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We may earn a commission from links on this page. The urge to spring clean your home is a strong one. You know warmer months are coming, things are about to look up, and you want to enjoy all of that in a fresh, revitalized environment. Typically, that involves your standard cleaning, but what if you shook it up this year? Try a spring decluttering approach instead, getting rid of what no longer serves you so you can really enjoy your space. Here's how to do it. Assess your spaceThis is something I practice a lot, especially since I started heavily decluttering about two years ago: I stand in a room and look at it as objectively as I can. When you get used to things—a bunch of stuff piled on a side table, an old box you don't really use, a Swiffer that has somehow been propped on the same wall for weeks—you don't really notice how cluttered it all looks anymore, let alone how little you really use or need all that junk. It is difficult to do, but try looking around as if you didn't live there and really noticing what is all over the place. If you're really struggling, call a friend over to give an assessment or take a picture of the room. Somehow, looking at a photo of the space, not the space itself, really helps me see how it truly looks. Choose a decluttering method to followBefore you choose a method to follow (and there are many), make a commitment to stick with your decision and get rid of a lot of things. In general, no matter which approach you're following, you'll be sorting items into one of four categories: Keep, throw, donate, and sell. In fact, many decluttering gurus don't even acknowledge "sell" as an option, choosing to focus instead of keep, throw, and donate, but I find that selling things has been helpful for me not only financially, but because I end up absolutely sure that someone else is getting use out of them. It can be helpful, especially if you're not in the habit of decluttering, to actually set out four boxes and manually sort everything into them. One piece of advice: When a box is full, take it immediately where it needs to go. The trash box goes straight to the trash. The donation box goes into your car or, better yet, right to the drop-off center. Getting into the habit of being actionable about clutter starts with doing what you say you're going to do with each category of items. As for what kind of approach to take, you have options. I suggest starting your spring decluttering with a bang rather than a bit-by-bit method, only because that's the point of spring cleaning. You can downshift into a more measured approach to keep the party going all year long later. For now, try your hand at getting rid of as much as you can. Some good options here are the "move-out" method and the Peter Walsh method. The move-out method comes from Katie Holdefehr, author of Embrace Your Space and associate editorial director at Real Simple. It will put a bit of a push behind your efforts, which is just right for spring cleaning season: You act as if you're actually moving out of your home and into a new one, except the "new" home is actually the one you already have, just cleaner and better. You set a "move-out" date and box up everything in the room, categorizing it like you would if you were actually leaving, but asking yourself, "If I really moved, would I want to take this with me? Would there be a place for it in my new home?" When everything is boxed up and you've gotten rid of all the stuff that didn't elicit a "yes" to those questions, clean the room thoroughly, then unpack. You may find even more things that you don't want to keep, so get rid of those, too. Peter Walsh's method is also pretty harsh: Empty the space entirely and then set a vision for it. If you're decluttering your living room, for instance, spend some time imagining how you really want to live in there, whether it's turning it into a place to get your work done or spend cozy nights watching movies. Really focus on the vision for what you want that room to be, then sort everything you moved out of it into two piles: Things that serve that vision and things that don't. Get rid of what doesn't, then put everything else away. What to do when you get stuckThis isn't easy, primarily because we all have a tendency to justify keeping things we don't really need, whether for sentimental reasons or because we're worried we might somehow need them one day. The reality is that you probably won't need a lot of your clutter and, in the event you do, it can be replaced rather than taking up space in the meantime. To work through these mental roadblocks, there are questions you can ask yourself as you declutter. Here's a list of my favorites, which includes questions like these: "When was the last time I used this?" This can help you determine if you even actually use the thing you're considering getting rid of. "Do I want the job of managing this item?" This helps you realistically frame the commitment and responsibility that holding onto something will demand of you. "Would I know I had this if I needed it?" This is useful for cleaning spaces like junk drawers, which are full of those items you make excuses to hold onto "just in case." What happens when spring is overI don't always recommend ripping off the Band-Aid and starting with a technique as hardcore as the move-out or Peter Walsh methods, but they work well if you're trying to jump start a new, clutter-free lifestyle, which makes them a great fit for spring cleaning season. It might be difficult and you might end up keeping a lot of things you don't need, but the bigger the jump start, the better the results. To maintain and enhance those results, you need to keep going, decluttering all the time. I've been doing it for two years now and I'm still nowhere near a minimalist, but there are some excellent long-term approaches you can follow to keep this energy going. First, build micro-decluttering into your existing cleaning schedule. (No existing cleaning schedule? Here's how to build one.) Micro-decluttering involves picking a tiny space and focusing only on that, rather than on a whole room or even the whole house. You're not decluttering the bathroom, but the medicine cabinet. You're not decluttering your living room, but one shelving unit in it. Picking a tiny space every day stops you from getting overwhelmed and, over time, creates a much more manageable home. The same is true for methods like 12-12-12 and 365 Less Things. With 12-12-12, you find 12 items to donate, 12 items to throw, and 12 items to put away every single day, but it's easier than it sounds. If you threw your junk mail on the table by the front door or find a Starbucks straw wrapper in your purse, those count as what you can throw away just as much as a broken appliance does. A blanket on the couch that really belongs in a basket counts for something to put away just as much as a whole load of clean laundry does. Again, take this in small increments to build a habit. With 365 Less Things, you're dedicating yourself to getting rid of one thing every day over the course of a year. It's the perfect way to follow up on a major round of spring decluttering because it slows down the process in a way that's totally manageable. It might not seem like much, but after a full year of doing it—when you'll end up back at spring cleaning!—you'll be down a significant amount of junk and your home will be better off long-term. View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Today, I'm throwing a lot of spring cleaning content at you, from checklists that can help you remember every spot that needs sprucing up, to suggestions for products that can make it all easier, but I am just one person who, for better or worse, cleans my house in a specific way. To make this series on spring cleaning more comprehensive, I decided to ask some pros for their advice and share expert tips I've received. Speed up drying time on your laundryWhen you're reading through my spring cleaning checklists today, you'll notice that the step-by-step guide for each room starts by suggesting you put the linens, fabrics, and clothes associated with that room in the laundry. You want them washing and drying while you clean the rest of the space, so on a spring cleaning day, you'll be laundering a lot of textiles. That doesn't have to take all day, though: Michelle Piombino, Principal Scientist at Purex, says you can toss a clean, dry towel in the dryer with a wet load; take it out after 15 or 20 minutes, "once it absorbs most of the water." Let it air dry while the remaining garments finish up in the machine. The fresh towel will absorb excess water and humidity in the dryer, saving you time and energy costs. Address stains firstBefore you start your first load of laundry on a spring cleaning day, go through all of it and pull out anything with a stain. I'm guilty of just tossing everything into the wash and vaguely hoping stains magically come out, which has a mixed success rate, but on a day when you're focused entirely on cleaning, you should really give those garments attention. Separate anything with a stain, then pre-treat those items while other fabrics go in the machine. Jennifer Rivera, Henkel Research and Development Director and laundry expert at Persil, suggests looking for detergents that have enzymes formulated to break down stains and following their directions. (Naturally, she recommends Persil Original Everyday Clean.) Tackle overlooked spotsTake a second to look around at your space and consider it from an outsider's perspective so you can find areas that need attention you wouldn't normally notice. I have two ways of doing this: I either take a photo of my space and examine it, which helps me compartmentalize my familiarity with the room and assess it objectively, or I call a friend over to help identify problem areas I've gone blind to. Spring cleaning is the best time to hit the spots you normally skip over. For Rosa Picosa, a CleanTokker with nearly 900,000 followers and a cleaning expert with Fabuloso, for instance, that means tackling the baseboards: "Honestly, they can be easily overlooked and I don't think any guests in my home are inspecting my baseboards," she says. But even so, eventually, it must be done. It can be as easy as using the mop to run over them when you're mopping your floor (which is one of the final steps on all of my room-by-room cleaning checklists). Naturally, she suggests double-concentrated Fabuloso for this, but so do I. Read my review of it here (in which I actually use it to clean my baseboards). Think prevention when you're cleaningHandling existing messes is primarily what tidying up is all about, but the beauty of spring cleaning is that you're starting over, in a sense, and preparing for the future. This year, instead of just addressing the problem areas you already have, think about how you can prevent future ones. For instance, my building's exterminator Xavier Maldonado gave me a great tip the last time he was in my apartment for my monthly service: Mixing one part ammonia with 24 parts water and wiping it across areas like your baseboards and behind your shelves and appliances will easily repel pests. It's something simple you can do in the course of your spring cleaning that will preemptively stop any bug-related issues from arising as they come out for the summer season. Remember, though, to not ever mix chemicals, and make sure your ammonia is sufficiently diluted. I also use this set of coatings from spotLESS. The set comes with spray-on coatings for for glass and mirrors, toilets, and sinks and fixtures. When you spray them on their respective surfaces, they prolong the time between cleanings by repelling dust and grime—plus they make it easier to wipe all that off when the surfaces do get dirty. Don't forget your carWhen you think "spring cleaning," you probably think of major household tasks like moving the fridge to clean underneath it or swapping all your heavy winter linens for lighter ones. But you should think outside the house, too. Amy Brooks, National Sales Executive at Chase Auto, reminds us that cleaning your vehicle can extend its longevity and keep it in top condition. Start by vacuuming in and around your seats, as dirt and debris can scratch and damage the surfaces. To get rid of smells, she suggests sprinkling baking soda on the seats, letting it sit overnight, then vacuuming it up. Wipe down your seat surfaces using a leather or cloth cleaner and a microfiber cloth. (I don't have a car with leather seats, but I do have a lot of leather boots. I use the Chemical Guys' Quick Detailer wipes, $8.99, and recommend them for a fast and easy fix.) Wipe down all your surfaces, use a steam cleaner to get deep into the seats if you need to, and wipe down your windows with glass cleaner. View the full article

