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Showing posts from January, 2024

Stuck In Back-to-Back Virtual Meetings? Here’s How to Avoid Zoom Fatigue

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Renowned organizational psychologist Adam Grant said it best : “Zoom fatigue is not burnout . It’s boreout.” You’d think after almost four years since the pandemic began and we were all thrust onto one mindless Zoom after another, that we’d have figured out how to prevent Zoom fatigue. New York Times bestselling author of books Hidden Potential and Think Again , Grant cites a recent study from the American Psychological Association that describes virtual meetings as “more mentally taxing” than other types. These meetings are leading to “Zoom fatigue,” in which participants are too exhausted to engage properly. The researchers divide the finding into two subcategories: Active fatigue —This is the feeling that results after exertion, when you finally turn off the camera and take a sigh, for example. Passive fatigue —This is drowsiness or sleepiness, which might happen from listening to one too many Zoom calls in which you aren’t really an active participant. We’ve all been there

The Gender Pay Gap: 3 Steps to Work Toward Workplace Parity

Women make 84% of what their male counterparts are making on average. For years, we’ve been told the reason the gender pay gap exists is that women don’t negotiate or advocate for themselves. This narrative has been a constant hum over the course of my career, which is odd considering nearly every raise and promotion I’ve ever received has come as a result of my own asking.  Why do companies and managers insist on making compensation dependent on someone’s self-confidence level or negotiating skills when, in most cases, neither has anything to do with their job and job performance?  Gender pay gap misconceptions The idea that “women don’t ask” for more is simply not true. In fact, a recent UC-Berkeley study found that women are negotiating for raises and promotions more than men — they’re just not always getting what they ask for. The survey found 64% of women reported negotiating for a better offer (compared to 59% of male respondents), but had a 3% higher failure rate than the me

Unlearning Silence in the Workplace: How to Speak Up at Work

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It’s happened to the best of us. You’re in a meeting—perhaps learning about a new company initiative or listening to a boss who wasn’t happy with your team’s performance—and you have something to say, but then you just… don’t. Because, after all, you want to keep your job, or you are worried it will come out wrong.  But some workplace experts are speaking up and encouraging employees to do just the same in 2024; perhaps the only “resolution” you will need this year is some real talk.  Unlearning Silence by Elaine Lin Hering It’s a concept Harvard Law School lecturer Elaine Lin Hering , an expert in negotiation, influence and conflict management skills, explores in her upcoming book, Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully . She pushes readers to explore how we’ve learned to be silent, how we’ve benefited from silence, how we’ve silenced other people—and how we might choose another way. “Only by unlearning silence can we more fully unleash

Travel Guru Rick Steves On the Value of Culture Shock

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If you want to plan a trip to Europe, then Rick Steves is your go-to guide. There’s no shortage of ways to learn about his travel tips—from guidebooks to television shows to podcasts… well, you get the idea. Who is Rick Steves? Even though Steves is now the expert on European travel with a multimillion dollar company , he didn’t start out in the travel business.  “I was a piano teacher,” he says. His piano students weren’t interested in taking lessons during the summer, so he decided to use that time to go to Europe. “I was just traveling, making mistakes and then [becoming] aware of other people who were making the same mistakes that I made.”  Steves wanted to help people have successful vacations , so he began using the piano recital room as a makeshift lecture hall, inviting everyone he knew who was interested in learning more about travel to attend. “They could learn from my mistakes and have a better trip, and I would have a good excuse to go back to Europe and update my mater

Indulge In the Benefits of a Cold Plunge at These 6 Epic Locations

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With fans like Chris Hemsworth, Steve Aoki, Kristen Bell and many other celebrities, cold plunges are quickly becoming one of the hottest trends in wellness. As the name suggests, a cold plunge is submerging your body in cold water, usually under 60 degrees Fahrenheit). And some proponents claim it can boost energy, decrease stress and help with focus and sleep. Potential cold plunge benefits The science behind cold water immersion is complex and still developing, but a handful of studies have linked the exposure to outcomes ranging from improved metabolism and enhanced immune response to reduced inflammation . Ice baths have long been linked to muscle recovery , especially among athletes, and a reduction in pain or swelling . Other research has linked mental health to the practice. In a recent study , people reported experiencing increased motivation and confidence after swimming in cold water, and in another study participants exhibited enhanced mood after a single 20-minute immers

Generative AI Expert Mike Koenigs Is Using Cutting-Edge Tech Tools to Make Everyone’s Life a Little Easier

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Before I get a chance to ask about his entrepreneurship strategies, or his numerous bestselling books or even the nonprofit work that’s meant to be the focus of our conversation today, Mike Koenigs has a whole string of questions for me. “Do you want me to record this?” he wants to know. “I can do it in multiple ways, including a full transcript and everything else. And would you like high-quality video as well?” By the time I ask Koenigs a single question about his work with startups or the fundraising he’s done for the Just Like My Child Foundation , he’s sent me a private YouTube link to a 4K video of our Zoom conversation, a real-time transcript via Otter.ai and a handful of other assets I won’t even have time to dig into until after we hang up. “Full nerd attack, whether you like it or not,” he chuckles. It feels like Koenigs in a nutshell: energetic, enthusiastic and extremely helpful, using all of the cutting-edge technology he’s mastered over the course of his career to mak

Some Social Media Users Make Money Sharing Their Trauma Online. But What Are the Dangers of Trauma Monetization?

