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At the Aysaita Refugee Camp in northeastern Ethiopia’s Afar region, there are about 40,000 Eritreans struggling to meet their basic daily needs. For the 10,000 children younger than 10 who live in the camp, that includes one often overlooked resource: play. At many refugee camps around the world, play can, understandably, become an afterthought as humanitarian organizations focus on delivering essentials like housing and food. But studies show that play is critical for helping kids develop executive motor function and relational skills. It’s also a key therapeutic tool for children who have experienced trauma. These insights inspired Playrise, a U.K.-based charity designing play structures for children living in disaster-relief sites around the world. Alexander Meininger, the founder and director of Playrise, says the concept for the nonprofit came about in early 2024. As he watched his own two young kids learning through play, he was simultaneously keeping up with an influx of news about conflict and war in various global locations, including Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Eritrea. During this time, he became increasingly concerned about how children displaced by violence would be impacted by the lack of access to play structures. “Play is important generally for every child to develop, but especially for kids who are in these really extreme circumstances, it helps them to regain some sense of normality, overcome some trauma, escape the horrors that they’ve been through,” Meininger says. “It is really beyond the physical and mental development for every child: For them, play has a really big role in terms of healing.” Alongside the London architecture firm OMMX, which specializes in what it calls “socially responsible architecture,” Meininger has spent the past two years working on a prototype for a flat-packed play structure that can be easily shipped and built on-site. The first Playrise structure—set to be shipped to the Aysaita camp at the end of April—is endlessly reconfigurable, safe for climbing, and designed to be adaptable to any environment. The goal is to eventually make play universally accessible to the nearly 50 million kids who are currently displaced from their homes due to violence and conflict. Play as a tool for healingBefore the Playrise team began the design process in earnest, they consulted with several different refugee communities around the world in order to understand their unique challenges, natural environments, and how the kids themselves actually wanted to play. To gather those insights, OMMX cofounder and director Hikaru Nissanke, Meininger, and a team of project members spent June and July of 2025 conducting workshops. They traveled to Cairo, where many Palestinian children have fled from the Israel-Hamas war; six different villages in south Egypt, which is home to a group of refugees from Sudan; and the Aysaita Refugee Camp. Nissanke brought along a kit of fabric pieces, fashioned by a tailor near his London office, to set up makeshift playgrounds at each site. In the U.K., he explains, his team typically engages kids through structured activities, like coloring, playing with tools, or working with stickers. In the workshops, they focused instead on movements like dancing, jumping, and singing—intuititive staples of play that the kids could guide themselves, rather than requiring excessive explanation or instruction through a translator. “We wanted something very direct, authentic, and in the moment,” Nissanke says. “We didn’t want to just assume one way of thinking, like, This is how we do it in the U.K., therefore this is the way we’ll do it in Ethiopia. We wanted to learn from them as much as possible rather than teaching.” With free rein, the children’s creativity flourished. They transformed fabric into parachutes, slides, monkey bars, and hammocks—features that informed Playrise’s design. “A big takeaway is that they did love everything,” Nissanke says. “That was a really huge challenge.” At each of the three sites, it was clear that the kids didn’t want just one unchanging structure; they wanted to be able to climb, create forts, build stages, and play based on their imaginations. At the same time, the workshops highlighted how different the architectural conditions of refugee camps are: In Aysaita, the available space was a vast, arid desert made of sandy terrain and exposed to the sun, whereas in Cairo, the available area was a cramped courtyard within a walled enclosure. Playrise would need to create a system that could be mass-produced, flat-packed, built on-site, and constantly reconfigured based on both the kids’ ideas and the constraints of the natural terrain. The best solution “was to give them a tool kit so that they could then build their own forms of play for whatever they need at that moment in time,” Nissanke says. Flexibility also helped the kit become more culturally responsive, a takeaway the design team learned from workshops in Ethiopia. “The parents said that they really would see benefit to their children building and maintaining a play structure because it is a directly transferable skill to looking after their homes, which are incredibly fragile and precarious,” Nissanke adds. A modular playground designed like LegoIn the early phases of the design process, Meininger and Nissanke thought of Playrise’s modular system like a set of giant Legos: Each part had to be flexible enough to be used in an infinite number of ways, but strong enough to hold up to years of play. First, they selected wood to serve as the main building block of the system. While in Ethiopia and Egypt, the team noticed multiple metal playgrounds that had been abandoned because a single break in the structure would make it unsafe, and because the material would reach scorching temperatures in the desert heat. Wood, in contrast, could offer durability and stay relatively cool under direct sunlight. The next phase of the design process, and the most challenging, was finding a way to secure wood joinery. “It’s a bit of a compromise, because if you want it to go together as easily as possible, the easiest thing is stuff that just clicks together like Lego—but that wouldn’t be sturdy enough,” Meininger says. Instead, he and Nissanke designed a custom bolt that could be screwed and unscrewed with simple, easy-to-use tools. Through a collaboration with a U.K. organization called the Play Inspector, which consults on play structures to make sure that they reach a high safety standard, Meininger and Nissanke learned that any small hole on a playground could trap fingers. So along each beam of wood they drilled a series of 26-millimeter-wide holes (about 1 inch, which is large enough to be safe for kids’ hands) and created a fitting consisting of a pipe, bolts, and washers that allow these beams to be joined together in almost any configuration. Once the beams were complete, the final step was developing a series of supplemental parts—the Lego accessories of Playrise. To shield kids from the blazing sun, Nissanke designed colorful fabric “sails” that can be tied down between the beams to create pockets of shade. They also double as a canvas kids can paint. Additional parts in the kit include climbable handholds, swings, and rope nets. “I worked on this for the whole year, and I’ve seen a thousand pictures and drawings, but when you see it in reality it really looks like a giant toy,” Meininger says. “You look at it, and it looks a bit like Lego, and you think, Wow, this is really joyful.” Playrise’s next stepsRight now, Playrise is preparing to ship its first modular playground to Aysaita by the end of April; playgrounds in Cairo and the south of Egypt will follow. Meininger and Nissanke plan to use learnings from these locations to inform future updates to the design. They’re already expanding the accessories to include more accessible options at ground level for kids who may be unable to climb, like drums and sensory toys. They want to eventually stock a complete kit on their website that can bring the benefits of play to the sites where it’s needed the most. “Everything kids do is play,” Meininger says. “That’s how they experience the world. That’s how they learn. That’s how they grow and develop. Sophia Apdi, a child psychologist who sat with us on a roundtable recently, expressed it really nicely. She said, ‘Play is the language of children.’” View the full article