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If you’re at all like me, spring cleaning can be something of a domino situation. I might start by cleaning the baseboards, but when I get to the stairs, I’m like, wow these handrails are dirty. And so on. By the time I’m done, I’ve also discovered coffee splashes on walls, cobwebs in ceiling corners, and the dustiest blinds one has ever seen—and I’m feeling rather disgusted with myself. I’m also feeling sore, because my back is not what it once was and it seems like the worst of the dirt is either way low or way high. You know who still has good backs, though? Our kids, that’s who. Spring cleaning should, I believe, be a family affair. From the inside of the home to the outside, there is plenty to be done. And kids (at least when they’re young) generally are willing—even excited—to help. You could have them help you as you go from task to task, but sometimes that only serves to slow you down. Instead, if your kids are old enough, I suggest you try delegating some of the work this year: Divvy up what needs to be done and put them fully in charge of certain chores. If you’re not sure what chores kids are generally capable of tacking, this age-by-age guide to kids’ chores is a good place to start. But spring cleaning goes beyond the usual bed-making and towel-folding, so this list will include some bigger, more infrequent projects you can assign. Best spring cleaning chores for young kidsYou’re likely to get the most excitement and compliance from little kids when you announce it’s time for a spring cleaning party. Of course, for all their sweet enthusiasm, little kids are also going to be the least independent (and thorough) when it comes to tackling their tasks. If your kids are younger than about six years old and you want to get them involved, they’re going to need supervision and assistance, so plan for that. But by the time they’re at the age where you trust them to feed the pets and sweep the floor on their own, you can probably show them what to do and then send them off on their own. In my experience, this happens somewhere in the six- to eight-year-old range. You’ll still want to consider a couple things, though—namely, what types of chores they like to do and how thoroughly you need something to be done. Any chore where you are happy to declare it “good enough” is a better fit for this age. Those might include: Vacuuming or sweeping up areas that tend to get overlooked during the regular week-to-week cleaning, such as basements, porches, vehicle floorboards, and garages. Vacuuming up the living room furniture, removing cushions and taking care of all those hidden crumbs. Raking up any old dried leaves that are still littering the yard from last fall. Pulling weeds. Cleaning the aforementioned baseboards—spare your back and let them get all bent over. Best spring cleaning chores for tweensTweens are going to be more self-sufficient than their younger counterparts, which means you can put their slightly more developed critical thinking skills to good use here. Tweens are old enough to do something that is often a major component of spring cleaning—the sorting and disposing or donating of Items you no longer want or need. Here’s how tweens can pitch in during your spring cleaning extravaganza: Sorting through their clothes, making piles of anything that no longer fits or they don’t wear to hand down, donate or sell to another family. Sorting through their books and toys for items they no longer read or play with. Cleaning out their closet and rearranging or reorganizing their bedroom (with assistance moving any furniture, as needed). Steam-cleaning the kitchen or bathroom floors. Emptying out kitchen draws to wipe them down. Plus, any of the tasks you would have assigned to the younger group. Best spring cleaning chores for teenagersThis group may be the least interested in helping but they’ve also got the greatest potential to be thorough—and put a little more muscle to put behind their effort. Here are a few tasks teenagers can be in charge of: Helping organize the garage. Washing the cars. Power-washing the trash cans. Moving indoor furniture for more thorough vacuuming. Helping with planting or mulching. Cleaning windows or mirrors. Cleaning the bathrooms. Assisting younger kids with their tasks. Plus, any of the tasks you would have assigned to the younger groups. I referred to it as a “spring cleaning party” earlier, and I was only half joking—when all is said and done and the winter grime has been wiped from every last window, celebrate your efforts and take advantage of your freshened space. Order a pizza and relax with a family movie night or get a fire going in the fire pit to roast some marshmallows and enjoy the newly spruced-up backyard. I’m also not above dangling a little monetary incentive, particularly for the older kids, to help secure their cooperation during this process. View the full article

In what could be one of the most high-profile fintech public offerings this year, Swedish Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) giant Klarna has filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to an initial proposed public offering. Here’s what you need to know about Klarna’s IPO. What’s happened? On March 14, Klarna Group plc announced that it had filed paperwork with the SEC “relating to a proposed initial public offering of its ordinary shares.” The paperwork is known as a “registration statement” on Form F-1 and is the latest sign that Klarna’s IPO is coming sooner rather than later. It includes a preliminary prospectus that offers a detailed look into the company’s financial performance and potential risk factors. What is Klarna? Klarna is a fintech company based in Sweden. Though it has its fingers in several aspects of fintech, the company is best known for its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services. BNPL allows consumers to purchase an item today but pay for it in installments—usually four spread over a number of months. Klarna says it has approximately 93 million active users and counts 675,000 merchants as partners across 26 countries as of 2024. The company says that in that same year, it helped facilitate $105 billion of gross merchandise volume. Klarna was originally founded as “Kreditor” in 2005, making the company 20 years old this year. Kreditor changed its name to Klarna in 2010. Interestingly, in its F-1 filing with the SEC, Klarna revealed it had remained a profitable company for the first 14 years of its existence. But then, it decided to expand into the U.S. in 2019. “In 2019, we strategically decided to expand our successful operating model into additional geographies, with a particular focus on the United States, and in the following three years expanded into 12 additional markets,” the company wrote. “While our expansion in the United States has contributed to an increase in our GMV, it has also led to net losses in recent periods. In 2023, our operating loss started to decline and we began generating positive Transaction margin dollars in the United States, while continuing to grow our GMV and the number of active Klarna consumers and merchants worldwide.” When is Klarna’s IPO date? Klarna has not set an IPO date yet. There are still several steps it needs to go through before it can hold its actual IPO. The company had previously filed IPO paperwork confidentially with the SEC in November. What is Klarna’s stock ticker? That is one of the few firm details we do know about Klarna’s future IPO. Klarna stock will trade under the ticker “KLAR.” What stock exchange will Klarna trade on? Klarna intends to trade its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). How much will Klarna seek to raise in its IPO? Klarna Hasn’t officially announced that yet. However, Bloomberg reports that the Swedish company is seeking to raise “at least” $1 billion USD. What is Klarna’s valuation? If the company raises around $1 billion in its IPO, Bloomberg says the company’s valuation could be more than $15 billion. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As you embark on this year's spring cleaning, take it seriously. Upgrade your supplies and tools so you can do the best possible job. Some of the tools I've featured here save you time, some of these get your stuff even cleaner, and some of them will save you money by reducing the single-use products you rely on. When it's time for spring cleaning, these are a good jumping-off point to get your home in order and keep it in order. Upgraded cleaning tools for the kitchen O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop, Bucket Floor Cleaning System $34.96 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Learn More Learn More $34.96 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg JOYMOOP Mop and Bucket with Wringer $39.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $39.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Swiffer WetJet starter kit $24.94 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $28.99 Save $4.05 Shop Now Shop Now $24.94 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $28.99 Save $4.05 Yicotira reusable microfiber mop pads $9.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $9.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Helio Air Broom three-piece kit $34.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $39.99 Save $5.00 Shop Now Shop Now $34.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $39.99 Save $5.00 Bissell CrossWave OmniForce $368.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $368.99 at Amazon SEE 3 MORE Around your kitchen, it might be time to replace the tools that will help you clean everything from the floor to the countertops. In this room, everything gets dirty way faster than you expect it, so it's important to have the tools to help you keep the mess at bay. Regular old brooms and mops are fine, but a little upgrade can make a big difference as you're following my room-by-room cleaning checklist. It’s time to invest in a mop bucket with a wringing attachment, but as it turns out, it’s not a huge investment at all: The O-Cedar set is reasonably priced (and includes a cloth mop and refill head, too). You can also use the wringer on washcloths before you clean with them so you’re not getting your granite or hardwood too wet. Or check out this mop option that combines old-school techniques with a modern, eco-friendly approach: The Joymoop mop and bucket set features a flat head similar to the Swiffer, but you put reusable fabric pads on it and wring them out in the accompanying bucket. The bucket has a wet and dry chamber so you can squeeze dirty water out away from the clean stuff. While you're at it, upgrade your Swiffer, too. I recommend the WetJet over the PowerMop, but take your time considering the two options, both of which include built-in bottles of spray solution that make mopping absurdly easy. If you're using a Swiffer, this is the perfect time to invest in some reusable Swiffer pads so you have something dependable for spring cleaning and are set up all year. There are a few third-party options on the market, but your best bet is this set of four microfiber mop heads with an elastic band that helps them stay snug around the head of the device. Another superior broom swap is the silicone sweeper set from Helio Air. You get a long-handled and handheld broom, but instead of bristles, these have silicone wipers similar to squeegees, making it easy to sweep up everything from debris to liquid. If you really want to upgrade your cleaning—not only in the kitchen, but everywhere in your home—I can't say enough good things about the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce, a multi-surface wet/dry vacuum that has revolutionized how I clean my floors. You can use it just as a powerful vacuum or with the mop function, which also still features suction, and with its decently long-lasting charge of half an hour or so, it speeds up the process of managing carpets, rugs, and hardwood tremendously. I always get all my surfaces done in well under the 30 minutes. Upgraded cleaning tools for the living room Handheld blinds cleaner $10.35 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $12.90 Save $2.55 Shop Now Shop Now $10.35 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $12.90 Save $2.55 Chom Chom pet hair remover $24.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $3.00 Shop Now Shop Now $24.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $3.00 OKP K5 Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop $129.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $50.00 Shop Now Shop Now $129.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $50.00 SEE 0 MORE The living room presents its own set of cleaning challenges, ones that require all kinds of cleaning tools and techniques to keep it looking presentable. Your spring cleaning here is going to involve a lot of vacuuming, dusting, and refreshing of upholstery, which is all pretty basic, but to kick it up a notch, try these: Pick up a blinds cleaner to easily clean between individual blinds on your window. You can also use tongs with microfiber cloths rubberbanded around the sides, but isn’t having a specific device a little more elegant? Upgrade your lint roller to the Chom Chom roller, which captures hair and lint in an internal chamber, making it easy to clean out like a vacuum. It never needs refills and can be used over and over again. This is also where I'm going to make yet another vacuum suggestion: If you don't have a robot vacuum, get one now in honor of spring cleaning. You have a lot of options here that run across a spectrum of prices well into $1,000+ territory, but I've had an OKP robot vacuum for two years and love it. The brand usually charges between $125 and $150 for its devices, they connect to your phone with an app, and they work just right. I let mine roam around while I clean other things and it makes life a lot simpler by capturing dirt and dust and minimizing the effort I need to use when I pull out my Bissell. Upgraded cleaning tools for the bathroom Groove gap cleaning tool $4.