Trauma monetization: it’s become a buzzword in the age of social media. But what does it mean and what are the dangers of it? TikTok influencer Kimberly Rhoades has 2.6 million followers on TikTok. Her tagline on her TikTok and her Instagram accounts is, “Your favorite trauma dumping comedian.” Her content is all about child abuse and alcohol addiction, where she playacts her parents: Cigarette Mom and Beer Dad. In one skit (warning, Rhoades swears a lot so you may not want to watch it if you have little ones around), the school principal asks Cigarette Mom if she’s been helping “Kimmi” at home with her math homework, to which she replies, “I thought that was the reason that we pay taxes—to have teachers so I don’t got to teach her at home.”  Trauma monetization and social media  Social media has put us in the public eye, and depending on what we choose to share or disclose, it has allowed others to become privy to our hopes, pains and sometimes our traumas. And if you can gain eno

How to Rest and Recharge

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Taking the steps needed to get started on your own journey toward growth is a big deal, especially given how busy life can be. We all have to work, handle the details of our personal lives and foster a social life, while also trying to grow personally and professionally. I don’t know about you, but that can be a lot to handle at any one time. While you’re trying to balance all of the everyday tasks, there are some important things that tend to get pushed to the side. One that often gets overlooked in our busy lives is the importance of resting and recharging our batteries.  Just like the devices we use daily, our bodies and minds also require regular recharging. Without it, we can find ourselves feeling unproductive, drained and even detached from our own lives. And with burnout and stress seeming to increase more and more the last few years, across all professions, it’s important to recognize that needing a break to rest and recharge isn’t a sign of weakness or inefficiency.  Why sh

Top Tech Jobs of 2024 and the Skills You Need To Land Them, According to Futurist Shivvy Jervis

The future of artificial intelligence is bright and barrelling straight toward us. The AI market is set to reach $407 billion by 2027 —a big leap from 2022’s revenue of $86.9 billion, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. At the same time, over 75% of consumers are not fully on board. Questions surrounding digital identity protection and whether people’s hard-earned jobs will be replaced by robots remain top of mind. Shivvy Jervis , one of the globe’s most trusted voices covering human-centered innovation, is no stranger to the intimidation factor AI can conjure . “The vast majority of people aren’t technologists and just want to understand how these tools will actually enhance what they are doing—whether it’s their jobs, their health or protecting their families online,” she explains. Taking an approach rooted in research and evidence, Jervis is an expert at demystifying all these seemingly complex innovations for the mainstream. She places extra emphasis on tools that are bot

New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Always Stick—Here’s What Tony Robbins Suggests Instead

January is a season alive with the energy of new beginnings, a fresh start and people making New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, around 80% of individuals abandon their resolutions by the second week of February each year. This means fewer than one in five people manage to adhere to their New Year’s goals. In 2024, you don’t  have to fall off the resolution wagon . This year let’s ditch the idea of making a traditional New Year’s resolution and instead, think of broader and more long-lasting goals . In 2024, I encourage you to kick off the year by designing the life you really want instead of hoping everything comes together. The Wheel of Life assessment: keeping New Year’s resolutions So, how do you go about this? A good starting point is to do your own Wheel of Life assessment. This tool helps you take a step back and look at where you are in a more interesting and comprehensive way. It lets you ask yourself important questions in an organized manner and helps you spot the gap

3 Life and Business Lessons From Adventure Racing

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I set my bike down, peeled off my helmet and grabbed a handful of peanut butter M&Ms, my go-to fuel during outdoor adventures.  As I ate in this suburban St. Louis park, I looked to my right toward a hill that sloped down to a wooded area. Two men walked out from the trees. Their body language was unpleasant, their behavior even worse. One yelled at the other, “Would you let me just look at that map for one second?!” We were only a few hours into the Castlewood 8-hour Adventure Race , and already that team was at odds with each other.  I went into this year’s race expecting to write about business lessons I’ve learned in adventure racing. I did not expect “don’t be a jerk” to be near the top of the list, though maybe I should have as that was the chief lesson I learned this year. Adventure racing, which features canoeing, orienteering and biking, offers ample opportunities for jerks to reveal themselves.  Business lessons from adventure racing Race directors spread checkpoints

How to Write an Interview Follow Up Email (2024 Tips & Examples)

The best thing you can do to improve your chances of landing the job: Sending an interview follow-up email. If you’re in a hurry, here is a quick example of a perfect follow-up email:     Not only does it show you’re courteous, but also that you’re willing to take action for your job. But […] Source from I Will Teach You To Be Rich https://ift.tt/zATy34w

The Best AI Tools for Business and Productivity in 2024

Let’s face it: Technology can be your best asset or your biggest source of frustration. Tech changes fast, and it feels like there’s a new tool that you need to be using every day now. Done right, today’s technology can significantly increase your productivity, help you hit your goals and increase your income. Done wrong, you could spend years learning tools that ultimately don’t help you accomplish your goals. I once prided myself on working 80-plus-hour weeks. After years of grinding and hustling, I knew I needed a complete reevaluation of my schedule, workload and how I worked. I had to evaluate my priorities and optimize how I pursued my goals. After recovering from burnout , I decided to take a different approach. That’s when tech became an essential part of my time-saving and income-efficiency strategies. In 2021, I first discovered artificial intelligence tech tools—and their ability to help me optimize my time and make more money. The best AI tools for business help you sta