It feels like we’ve done this before.
Life, work, and even these posts seem to be on repeat lately. We’re in another weird phase of the pandemic because things are looking slightly better, but not good enough. And so things are stuck in limbo, which means that even when searching and reading articles I seem to be reading the same types of things over and over.
Perhaps that will just be the case until we break out of this cycle.
As always, please follow reputable news sources to stay informed and do your best to stay healthy (physically and mentally).
Here are five articles that had me thinking over the last few weeks:
The pandemic is showing us which friendships are worth keeping
Lisa Bonos. The Washington Post
Key quote: “Nelson, the friendship expert, predicts that some people will never return to pre-pandemic levels of party-hopping and calendar-packing. “We’ll have to be more thoughtful,” she says. “We can’t say yes to everything. We don’t want to say yes to everything anymore.” Read the rest here.
Live Like the Ancient Cynics
Arthur C Brooks. The Atlantic
Key quote: “Nelson, the friendship expert, predicts that some people will never return to pre-pandemic levels of party-hopping and calendar-packing. “We’ll have to be more thoughtful,” she says. “We can’t say yes to everything. We don’t want to say yes to everything anymore.” Read the rest here.
Stressed? Instead of distracting yourself, try paying closer attention
Shereen Marisol Meraji and Sylvie Douglis. NPR: Life Kit
Key quote: “When something sad, stressful or hurtful happens, so many of us look for a way to distract ourselves from the ensuing pain and discomfort. It may seem counterintuitive, but an effective way to manage our negative reactions to life’s stressors actually involves slowing down and paying very close attention, says Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).” Read the rest here.
6 Ways to Take Control of Your Career Development If Your Company Doesn’t Care About It
Carter Cast. Harvard Business Review
Key quote: “Ideally, organizations would do more to foster career development: encourage more-immediate feedback, develop clear performance criteria, deliver developmental feedback with clarity and tact, and provide resources and incentives for managers to make employee development a priority. But the reality is that the bigger burden is on employees. Workers at all levels must learn to identify their weaknesses, uncover their blind spots, and strengthen their skills.” Read the rest here.
The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Design Thinking: What It Is and Why You Need It
Workshopper.com
Key quote: “Although the buzz around design thinking has been on the rise just in recent years, the concept itself has been around for a few decades already. And as it often happens, the more popular it became, the more it got thrown around out of context and the more confusion ensued. To set things right once and for all, we’ve developed this nifty beginners guide to design thinking.” Read the rest here.