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $4.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Leebein electric spin scrubber $39.98 at Amazon $59.99 Save $20.01 Shop Now Shop Now $39.98 at Amazon $59.99 Save $20.01 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 Shop Now Shop Now $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 Pine-Sol 2x concentrated formula $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Shop Now Shop Now $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Fabuloso 2x concentrated cleaner $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 Shop Now Shop Now $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 SEE 2 MORE Bathrooms are the dirtiest rooms in the home, so they require the most work to clean. You have plenty of tools for the task, but some could probably use a little update. Stop using an old toothbrush to scrub nooks and crannies when you could be using a special gap-cleaning brush, like this one from Rienar. Unlike the poor old toothbrush that’s become your go-to scrubber, the handle on this is actually designed for you to scrub things, plus the bristles are really long, so you can get into cracks more easily. Upgrade how you clean the shower altogether with a cordless spin scrubber that revolves 500 times per minute and features a long pole that will stop you from ever needing to crouch down and try to scrub the inside of your shower again. It has brush heads to clean everything from tile to windows. Leave streaky glass cleaner behind with the cordless window vacuum from Sharper Image. You fill it with water, spray that water onto your glass, then suck it into a separate reservoir for dirty water. It comes with a removable, washable filter and an extension handle for larger surfaces. Since upgrading my regular old melamine sponge to the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy, I've been consistently impressed with how much faster and more efficiently I can scrub. I use it to remove sticky adhesive, tub rings, and basically any mess I come across. Obviously, it's ideal for the bathroom, but works well in kitchen situations, too, so it's a lucky thing you get five in a pack. Finally, consider some double-concentrated cleaner. I love my 2x-concentrated Pine Sol and Fabuloso because they reduce the effort I need to use when I'm scrubbing. I've tested them out on all kinds of grime, comparing them to the standard versions (which don't actually cost significantly less!) and can say with confidence they really do bust through messes quicker. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In addition to checklists, tips, and tricks that can elevate your tidying game this spring, you're going to need products. It's a good idea to stock up so that once you get going, you know you won't have to take any breaks to gather missing reinforcements. The products can help you do more than clean, though—they can even make cleaning easier and more fun, which is good news for those of us who don't love cleaning up. If you’re like me and find cleaning more monotonous than fulfilling, why not use some tools that can make the endeavor easier? Spring cleaning tools for the kitchen OKP Robot Vacuum $119.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $149.99 Save $30.00 Shop Now Shop Now $119.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $149.99 Save $30.00 Bissell CrossWave OmniForce $368.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $368.99 at Amazon TOPIST Angry Mama microwave cleaner $8.89 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $8.89 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg EyeVac Home touchless vacuum $149.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $149.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Broombi silicone broom $34.95 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $34.95 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 2 MORE Cleaning the kitchen can be more daunting than other spots around the house because not doing it well it can have real effects on your health. That doesn’t mean, however, that it has to be a slog. There are some creative tools out there that can help you whip your kitchen into shape in no time. Kick off the entire spring cleaning season by upgrading your vacuum, which will come in handy around the kitchen, yes, but the whole house, too. I have two suggestions: First, you can't go wrong with a robot vacuum, which can end up doing a huge chunk of the floor-cleaning work for you while you focus on other things. I have one from OKP that works just fine, but you also have the option to really level up with automatic devices that can both vacuum and mop, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. That leads me to your second option, which costs significantly less than the $1,700 you'd spend on the above. The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce is a dual vacuum/mop that, yes, you have to operate yourself, but it will clean the hell out of your floor. This is what I use when I'm cleaning my own home and since I started being able to mop and vacuum at the same time, I'll never go back to the old way. Devices like this might cost more than your standard broom or Swiffer, but they're innovative, easy to use, and more effective, too—which is what you need for spring cleaning. For more innovation, ease of use, and efficiency in your kitchen, consider these other tools and gadgets: The Topist Angry Mama microwave cleaner is a fun device that steams your microwave for you. Just fill it with vinegar and water and nuke it for seven minutes to let it do the dirty work on your behalf. It's shaped like an angry lady, which is whimsical, and handles the job of getting stuck-on gunk un-stuck while you work on something else. The EyeVac Home touchless stationary vacuum is like a dust pan, but way cooler. You sweep all your crumbs, dirt, debris, and junk over to the suction device and it sucks it up with 1,000 watts of power. Check out this video for a review and to see it in action. Keep in mind that you do need to clean the filters pretty regularly. An investment like this can be helpful in a garage or storage space, too, making it an all-around spring cleaning win. To use the above, you’ll need a good broom, but you should get a cool, multifunction one, like the TikTok-famous, fan-favorite Broombi, a long-handled squeegee that makes quick work of pet hair, dust, and grime in a way traditional bristles can’t. This is a better option than bulkier brooms on the market because it can serve more purposes: It can more effectively corral wet or gooey messes on hard floors, in addition to dry ones, and can also fit more easily under appliances. Spring cleaning tools for the bathroom Holikme drill brush attachment set $19.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $24.00 Save $4.01 Shop Now Shop Now $19.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $24.00 Save $4.01 Ariant electric spin scrubber $33.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $49.99 Save $16.00 Shop Now Shop Now $33.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $49.99 Save $16.00 FMART T9Pro window cleaning robot $159.79 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $169.79 Save $10.00 Shop Now Shop Now $159.79 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $169.79 Save $10.00 Ecovacs Winbot W1 Pro Window Cleaning Robot $399.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $399.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Toilet gel stamp $14.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $14.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Cleancult toilet bowl cleaner sheets $7.49 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $7.49 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 3 MORE The bathroom can get truly filthy, so it’s also where you’ll really need to get creative. No worries: There are plenty of cool tools out there to help you get this done. Stop hand-scrubbing everything—you have better options. For one, you can get a 20-pack of these drill brush attachments, which attach directly to your electric drill and can buff, brush, scour, and polish using the drill's power instead of your own. Or try a designated electric scrubber brush, a long-handled scrubber that is always going viral on TikTok for its ease of use in getting the grime out of grout, tile, and more. Another popular tool on TikTok is the robot window-cleaning vacuum, which sticks to windows and mirrors and mimics the motions of a human hand. Your shower doors, mirrors, and windows all around the house will thank you. Try the FMART T9pro as a cheaper gateway to the world of robot glass cleaning, but know you may eventually love it so much you level up to more expensive ones, like the EVOVACS Winbot W1 Pro, which has quick cleaning, deep cleaning, and spot-stain removal modes. Make cleaning your toilet quicker and, if you can believe it, cuter with this stamp-on deodorizing gel. Stick a flower-shaped stamp to the side of the toilet bowl and every time you flush, it’ll clean a little bit and release a nice scent. You can even put stamps in your sinks to keep them smelling fresh, too. I've used these a few times and find them helpful, but for what it's worth, ahead of my spring cleaning, I'm waiting on some dissolvable toilet-cleaning sheets to see if I like them better. Again, they're a lot easier to use than a big scrubbing brush. All you have to do is flush. Spring cleaning tools for the living room Furemover pet hair broom $19.31 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $19.31 at Amazon Microfiber mop slippers $15.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $15.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg KIDSCLEANCAR ride-on cleaning cart $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 Shop Now Shop Now $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 Hiware blind cleaner $6.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $6.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 1 MORE Cleaning the living room might be the most fulfilling, since you get to chill there and enjoy the fruits of your labor afterward. Double that fulfillment by making it fun with these tools. The FURemover pet hair broom is described by its fans as a “life changer” and if you watch some demos, you’ll see why: It acts like an indoor rake, easily pulling pet fur and human hair out of carpets and upholstery so you can finally get rid of it. To quickly clean hard floors and have some fun doing it (or at least more fun than you do with your regular mop), try mopping slippers that allow you to glide or shuffle around, using the microfiber soles to scrub and dry your floor as you go. Your kids can get in on the action (and stay distracted while you clean) with the KIDSCLEANCAR, a little go-kart that uses paper towels to mop or dry as kids scoot around. I don't have any kids, but if I did, I'd put them to work like this. In demos, reviewers call it “genius.” To tackle your window blinds, grab the Hiware duster brush, a zany-looking device that uses multiple prongs and speciallydesigned microfiber covers to get into all the cracks that normally take forever to clear out by hand. General spring-cleaning product upgrades Pine-Sol 2x concentrated formula $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Shop Now Shop Now $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Fabuloso 2x concentrated formula $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 Shop Now Shop Now $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 Shop Now Shop Now $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 SEE 0 MORE There are some innovative cleaning products out there that are just, well, cleaning products. They're not necessarily as amusing to look at or use as the Angry Mama, nor are they as genius as a go-kart that puts your kids to work, but they work better, faster, or harder than other products, which can cut down the time you have to devote to this whole endeavor. After some rigorous testing, I recommend all-purpose cleaner that is labeled "2x concentrated," especially Pine Sol and Fabuloso. These cut through dirt a lot faster than the regular formulations, smell just as good, and, typically don't cost much more (if any more) money. If you read enough of my cleaning content, you'll also soon come to find I am a big fan of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy, which is a melamine sponge like the regular Magic Eraser, except it has pods of soap inside. I use this for everything. I have used it to power through adhesive and goo, clean under my appliances, and so much more. View the full article

