am not sure that I did a great job of it but something about that experience left me feeling like I needed to be responsible for myself and others and that some situations are out of your control.
How do you balance your work/life?
When I was very young, I thought I might go into an art-related field. I didn’t take that path but I still like to do arts and crafts. My daughters and I started a life-size mosaic a few years ago and at each school break, we try to work on it.
To buy tickets for the Designed for Impact Event and Women’s Marketplace, visit www.iamdfi.com.
