Three theories on why you have no time. Everybody is busy, burned out, swamped, overwhelmed. So let’s try a simple thought experiment: imagine you came into possession of a magical new set of technologies that could automate or expedite every single part of your job.
What would you do with the extra time? Maybe you'd just waste it anyway. [The Atlantic]
How to write a tweetstorm. This
breakdown of how a Tweetstorm, or Twitter thread, is constructed doubles as good general writing/messaging advice. In fact, thinking of your writing in terms of individual tweets can help you build the skill of clarity.
[Animalz]
Why do companies speak the way they do? A look at the
phenomenon of businessy "garbage language". "But unlike garbage, which we contain in wastebaskets and landfills, the hideous nature of these words — their facility to warp and impede communication — is also their purpose. Garbage language permeates the ways we think of our jobs and shapes our identities as workers."
[Vulture]
An crowdsourced list of conversation icebreakers. Rob Walker, the author of
The Art of Noticing, has been calling for icebreaker questions from readers of his newsletter for the last year. Here,
he compiles his favorite submissions into a 17-page document.
[Google Docs]
How I prompt myself to journal. The practice of solitary writing, just for my own benefit, has never been particularly appealing to me, but it's a foundational habit of thinking and producing. Here, data scientist Okoh Anita provides an
in-depth look at the specific strategies (with photos) of how she restarted an old habit.
[Better Humans on Medium]
Listen all y'all it's simple sabotage. Did you know that in 1944, the
CIA wrote a guide to destroying organizations? It’s called the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" and it contains 5 straightforward techniques for bringing down the house when you hate your job and/or company. Even better if you get your co-workers involved.
[The CIA]
A "cheatsheet" for critical thinking? Sure, it's kind of an oxymoron for something like this to exist, but hopefully you don't need to refer to it forever. It's
really just a set of questions to ask yourself when you encounter new/unfamiliar ideas and want to evaluate both sides of a potential debate.
[Wabisabi Learning]
It's not hard to take a stand, it's just rare to mean it. After the death of George Floyd, lots of companies and brands tried to say something important. Those of us with executive communications backgrounds know the pain of watered-down talking points.
Now read what Ben & Jerry's had to say.
[Fast Company]
A 10-minute productivity system to map out your day. This guide
covers the science of habits, priorities, to-do lists, and other methods, as well as tracking and reflection. It's notable that the article recommends a digital/paper hybrid approach, since there are benefits to each.
[Doist blog]
Presentation lessons from looking at 1000+ pitchdecks. Samantha Wong, a partner at Blackbird Venture Capital, did this as a workshop for Amazon Web Services about the qualities of a good pitchdeck. Obviously geared towards startups seeking funding, this
collection of advice has some good foundational tidbits and narrative tips.
[Blackbird VC on Medium]
How to say "no" -- actual phrases for better boundaries. Some people are blessed with the ability to simply say “no”, while others struggle with people-pleasers disease. A
playbook of phrases to help you take control of your commitments and priorities.
[Better Humans on Medium]
How to talk to conspiracy theorists (and still be kind). Talking to anyone who is completely closed off to outside thinking is definitely a creative skill. Doing it with empathy is even more rare.
r/ChangeMyView on Reddit is where people go to have their own beliefs challenged, and it is known as a calm, moderate place for debate.
Advice from the thread's moderators.
[MIT Technology Review]
I tried 7 popular strategies to boost my energy. A mindfulness coach gives up coffee to
run experiments designed to find a better way to stay charged throughout the day. 4 worked, 3 didn't.
[Better Humans on Medium]
Take it offline. If you have a screen-based career, you should think about
screen-free hobbies and career goals.
[We Transfer blog]
How to give good feedback in 5 seconds. Not the the Mel Robbins 5 Second Rule, but
kind of like that, for managers.
[Mike Crittendon blog]
6 unconventional ways to
build focus, resilience, and calm in 2021.
[Rescue Time blog]