Consumers are urged to check their kitchens and pantries after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a notice that warned about health risks associated with select chowder soups. A recall has been issued for the select chowder soup products due to fears they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The bacterium can cause a potentially deadly form of food poisoning known as Botulism. Here’s what you need to know about the recall. What’s happened? The FDA has posted a notice of a voluntary recall being conducted by the SeaBear Company of Anacortes, Washington. SeaBear initiated the recall after the company became concerned that select lots of two of its chowder soup products had the potential to harbor the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. SeaBear initiated the voluntary recall after discovering that there was a pouch sealing issue on the product’s packaging caused by a mechanical issue with some of the company’s equipment. The packaging seal could not be fully bonded, which means some of the chowder soup packages had the ability to leak. Which products are affected? According to SeaBear Company, there are two SeaBear Smokehouse chowder soup products included in this recall. Those products are: Brand: SeaBear Smokehouse Product: SeaBear Salmon Chowder Net wt.12oz. UPC: 0 34507 07001 3 Impacted lot codes: view list here Brand: SeaBear Smokehouse Product: Alehouse Clam Chowder Net wt 12oz UPC: 0 34507 07021 1 Impacted lot codes: view list here Images of the packaging of the recalled products can be found here. Where were the recalled products sold? SeaBear Company says the recalled products were distributed through physical retail stores in the following states: Alaska California Colorado Oregon Washington The products were also sold nationwide at seabear.com. SeaBear says the impacted products were sold between 10/1/2024 and 03/14/2025. Thankfully, the company’s notice states that there have been no reports of illness due to the recalled products so far. What is botulism? Botulism is a type of potentially deadly form of food poisoning. It is caused by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says botulism is a rare but serious illness. There are five types of the disease—all of which are medical emergencies, according to the agency. What are the symptoms of botulism? There are five types of botulism, but the CDC says that all five types have some of the same symptoms, including: Difficulty swallowing Muscle weakness Double vision Drooping eyelids Blurry vision Slurred speech Difficulty breathing Difficulty moving the eyes Foodborne botulism symptoms may also have the following symptoms: Vomiting Nausea Stomach pain Diarrhea Botulism may occur in adults, children, and infants. In infants, symptoms of botulism may also include: Constipation Poor feeding Drooping eyelids Pupils that are slow to react to light Face showing less expression than usual Weak cry that sounds different than usual What do I do if I have the recalled products? SeaBear’s recall notice says that those who have the recalled chowder soup products in their possession should not consume them. Instead, owners of the products should contact SeaBear’s customer service team for a full refund. SeaBear’s customer service contact phone number is 1-800-645-3474; the email is smokehouse@seabear.com. Full details of the product recall can be found here. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Lifehacker's Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide aims to bring you all the best spring cleaning ideas, but I won't lie: Some of them are pretty labor intensive. But whether you don't have the time for a major undertaking or you're just feeling a little lazy this year, there are still ways you can spring clean your home to get it in shape for the months ahead. Clean your microwave the easy wayA microwave is supposed to be cleaned every two weeks, but if that's too often for you (it's OK to be honest), you're probably looking at some serious grime in there. Cleaning it is actually remarkably easy, though, and you can make a big improvement on the mess with just a little effort. Here's my big how-to on cleaning the microwave, but the basic gist involves quartering a lemon and putting two slices into a microwave-safe bowl or mug full of water, then nuking them on high for at least three minutes, until you start to see steam forming in the window. Once it's nice and steamy, don't open the door. Instead, let it sit for five minutes. When you do open the door, you'll have a wet microwave interior you can clean with a sponge. The citrusy steam will have loosened any stuck-on gunk, and you can hopefully wipe it right out. Take the turntable out and soak it in the sink, then clear any crumbs or goo from the bottom of the machine. Just like that, what was once a gross microwave is a sparkling-clean appliance—and all you did was heat up a lemon. Take the easy way out with your oven tooWhile you're at it, you can do something similar to your oven: Heat it to 150 degrees, shut it off, then put a pot of water on the bottom rack and an oven-safe container of ammonia on the top rack. Close the door and let the two sit overnight. In the morning, open the door for at least 15 minutes to air the oven out, then add a few drops of dish soap to the ammonia, dip in a wash rag and scrubbing sponge, and use them to wipe away the softened grease and grime. Put your bathtub and dishwasher to workOne of my favorite lazy cleaning hacks involves looking at the bathtub not just as a place to clean your body, but a place to clean all kinds of stuff from around your house. I'm not someone who throws a lot of dinner parties, but I've heard great things from people who've tossed an abundance of dirty dishes into the bathtub for a good soak. I have used mine for is cleaning things like oven racks and my broom, plus my synthetic rugs. Fridge shelves, purifier filters, plant pots—think of all those big, unwieldy items that are a pain to wipe down. Running a bath with some gentle dish soap and plopping them in for a soak saves a whole lot of time and effort. The same goes for your dishwasher. It's easy to overlook its potential for cleaning non-dish things, but most small plastic or metal items like stove knobs, dustpans, and toothbrush holders can go in there for a washing up, which leaves you with more time to clean other things with your own two hands. Set it and forget it in the bathroomBefore bed one night, you can knock out two major tasks in the bathroom and let your cleaning supplies do the real work while you sleep. First, I have been obsessed with these toilet-cleaning sheets for a few days now. They're dissolvable papers covered in cleaning product, so you just toss them into the toilet and let them disappear. Put one of these in there before bed and, if necessary, give it all a good scrub with your toilet brush before flushing. Second, descale and de-gunk your shower head overnight by tying a sandwich bag full of vinegar around it. This is one of those age-old, tried-and-true hacks that really works. When you remove the bag in the morning, scrub the shower head with an old toothbrush to make sure all the blockages are out of the holes, then run it for a minute or two. Clean your ceiling fan without making a messYou need to clean your ceiling fan so it's not littering dust all around your room, but usually that means you have to litter dust all around the room by brushing it off, then vacuuming it all up. That's a lot of work, but this hack isn't: Grab an old pillowcase and slide it over each blade, one at a time. Pull the pillowcase back toward yourself, with the top dragging across the top of the blade. All of the dust will come off with it and land in the case. You can just dump it out, then toss the pillowcase in the wash. Clean the washing machine without climbing inside of itYou do need to clean your washing machine once in a while, but you don't have to put your whole torso into that small drum to maneuver around in there with a sponge. I've tried a few different methods, usually just involving vinegar, and they've all required no real work on my part. I either dump a cup of vinegar straight into the drum or in the detergent slot, and run the machine through a hot cycle with no clothes inside. The vinegar really helps with de-stinking the device and, in turn, de-stinking the clothes you wash in it. And don't have to do anything but dump a little in there and let the machine run. Clean under big appliances in secondsOne task I always associate with spring cleaning is the annual hauling-out of major appliances like the fridge and oven. (Do I ever actually do that? Not really, but I associate it with spring cleaning because I know I'm supposed to.) You can make this less taxing with a very simple hack: Cut a hole in a sponge, stick a long-handled tool like a spatula or broom handle into the hole, and shove it as far as you can under each appliance. Scrub back and forth as best you can. I have a more in-depth tutorial here, but it really is as easy as it sounds. It doesn't preclude you from ever having to pull those appliances all the way out, but doing it regularly means it will be a lot less gross when you do. View the full article

Forever 21 is facing another bankruptcy. The company that operates the fast-fashion retail brand, called F21 OpCo, LLC, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Delaware court. And while it plans to close its U.S. stores and hold going-out-of-business sales, there is still a chance for a sale that could keep some operations running. For now, Forever 21 stores and its website will stay open as the company sells off inventory and looks for buyers. The move mirrors a similar one made recently by Joann, the beloved arts and fabric chain, which had initially hoped to keep its stores operating before ultimately deciding to liquidate and shut its doors for good. Like Joann, Forever 21 is now in its second bankruptcy; it also filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2019, just months before the pandemic. What happens next for Forever 21? The apparel retailer is seeking a buyer to keep parts of the business alive rather than shutting down completely, although there’s no guarantee that will happen. As Forever 21 explained in a press release, “In the event of a successful sale, the Company may pivot away from a full wind down of operations to facilitate a going-concern transaction.” This means that if someone buys the business, Forever 21 might not shut down completely. Fast Company has reached out to Forever 21 for comment. The company has faced increasing competition from cheaper and faster brands, in particular China-based Temu and Shein. Forever 21 inked a deal with the latter of those brands in 2023 that would allow its clothes to be sold on the platform. In addition to competition, the company also cited rising costs and changing shopping habits as reasons for its precarious financial situation. Once a go-to store for trendy, affordable fashion, Forever 21 has struggled to keep up with online retailers and brands that move faster in the digital world. Forever 21’s international stores, which are run by different companies, are not affected by the bankruptcy. But in the United States, the future of Forever 21 depends on whether a buyer steps in. If not, this could truly mark the end of a fast-fashion era. View the full article

Sometimes the trickiest part of cleaning is knowing where to start—and, once you've started, where to go from there. A handy checklist can help you move through the task systematically and easily. That's where these room-by-room checklists can help. Below, you'll find links to advice on how to complete many of the tasks you'll be facing. I've also turned the cleaning checklists into a downloadable spreadsheet you can print out, so you can mark off each chore as you go. Your kitchen spring cleaning checklist Before you start cleaning, take a minute to make sure you have everything you need. Nothing saps your mojo quite like having to leave the house to buy supplies, so make sure you have these basics on hand: Plain dish soap A good brush set A basic scrubbing sponge A heavy-duty melamine sponge Baking soda White vinegar Easy Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner A good broom A mop A scrubbing cleaner for metal, like Brasso Now it’s time to move on to the various things you need to actually clean. Start from the top and make your way down, so you clean all the dirt you’ve knocked to the floor at the very end. Start by removing your oven racks and putting them in the bathtub with dish soap and water to clean them. They should be soaking while you do everything else. Steam your microwave by nuking a quartered lemon in a bowl with a cup of water for three minutes. Since it has to sit in there for five minutes after that, move on to cleaning the exterior with a mixture of one part vinegar to one part water. Once the five minutes is up, wipe the steam from inside the microwave. Move on to the fridge. Remove all the food and wipe down your shelving and interior with soapy water, then make sure you dry it with paper towels or a clean rag. You can also pop your fridge shelves in the bathtub with the oven racks if they’re really dirty, but that may hold up part of your other cleaning efforts, since you’ll have food all over your counter while your shelves soak. Try to attempt this when you’re low on food, so you don’t have as much to deal with, or put your food back along the bottom of the fridge after you've wiped down the shelf-less interior with a mixture of one cup of baking soda and a gallon of water. Clean your upper kitchen cabinets, removing everything inside. And don’t forget to clean the tops of them, either, with a sponge and soapy water. Do the lower kitchen cabinets now, using the same methods: Pull everything out and clean inside with the crevice tool on the OXO brush set, then soapy water. While all the appliances are out on the counter, clean them one by one. There are detailed ways to clean everything from toasters to coffee machines and grinders to air fryers, so do each one before putting it away. Use this time to clean anything that is a small appliance, is constantly sitting on your countertops, or both. A blender gets cleaned during this part, as do things like your coffee machine accessories. Make sure the cupboards and appliances are all dry before putting anything back. Next, move straight to the stovetop. Use baking soda to clean the burners by slowly adding some to a cup of water and mixing until it forms a paste you can coat the burners with. With your racks still in the bathtub, you can scrub the interior of your oven with oven cleaner. After 20 minutes, remove the baking soda paste from the burners with a damp cloth. Once you've used the sink to clean your appliances, you have to clean the sink itself. If it's stainless steel, use an abrasive cleaner, like Bar Keepers Friend ($11.89 for a pack of two canisters) and a scouring pad. For anything else, a soft cloth and soapy water will work. (One extra step you can take is to polish your chrome fixtures with baby oil, which makes them look super sparkly.) This is a good time to clean the walls between your cabinets and your back splash. Dish soap and water will work, as will the Magic Eraser, but if you have cooking grease splatters to deal with, try mixing salt and vinegar to make a DIY grease-busting solution. You’ve cleared the countertops of the appliances from the cupboard and likely gotten crud from the stovetop all over them, so it’s time to tackle those now. Remove anything that might be on them, use the crevice tool to get crumbs out of the corners, and then go in with soap and water or all-purpose cleaner. If you have granite countertops, be extra careful: Use a non-scratch sponge or rag and soap and water, nothing else. By now, the floors are dirty, but that’s no problem: You’re almost done. First, get your oven racks and fridge shelves out of the bathtub and dry them well. Put them back where they belong. Once that’s done, corral any debris or crumbs on the floor with your broom and mop the whole thing with soapy water. Go relax in another room while it dries. Your bathroom spring cleaning checklistA lot of those kitchen-cleaning tools are going to be useful in the bathroom, too, but you should also pick up these: Soft Scrub with bleach An electric scrubbing brush A FlexiSnake Drain Weasel Double-concentrated cleaner The bathroom is a small space, so you have to be smart about the order in which you clean it so you don't end up going over the same spots too many times. Luckily, most of the things in there are made of hard materials and only require simple wiping, which you can (and should) do while softer materials, like bath mats and curtains, are in the wash. Here's your checklist: We're going to start at the top of the room. Dust light fixtures and vents first, so you don’t get dust on everything else once it’s all clean. Let dust and grime fall down to the counters and floors; we'll be cleaning those in a moment. Throw the shower curtains, bath mats, towels, and any linens or fabrics (like a toilet seat cover) in the wash. This will give you time to clean the hooks and rods that support them and will have them clean and ready to be replaced after you finish with the bathroom overall. Tackle the bathtub or shower, focusing on decluttering old shampoo bottles, wiping down the interior glass, descaling the shower head, and getting rid of any soap rings around the interior. It can be helpful to run the shower on a hot temp for a few minutes before doing this, just to loosen everything up and get it wet in there, but it's up to you. Wipe down all mirrors and tile surfaces outside the tub next. If you opt to steam up the shower before cleaning it, make sure you do this step next, since the mirrors and tile will also get steamy. Clean your bathroom sink, first by sticking your Drain Weasel down the drain to remove hair and gunk, then focusing on removing rings and buildup from the bowl. Clean and polish your faucet and handles when you finish with the bowl. Here's where some Brasso or Soft Scrub comes in handy. Clean your soap dish or tray, removing soap buildup, and do the same for your toothbrush holder. Pour some cleaner in the toilet bowl and let it sit for a moment. While it's in the toilet bowl, you wipe down the exterior, as well as the top and bottom of the seat and cover, then scrub out the bowl with your toilet brush and flush at the end. Clean and polish the toilet handle after you've flushed. Remove the toilet paper roll and disinfect that holder, too. We're being thorough today. Wipe down shelves and cabinets, which probably involves pulling everything down off and from inside of them. This is a great opportunity to declutter and organize your medicine cabinet and shelves. Here are my medicine cabinet organization tips and here are some examples of how I organize various shelves in my bathroom. Clear the countertops and wipe them down, too, also wiping anything on them (like containers holding q-tips, a water cup, etc.). Clean the towel racks and hooks, which should still be empty while their usual contents are in the wash. Take out the trash and scrub inside the can. Scrub all the grout and focus on cracks in the floor, really forcing it out. (Don't worry; we're about to clean all the dust and grime off the floor, finally.) Vacuum any dust or hair from the floor. We're almost done. Mop and disinfect the floor. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, like door handles and light switches. Replace whatever was in the wash, like curtains and mats. Your living room spring cleaning checklistBy now, you have most of the products you'll need to get all this done, so let's move right into what you need to do. First, go around and pick up any and all fabrics or soft items. I’m talking about blankets, throw pillow cases, cushion covers, small mats, doilies—you name it. Stick all those in the wash while you get to work cleaning the room. Again, start at the top so dust and grime fall to the floor, where you can get them later. This means clean your ceiling fan and ceilings, including any vents and lights up there and, especially, the corners where cobwebs start to collect. Dust and wipe down any lamps. Clean your TV and other electronics. Dust them off first, then use an appropriate method to actually wipe them down. Here’s a guide on cleaning your TV without breaking it. Unplug all of them before you do this, of course. Got any mirrors or photos hanging around the joint? Wipe those down now. Next, clear all your surfaces. Pull everything off of your shelves, end tables, and media center. Pile it all up in the center of the room, then dust and wipe down the surfaces you just cleared. If you plan to move your furniture to dust and vacuum behind it, do that now, while it’s all lighter without the burden of its usual contents. Wipe down baseboards, vacuum behind shelving, and do whatever needs doing back there. If you don’t plan to move out furniture (your call!) skip this step, since we are handling baseboards and vacuuming for the whole room closer to the end. Turn your attention to that of stuff you made pile of. Before putting everything back where it came from, do a round of decluttering. Click here to learn a few of the best decluttering methods and go through this list of questions to ask yourself while you declutter. If something isn’t serving you anymore, it’s got to go. It doesn’t need space on your freshly cleaned shelves. Wipe down everything you decide to keep, then put it back where it belongs. Go back to dusting. Dust and wipe down your furniture, potted plants, tables, and anything lower toward the ground. Again, if dust flies off of something onto the floor, this is no problem; we will vacuum it later. Pay special attention to your couch or other upholstered furniture. Remove cushions, if you can, and vacuum underneath them. Clean the cushions themselves however you normally do that, but if you don’t have your own way, feel free to steal my favorite. Wipe down your baseboards and clean vents low to the ground. It’s finally time to vacuum! If you have a large rug, move that and vacuum under it before replacing it and vacuuming over it. Otherwise, really spend some time on this step. Vacuum the corners where the floor meets the wall, use the brush attachment to really get after your vents, and don’t rush. You just dislodged a lot of dust and dirt onto this floor. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces. This means remotes, the handles that control your recliner, light switches, video game controllers, phone chargers, and more. Replace all the linens and fabrics you had in the wash. Your bedroom spring cleaning checklistFinally, let's tackle your bedroom. Here is everything you need to do now so you can go to sleep in a peaceful, clean room tonight. I recommend doing the bedroom last not only because it's the room company is least likely to see, but also because it feels the best to finish up in a room that's all for you. You'll get a major sense of accomplishment sinking into a fresh bed after cleaning the whole house. Pick up all the bedding, small rugs, curtains, and any other fabrics. Put those in the wash. Dust the ceiling fan, vents, and corners. Wipe down mirrors, glass, pictures, and any other smooth, flat surfaces, especially anything hanging on the wall. Clean your windows, wiping out the windowsill and any blinds, as well as the handles and glass. Pull everything off your flat surfaces, from nightstands to shelves. Pile it up on the bed. Wipe down those surfaces. Declutter everything in the pile, just like you did in the living room. Again, here are the best decluttering methods. Once you’ve decided what to keep, wipe it all down and put it away where it goes. Next, turn your attention to the closet and dressers. This is optional, if you don’t really have time to fully declutter all your clothes, but I do recommend it, if only to clean the interior of those spaces. Pull everything out and pile all that on the bed. Really wipe down the interior of every drawer and all over the inside of your closet. As you’re putting clothes away, declutter a bit. Be conscientious about what you put back. If you haven’t worn it in a while, it’s damaged, or it’s out of style or doesn’t even fit anymore, give yourself permission to just toss it. Only the best clothes deserve to be in your clean closet and drawers. Clean your mattress while the sheets are off. Vacuum it, spot treat it, and make sure you do all this now so it has a little time to dry before you put the sheets back on. (Just wait until after you clean your shelves and closets, since dust from the piles you made on the bed might get into the mattress.) Dust any lamps. Don't forget things like string lights, vanity mirror lights, or those little peel-and-stick lights you got off Amazon that one time for no reason. Oh, and nightlights, too. Clean any electronics, from TVs to alarm clocks. Dust any furniture you might have, like ottomans or chairs. If you have a vanity or a desk, make sure you wipe down, organize, and clean that, too. Wipe down the baseboards all around the room and get any floor vents, too. It’s time to vacuum. Don’t just do the floor, but make sure you get under the bed, in the blinds of the windows, under any cushions, and in every corner. Use your brush attachment on vents. Replace all the linens that were in the wash. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and items, including but not limited to lamp switches, light switches, remotes, video game controllers, phone and device chargers, drawer pulls, and more. Walk through your regular morning and night routines, considering what you reach for and touch, then wipe those things down well. View the full article

Getting an idea of how much a dental visit is going to cost can be difficult, even if it’s staring you straight in the mouth. One company hopes to change that, using artificial intelligence to give patients and dentists real-time cost estimates—all while the drills are still buzzing and fluoride is flowing. Overjet, a dental AI platform, just launched the Dental Clarity Network, a collaboration of dentists and health insurance providers that aims to give more clarity into dental billing. The first initiative of the Network is the deployment of ReviewPass, a program that helps deliver real-time cost estimates and insurance coverage information related to tons of dental procedures—effectively, helping dental patients avoid “surprise” bills that they weren’t expecting. Put another way, if you’ve ever found yourself at the dentist, and an issue is discovered that needs to be remedied—be it a filling, or something else—you may not have any idea if your insurance will cover it, or how much you’ll be on the hook for, out of pocket. Yet, the work needs to be done, so you may tell the dentist to go ahead and do it, and then wait weeks for a bill to arrive—or not. That’s what ReviewPass is hoping to clear up. The idea ropes in dentists (care providers), patients, and insurers, leveraging AI to quickly figure out if a procedure is covered under a patient’s insurance plan, and get an idea of how much everything will cost. This, as opposed to the dentist and insurer going back and forth for weeks, all while the patient waits in the dark with a sore jaw. The Dental Clarity Network is launching with some big partners on board, too. Including insurers like MetLife and Humana, and the Dental Care Alliance, which comprises more than 400 dental practices in 24 states. Overall, Overjet estimates that ReviewPASS should be able to reach more than 100 million dental patients in the U.S. “What we’re introducing is a group of major dental payers and provider groups coming together to work on reducing costs and providing more clarity to patients,” says Wardah Inam, Overjet’s CEO. “What we’ve done is help payers build out the infrastructure for real-time claims to happen. While the patient is in the chair, they’ll know whether a treatment must be covered,” she says. The root of the issue is that most dentists don’t know, off the top of their heads, the intricacies of each dental insurance plan. And, as such, can’t tell a patient with certainty whether a specific treatment or procedure is covered by their plan. So, many times, they simply do the procedure, and then go back and forth with the insurer to determine whether it was covered by the plan, or if they need to bill the patient and have them pay out of pocket. “People don’t realize how much time payers and providers waste talking to each other,” says Inam. It eats up a lot of time and money, inflating costs. As a result, Inam thinks that Overjet will help “significantly reduce costs” for insurers and providers, which might trickle down to patients. But a big question: Why the sudden urge to increase transparency into pricing, particularly from insurers, who tend to benefit from opaque billing practices? Inam says it’s because, over the long run, the potential cost-savings are too much to ignore. Everybody should win: Dentists and insurers reduce administrative and overhead costs, and patients get more clarity on what procedures may be covered or not covered, and how much they’re ultimately staring at in terms of dental bills. And once dentists and patients get a taste of it, Inam thinks it’ll be a game-changer. “It’s the first step,” she says. “When individuals have frictionless experiences, they don’t go back. Once they start getting real-time information about their bills, they’re not going back.” View the full article

Judges rule deal can go ahead with only a small change to releases freeing directors from future litigationView the full article

The US president and his followers are entering new and dangerous territoryView the full article

Few topics are simultaneously so celebrated and misunderstood as human potential. On the one hand, we have an influx of near-perpetual articles urging people to unlock or fulfill their own potential, saying essentially that anything else equates to failure. On the other hand, if we ask an average leader or HR professional how to define or explain potential, we are unlikely to get a logical, rational, or scientifically valid answer. And yet, there is a well-established science on human potential, with decades of empirical research resulting in replicable generalizations to predict and explain why some people perform better than others (across different work settings), and why some people develop more than others. What is talent? To understand these findings and their implications, we must start with a basic understanding of talent—since we can’t fully grasp the meaning of potential unless we properly define talent to begin with. Although definitions vary, talent is the ability to display extraordinary levels of performance, irrespective of luck or effort. In any area of competence, measuring the collective output of a team or group of individuals will identify a Pareto-like distribution whereby 20% or so of individuals account for 80% or so of results, output, or productivity. That 20% is comprised by the “vital few,” and while effort and luck may play a role in shaping their performance, in environments where everyone is motivated and incentivized to give their best, consistent differences between the vital few and the rest will largely boil down to talent. So, if talent is how we explain someone’s inclusion among the “vital few,” when luck and hard work aren’t viable explanations, such that talent is basically performance minus effort (the more talented you are at something, the less effort you need to exert to achieve high levels of performance), then what is potential? Potential = nascent talent Potential is talent before you can see it, or nascent talent. That is, talent in the making, or talent waiting to be unfolded. For example, at 25, Mozart, Messi, Picasso, Serena Williams, and Nina Simone displayed such levels of talent that you didn’t even need to have much expertise in their fields of competence to admire their performance and be impressed by their achievements. At age 5, however, they were already giving signs of their extraordinary potential—particularly to the trained eye (e.g., scouts, teachers, mentors, and critics) they appeared to show evidence of an enormous capacity for developing future talent, turning them not so much into a promise, but a rather safe bet. Although most humans lack Mozart’s, Messi’s, Picasso’s, Serena’s, and Simone’s talents—even when we look at the proportionate talents they may exhibit in their own strongest field of competence—the general rule still applies: Their potential is generally not limited to what they have already accomplished, or even their current talents. Indeed, due to lack of incentives, motivation, external politics, and unfairness, not to mention poor career choices (and a lack of accurate constructive feedback), it is rather common for people to “punch below their weight” and spend much of their professional lives not fulfilling their potential. How can you work out if you may be one of them? Consult with brutally honest experts If you want a clear-eyed assessment of your progress, stop asking friends or colleagues who will sugarcoat their feedback. Instead, seek out: Someone who knows your industry deeply (not just a general career coach) Someone who has no problem telling you the truth, even if it hurts Someone who has achieved what you want to achieve and can compare you to real benchmarks, not just make you feel good And, even if you go to the right person for this, it will help if you probe or prompt them in an effective way, namely not fishing for compliments, but rather encouraging them to provide you with a reality check. Ask direct, uncomfortable questions like: “Based on my skills and progress, would you hire me? If not, why?”; “If I keep working the way I am now, where will I be in five years?” Listen. Don’t argue or make excuses. If they say you lack a skill or need to network more, entertain the notion that these suggestions can make you better. And, if you can’t find someone willing to be brutally honest with you, that’s already a red flag. Look at who’s passing you by One of the clearest signs that you’re not fulfilling your potential is when people with similar or even fewer skills surpass you in career, income, or occupational prestige. How to do it? Here are some ideas: Make a list of 5–10 people in your field who started around the same time as you. Compare their progress to yours: Are they getting promoted faster? Are they earning more? Are they building more meaningful industry connections? If they’re ahead, ask why: Is it better skills? More risk-taking? Stronger networking? A better ability to sell themselves? A stronger work ethic? If less talented people are doing better than you, it’s not always because they’re lucky (though luck always helps). More likely, they’re doing something you’re not. Identify what they’re doing better and assess whether you should emulate it—if not, then come up with your own strategy for doing better. Measure growth in real terms, not effort Every culture values hard work, yet at the same, when it comes to career success (especially the type that is dependent on other people’s assessment of your performance) you rarely get points for trying hard—only for getting results. Many people feel like they’re working at full capacity, but when you measure actual output, it turns out they’re just spinning their wheels. Perhaps this is why, as Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella pointed out, there’s a big discrepancy between how employees evaluate their own work ethic, and how their bosses do, with 85% of managers believing that employees are slacking, while 85% of those employees feeling overworked. How to improve your self-assessment of both input (work ethic) and output (results): Instead of asking “Am I working hard?”, ask “What measurable improvements have I made in the last 6 months?,” “What can I do now that I couldn’t do a year ago?” Track concrete progress in key areas. For example: If you’re a writer, have your pieces improved in quality and impact? Have you increased your actual productivity? If you’re a salesperson, have your numbers improved? If you’re a leader, is your influence on the team growing? Are you actually making your team better, more productive, and so on? It is often helpful to keep a monthly log of tangible progress on your tasks and deliverables. If you’re not moving forward, adjust immediately—change your strategy, skill set, or work habits. Find the bottleneck that’s holding you back Every person who isn’t fulfilling their potential has at least one critical flaw that is limiting them—a “bottleneck” that prevents success, no matter how hard they work. What you can do: Identify the one thing that, if improved, would unlock the most progress. Be honest—what’s your biggest career liability? Weak technical skills or a lack of expertise? Are you falling behind in your industry? Lack of confidence? Are you bad at self-promotion? Poor networking? Do people with less skill get better opportunities because they know the right people or are better than you at office politics? Inability to execute? Do you start things but never finish? Fix the bottleneck first. For instance, if networking is the issue, don’t waste time improving technical skills—go to industry events and meet the right people first. In short, though there is no clear-cut answer to the perennial question of whether you are fulfilling your potential or not, you can try to gather credible evidence and data points to at least get a better sense of the likely answer, and pinpoint improvement areas. A final consideration: If this exercise makes you uncomfortable, that’s a good sign. Just like physical pain is a useful signal that something is malfunctioning and needs to be attended, so too the psychological “pain” we experience when we notice we are not as good as we would like to be opens the gateway and pathways to development and improvement. View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. Leaders, are you listening to your frontline employees? Two billion people worldwide—that’s 80% of the global workforce—manufacture products, provide services, or work directly with customers. They’re often the first to see or hear about problems, and listening to their insights can help avoid headaches. Steven Kramer, CEO of workforce management software company WorkJam, shared an example of a retail client whose salespeople noticed a batch of sweaters that had uneven sleeves. They shared information about the defect with management, and the company was able to pull the item from the stores. “They might have sold thousands and thousands of the items, which would have led to bad publicity for the organization and a big return event for the stores,” Kramer says. “Empowered and well-supported frontlines will lead to better business results.” Unfortunately, companies are losing ground when it comes to engaging their frontline workers. Consultancy Mercer’s annual Inside Employees’ Minds study finds that two-thirds (66%) of frontline workers in 2024 said they were “motivated to go above and beyond what is normally expected of me to make my company successful,” down five points from 2023. In contrast, more than three-fourths (76%) of salaried workers said they were motivated to go above and beyond. Clocked in, but tuned out Employees offer many reasons for their dissatisfaction, including financial strain and barriers to career advancement. Many bear the brunt of customer anger and incivility, which has risen steadily and sharply in the last decade. And some feel their feedback isn’t valued. How can CEOs and other executives glean insights from on-the-ground employees? WorkJam’s Kramer, not surprisingly, advocates using technology platforms to engage in a two-way dialogue with workers. WorkJam’s clients can offer their employees a mobile app that enables pulse surveys and messaging among workers and managers, allowing frontline employees to flag issues in real time. Management, in turn, can provide updates and information that might normally not reach workers in the field. “Employees want to have this digital connectivity,” Kramer says. “They want to feel connected to their leadership and understand the values and the objectives of the company.” (When it comes to artificial intelligence technologies, employees in the field are more skeptical, according to a June 2024 study by BGC, with about 22% expressing anxiety over generative AI, compared with 18% of managers and 15% of leaders.) Start the conversation Of course, the best way to solicit information from frontline workers is to actually talk to them. When leadership expert Bill George was CEO of medical device maker Medtronic, he says he tried to spend 30% of his time with frontline employees. (The remaining 70% of the time was spent with customers, executives, and external employees.) In contrast, the leaders who participated in Michael Porter and Nitin Nohria’s oft-cited 2018 study on CEO time management spent just 6% of their time with rank-and-file employees. “If they spend 30% of their time with frontline workers, they’ll better understand the needs of both customers and employees and will be better able to lead their companies,” George wrote in a 2022 article for Harvard Business Review. Scott Salmirs, president and CEO of ABM Industries, which provides infrastructure, maintenance, and facilities services to clients ranging from airports to elementary schools, says he encourages his executives to “do time in the field.” Adds Salmirs, whose company employs more than 100,000 team members and frontline workers: “You have to be out there building relationships, being present and engaged. It’s all about connecting with, inspiring, and learning from the field.” Are you fostering a culture of communication? ABM also runs a “Shark Tank”-style event where frontline employees can pitch ideas to leadership. “We tell our frontline team, if you come up with innovations, you’ll be recognized and rewarded,” Salmirs says. “When you’re in the field, you know what the clients want more than somebody sitting in corporate.” Such pitch contests have become a hallmark of companies on the Fast Company Best Companies for Innovators list, an annual program that recognizes businesses that empower employees at all levels to improve processes, create new products, or invent new ways of doing business. If your company has an interesting way of enlisting your frontline workers to help you innovate, share your story with me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com, and consider applying to be a Best Workplace for Innovators. The final deadline is March 28. Read more: Leading from the front The 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators 4 ways AI and tech tools can help frontline workers’ progress How to get your frontline to make your business their business Feedback from the frontline is every CEO’s superpower View the full article

Executives and managers are traditionally reluctant to express any tender inner feelings from their teams and peers. Yet leaders who are willing to tap into the power of vulnerability are seeing benefits to their ability to connect, motivate, and lead teams. The experience of vulnerability might feel weak to some, but researchers like Brené Brown have reframed the expression of vulnerability as an act of courage, a superpower that can boost psychological safety and foster a culture of innovation and creative risk-taking. Leaders and managers who share experiences of uncertainty can also create personal connections that can help motivate and inspire others. However, expressing tender, sensitive, or risky thoughts and feelings can be tricky—how do you share uncertainty or challenge without undermining the trust and confidence of others? Encouraging vulnerability In my work as a facilitator of the Stanford Graduate School of Business’s popular organizational behavior elective, “Interpersonal Dynamics” (nicknamed “touchy feely”) we encourage MBA students to experiment with sharing vulnerability in small groups of peers. Many of these high-achievers come from families and cultures that push away difficult emotions and conceal vulnerability. The curriculum emphasizes emotional self-awareness and intentional self-disclosure as a means to build trusting relationships, grow influence, and resolve conflict. Our small groups provide a learning laboratory in which, despite discomfort, many students take the risk to share (some for the first time ever) their challenges, uncertainties and dreams. Through sharing and listening to others, they build trust and grow their capacity to empathize, connect, and resolve conflict, ending the class with new lifelong friends. But as powerful as this experience is for students, they often wonder how to apply these classroom lessons to the “real world.” They’re not wrong to be cautious. Thoughtful expressions of vulnerability can foster authenticity, trust, and innovation. But careless, unregulated, or excessive vulnerability can be costly. Intense vulnerability can create a burden on the team by increasing their anxiety or requiring care-taking, and some might interpret it as weakness or incompetence. The most effective leaders are self-aware, know their triggers, and balance competence and presence with authentic vulnerability. They calibrate and make conscious choices about when, how, and with whom they share vulnerability. If you’re seeking ways to bring more of your authentic self to work, below are some helpful key guidelines to follow: Be intentional Leading with vulnerability isn’t about unguarded or careless eruptions of emotion. As with any communication, pause and check that your intent is constructive and generous. You should act in support of your team, rather than reactive and self-serving. Put the needs of the team above your own and always consider your potential impact on your audience. This might mean disclosing a personal challenge to foster a culture of openness, voicing uncertainty about your opinion in order to invite contribution or model risk-taking, or sharing your hopes and dreams to help inspire others. Avoid venting. As much as it can provide momentary relief, it might be costly to relationships and morale, or burden a colleague. If feel grips of intense emotion, anger, fear, or sadness coming along, take a break, self-regulate, and make a conscious choice about what to communicate. Maintain boundaries Be mindful of oversharing. Drawing appropriate boundaries around what you share protects your team from having to take care of or manage you. Self-regulation and healthy boundaries aren’t just about protecting others; they also serve to protect you. Women, particularly women of color, and other under-represented groups are subject to greater scrutiny, bias, and criticism when they express vulnerability, uncertainty or anger and may not feel safe or supported when they share. The right level of sharing will depend from person to person. One piece of guidance is to “share scars, not wounds,” meaning that it’s generally safer to share something that you’ve processed or healed rather than something you’re still working through. Reserve those conversations for your friends, family, or a therapist. Modulate It’s also important to modulate the intensity of your communication. Simon Sinek cautions that leaders, especially CEOs, often need to tone down their releases of emotion because “a whisper becomes a shout.” People might interpret your concern as panic, hear your irritation as fury, or conclude that your musings are a mandate. Pause before sharing and choose your words carefully. Your words will reverberate, so dial it down to avoiding undermining credibility and competence. For example, to acknowledge your own uncertainty and rally the team to collaborate in the face of a challenge, you might say, “I don’t have all the answers but I am confident that we can work together to identify a path forward.” Try positive vulnerability Oftentimes, students enter our class thinking that they must share their most painful stories—experiences of hardship, loss, and grief—but vulnerability isn’t just about pain or uncertainty. Telling a colleague, “Meetings always run better when you are there,” or “Your presentation changed my perspective,” might feel awkward, but these sentiments create an opening for connection with little downside. Clients and students sometimes worry that appreciation or words of affirmation can sound “cheesy” or inauthentic. But true positive sentiment—care, gratitude, or acknowledging someone’s influence on you—can create connection without negative baggage. Another positive approach is to share learning or “crucible moments”—when you faced a challenge, however imperfectly, and came out changed by the experience—which demonstrates vulnerability, humility, and growth. Authentic, calibrated expressions of vulnerable thoughts, feelings, and experiences can improve your effectiveness as a leader. After all, we’re all human, and tapping into our shared humanity can be a powerful tool to create connection and foster innovation. View the full article

Nearly 33% of women say they feel anxious about their careers in 2025, and another 17% feel overwhelmed. Close to 60% of women say current events are increasing stress levels and disrupting focus at work. These findings come from recent data from careers platform InHerSight. They overlay already concerning data about surging anxiety across the U.S. In 2024, 43% of adults reported feeling more anxious than they did the previous year, compared to 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022, according to a poll by the American Psychiatric Association. Anxiety about career progression and stress from current events are distinct challenges. However, they share a common thread. Both affect women’s ability to make clear decisions and move forward with confidence in 2025. We all have, ingrained within us, the drive to achieve and build. It has its roots in evolution, our ancestors needed to accomplish tasks and secure stability to survive. But as work expectations continue to evolve and life seems increasingly fraught, those instincts can take a backseat to another feeling—anxiety. The result is that as the world spins madly on, you grow more and more uncertain of how to make meaningful plans for the future. Why anxiety blocks career planning There are several ways anxiety impacts your future planning. Brittany Bate, a licensed psychologist and owner of Be BOLD Psychology and Consulting, says that one common pattern is overthinking. This is when the relentless inner voice questions every decision, amplifying every doubt, and making progress feel impossible. “Anxiety clouds our ability to prioritize, making it harder to discern urgent tasks from important ones. This confusion can breed procrastination or spur impulsive actions that ultimately hinder progress.” says Bates. This rumination erodes confidence in clear decision-making. Catastrophizing, another byproduct of anxiety, triggers a fixation on, and expectation of, the worst-case outcome. Chronic exposure to stressful news can reinforce career anxiety, creating a loop where external instability fuels personal doubts. Instead of thinking strategically about the future, many find themselves stuck in survival mode with little mental bandwidth for career planning. Escape overthinking with these mental hacks Reframing your negative thought-patterns can help you regain control and shift your short-term perspective toward more constructive, solution-oriented thinking. Bate says, “listing out the best-case scenario, worst-case scenario, and most likely scenario can be helpful.” “Ask yourself, ‘Looking at all of the information I have right now, what is the percentage that I believe this outcome will happen? What else could be true?’ For example, instead of thinking, ‘I’m going to fail at this job interview,’ reframe it as, ‘I may or may not get this job, but I will gain interview experience that helps me land the right job in the future.’” Bate recommends her clients manage anxiety and feeling stuck by identifying a negative thought through the “Rule of Fives”: Will this matter in five minutes? Will this matter in five days? Will this matter in five months? Will this matter in five years? “This framework helps put concerns into perspective,” she says. “If your worry is something that indeed will matter in five years, it’s worth your time and energy. But if this is something that is unlikely to matter in five minutes or five days or even in five months, it may not be worth dwelling on.” It’s equally important to recognize that some stressors, like current events, are long-term and entirely out of your control. Prolonged stress can blur the line between external challenges and your personal goals, making it harder to navigate your path forward. One way to handle this is to create a clear distinction between what’s outside of your control and what you can actually influence. Creating consistent daily habits is one of the most manageable ways to exercise your influence and build resilience against future-related anxiety. “Developing a morning and evening routine can help you feel more confident. Predictable routines reduce stress and provide stability,” Bate says. So how do you go about setting manageable goals when everything feels overwhelming? When anxiety and indecision cloud your mind, setting overarching goals can be intimidating. First, start with narrowing your focus. The following steps can also help: 1. Take baby steps “The key to planning for the future is to break it down into small achievable steps,” says Bate. “You can do this in two ways. One way is to consider ‘the next right step’ approach. Instead of focusing on the big picture, ask yourself, What is the next small step I can take? This keeps you from becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of a long-term goal.” Say you want to switch careers. Instead of stressing about finding the perfect job or rewriting your entire resume, start by researching companies you’re interested in or updating your LinkedIn profile. Break the process down into manageable actions and maintain momentum without giving in to overwhelm. 2. Be SMART The second way to effectively plan for the future, Bate says, is to set SMART goals. SMART goals are: Specific—Define what you want to achieve Measurable—Set criteria for measuring progress Achievable—Ensure the goal is realistic Relevant—Align it with your values and priorities Time-bound—Set a deadline to maintain motivation Similar to New Year’s resolutions, you can’t overhaul your life overnight by setting vague or overly ambitious goals. SMART goals are more impactful because they’re both realistic and measurable. For example, instead of saying, “I want to be more productive this month,” say, “I will block out 90-minute focus sessions for deep work each morning, free from distractions, for the next four weeks.” 3. Map out your future with AI You can also enlist the help of AI chatbots, which can assist in organizing your thoughts, offering tailored advice, and refining your goals and action steps. The following prompts can help: What specific skills should I focus on to advance in my career over the next five years? What are the most effective ways to network in my field and make meaningful connections? What are the best steps I can take to start saving for retirement, considering my current income? What online courses or certifications would be most beneficial for my career growth? Can you help create an actionable timeline for achieving my goals, such as getting a promotion within two years or buying a house in five years? The future is still yours Overcoming overthinking requires resilience and self-awareness. Practice self-compassion when you can by slowing down and reminding yourself of your values. Accept that perfection is unattainable and mistakes are part of growth—this shift can ease overthinking. And remember: Anxiety signals you want something to change for the better. It means you care. View the full article

The biggest concern for most people when it comes to AI and work is: Are robots going to take our jobs? Honestly, we’re right to be concerned. According to McKinsey & Company, 45 million jobs, or a quarter of the workforce, could be lost to automation by 2030. Of course, the promise is that AI will create jobs, too, and we’ve already started to see emerging roles like prompt engineers and AI ethicists crop up. But many of us also have concerns about how AI is being incorporated into our fields. Should a bot host a podcast, write an article, or replace an actor? Can AI be a therapist, a tutor, or build a car? According to a Workday global survey, three out of four employees say their organization is not collaborating on AI regulation and the same share says their company has yet to provide guidelines on responsible AI use. On the final episode in The New Way We Work’s mini-series on how AI is changing our jobs, I spoke to Lorena Gonzalez. She’s the president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, a former assemblywoman, and has written AI transparency legislation, including a law designed to prevent algorithms from denying workers break time. While there are many industry-specific concerns about AI in workplaces, she says that some of the most effective and impactful AI regulations address common issues that touch on many different types of workplaces. Robot bosses and algorithmic management Gonzalez’s first bill on algorithmic management applied specifically to warehouses. “We wanted to give workers the power to question the algorithm that was speeding up their quota,” she said. Gonzalez explained that there was no human interaction and it was leading to an increase in warehouse injuries. “What we started with in the warehouse bill, we’re really seeing expand throughout different types of work. When you’re dealing with an algorithm, even the basic experience of having to leave your desk or leave your station . . . to use the restroom, becomes problematic,” she says. “Taking away the human element obviously has a structural problem for workers, but it has a humanity problem, as well.” Privacy Gonzalez is also working on bills regarding worker privacy. She says some companies are going beyond the basics of watching or listening to employees, like using AI tools for things like heat mapping. Gonzalez also says she’s seen companies require employees to wear devices that track who they are talking with (in previously protected places like break rooms or bathrooms), and monitoring how fast workers drive when not on the clock. Data collection and storage A third area of focus for Gonzalez is data that’s being taken from workers without their knowledge, including through facial recognition tools. As an employee, you have a “right to understand what is being taken by a computer or by AI as you’re doing the work, sometimes to replace you, sometimes to evaluate you,” she says. These are issues that came up in the SAG-AFTRA strike last year, but she says these issues come up in different forms in different industries. “We’ve heard it from Longshoremen who say the computer works side-by-side to try to mimic the responses that the worker is giving,” she says. “The workers should have the right to know that they’re being monitored, that their data is being taken, and there should be some liability involved.” Beyond these broader cases of AI regulation, Gonzalez says that business leaders should talk to their employees about how new technology will impact their jobs, before it’s implemented, not after. “Those at the very top get sold on new technology as being cool and being innovative and being able to do things faster and quicker and not really going through the entirety of what these jobs are and not really imagining what on a day-to-day basis that [a] worker has to deal with,” she says. Listen to the full episode for more on how workers are fighting for AI regulation in industries like healthcare and retail and the crucial missing step in AI development Gonzalez sees coming out of Silicon Valley. You can listen and subscribe to The New Way We Work on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, or wherever you get your podcasts. View the full article

Super Bowl Sunday always mints a lot more winners and losers than just those who play in the game. It’s the biggest day in sports betting annually, with the American Gaming Association estimating a record $1.39 billion in the big game last month. For casual sports bettors, a Super Bowl wager might be enough gambling to last the entire year. For many others, though, it was just a warm-up for the 67 games of March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, which kicks off this week. Sports betting has been a huge growth industry in the U.S. since it was legalized nearly seven years ago. With the help of online gambling companies such as DraftKings, legal sports betting brought in $13.7 billion in 2024 alone, up from $248 million—with an “m”—in 2017, when the industry was last restricted just to the state of Nevada. According to a new study, however, this enormous growth has come at the expense of financial stability, mental health, and a happy family life for millions of Americans—especially members of Gen Z. Intuit Credit Karma commissioned the study from data firm Qualtrics ahead of March Madness, to shed light on some of the collateral damage wrought by the booming sports betting industry. “Plenty of people bet on sports very manageably and responsibly,” says Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate at Intuit Credit Karma. “But like any vice, it can be a slippery slope.” The study’s findings show just how harmful sports betting has become since the 2018 SCOTUS decision in Murphy v NCAA made it legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Nearly a quarter (23%) of 1,000 respondents who engage in sports betting, or have a partner who does, admitted to being sports betting addicts. Almost the same number (22%) said that betting had caused financial distress for themselves and their families. And nearly half (48%) of all respondents claimed to have experienced mental health issues including depression as a result of their betting activity. [Images: Geenee/Adobe Stock, 3dsculptor/Adobe Stock] A separate, similar study published last month by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) further attests to the addictive nature of sports betting. That study analyzed aggregate Google search trends over the past eight years for queries that mentioned such words as gambling, addiction, and anonymous, and found that searches for help with gambling addiction cumulatively increased by 23% across the country in that time. One demographic that seems particularly susceptible to sports betting addiction, according to the Intuit Credit Karma study, is Gen Z—37% of whom reported being addicted. That’s 14% more than the number of respondents across all age demographics claiming to be addicts. “We’re seeing that sports betting is really impacting Gen Z at higher rates, which likely has a lot to do with just how digitally native that generation is,” Alev says. “Growing up in an era where everything is online, sports betting has just become another piece of that.” Indeed, part of the reason so many users of all ages have gotten in over their heads seems rooted in online bets taking all the friction out of gambling. The rise of online sportsbooks such as FanDuel and ESPN Bet has essentially given most Americans a casino in their pocket at all times. It’s no wonder they’re reportedly responsible for 95% of all sports betting in the U.S. These companies are known to spend up to a billion dollars annually on marketing, which anyone who’s watched an NFL game in recent years can attest. Part of their strategy for enticing new customers—and maintaining existing ones—is through eye-popping promotions that can be difficult to resist. FanDuel and DraftKings, for instance, both offer newcomers $150 in bonus bets on their first $5 bet, and sometimes offer deposit bonuses, matching a percentage of new money players add to their sportsbook accounts. Bonuses like these give the betting-curious uninitiated a positive early experience, hooking them in for the long haul. As the Intuit Credit Karma study reveals, about a quarter of bettors (24%) pointed to these bonuses and incentives as primary motivators for their sports betting activity. In addition to gathering data on the financial distress that follows many Americans’ sports betting, the study also reveals its impact on their partners and children’s lives. “We wanted to focus on the family aspect of it too because if you’re addicted to something like sports betting, you might have blinders on in terms of whether you actually have a problem,” Alev says. “A lot of spouses and children deal with those negative implications, maybe even more so than the bettor themselves.” To that end, roughly a quarter (23%) of partners of those surveyed claimed they’ve had to pull from their children’s college funds to either keep the hobby going or pay off debt related to it, while 16% reported abuse and another 16% reported family estrangement. Not many guardrails exist to keep sports bettors from hitting bottom. Although the American Gaming Association launched the Have a Game Plan campaign in 2019 to encourage responsible betting, actual protections have been scant. In order to defend themselves and their families, Alev offers a common-sense solution for casual sports bettors: building in friction. “Don’t save your credit card numbers, hide your card somewhere where you have to go find it—make it not just as simple as a click to be able to bet,” she says. “The important thing is forcing yourself to pause and reflect on where you are and the behavior.” Beyond individual solutions, the JAMA study proposes some sweeping steps the U.S. government could take, including increased funding for gambling addiction services, enhanced advertising regulations, and stronger safeguards, such as betting limits and age limits, enforced breaks, and restrictions on credit card use for gambling. The most effective solution, however, seems both obvious and elusive. As the Intuit Credit Karma study points out, 28% of sports bettors wish sports betting was illegal again. View the full article

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