If you watched the Super Bowl in 2026, you likely saw Serena Williams share her weight-loss journey on GLP-1 medications in a commercial. Like millions of others around the country, if you’ve ever considered taking one of these drugs, you probably went online to learn more about where you can get them and how much they cost. Online searches for GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have risen dramatically since 2022. Advertisements like Williams’s Super Bowl commercial both reflect and help drive that growing demand. More and more advertisements for weight-loss medications are appearing in people’s daily lives. These ads can be appealing, intrusive, confusing, or even misleading, and have sparked widespread concerns about inappropriate use and adverse events. But the high cost of GLP-1 medications, combined with the lack of adequate coverage by insurance plans, has helped fuel a booming online market for cheaper alternatives. As health services researchers studying prescription medication safety, we are highly concerned about the risks of online advertisements selling alternative versions of GLP-1 weight-loss medications. Serena Williams’s Super Bowl ad promoted GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Not all GLP-1 medications are the same As of April 2026, the most popular GLP-1 medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration include semaglutide, sold under the brand names Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus; tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro or Zepbound; and orforglipron, sold as Foundayo. These brand-name medications have undergone rigorous clinical trials and extensive FDA evaluation, including review of clinical data, manufacturing processes, and facility inspections, to ensure safety, quality and effectiveness. Many of the GLP-1 drugs advertised on the internet are not the FDA-approved medications but rather “compounded” GLP-1 products made in compounding pharmacies. They contain the same active ingredient—semaglutide, tirzepatide or orforglipron—but add minor but clinically important modifications such as using a different salt form, adding different inactive ingredients and varying drug concentrations or dosages. In addition, they may be produced and stored under inconsistent quality standards. Compounding pharmacies are intended to create personalized versions of FDA-approved medications to meet unique patient needs that cannot be met through the mass-produced brand-name medications. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the modifications being made to GLP-1 medications sold by compounding pharmacies meet those criteria. Instead, companies are using compounding pharmacies to bypass the FDA-approved manufacturers and generate profit. In February 2026, the FDA released a report alerting patients and providers about the risks of compounded GLP-1 medications. The report notes the presence of counterfeit Ozempic, the use of non-FDA-approved ingredients such as retatrutide or cagrilintide, and products bypassing regulations by being labeled as “not for human consumption.” As of July 2024—the most recently issued report—the FDA had received more than 1,000 reports of adverse events related to compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide. These include gastrointestinal effects like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, as well as fainting, headache, migraine, dehydration, acute pancreatitis, and gallstones. These effects occur because drug concentrations in compounded medications can vary significantly, leading to serious dosing errors. The Better Business Bureau is seeing a rash of “subscription traps” for GLP-1 drugs. Steps to safely obtain GLP-1 medications online First, if you or someone you know is considering GLP-1 medications for weight management, it’s important to know that leading medical organizations have specific recommendations for the use of these drugs. For instance, the American Diabetes Association only recommends the use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss for those with a body mass index, or BMI, of at least 30, or among those with a BMI of 27 or greater if they have at least one other condition such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol. People with a BMI below 27 need further clinical evaluation to determine if a GLP-1 medication is appropriate for them. If you and your doctor determine that it is appropriate to seek GLP-1 medications for weight management, it’s important to avoid compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs unless your healthcare provider specifically recommends them. But identifying which GLP-1 medications are compounded can be challenging. It’s important to carefully examine how the medication is labeled on the website. Websites selling compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs are not allowed to use the FDA-approved brand names of products like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. If a product description includes spelling errors or terms such as “compounded,” “generic version,” or “same active ingredient as [brand name],” it often indicates that the product is a compounded formulation. When in doubt, try contacting the online retailer and ask if the product is a compounded drug. If you decide to obtain GLP-1 medications online, it’s important to choose reliable and transparent sources. The manufacturers of several FDA-approved GLP-1 medications provide official online platforms such as Novocare and LillyDirect. These allow people to get medication information and transparent pricing and to get the drugs delivered to them at home or to pick them up at a pharmacy. When possible, using these official sources can reduce the risk of encountering misleading advertisements or unverified products. Red flags Online retailers that offer GLP-1 drugs without requiring a prescription or medical evaluation are illegal and unsafe. Advertising the ease of getting a prescription or only requiring an online form to obtain a prescription is a red flag. As a rule of thumb, patients should always begin their treatment by consulting with their local primary care provider who can evaluate their complete medical history. It is also important to verify whether the pharmacy associated with the website is properly licensed and compliant with regulatory standards, since many online sellers rely on compounding pharmacies that are based outside the U.S. or are not appropriately licensed. Therefore, patients should check whether the pharmacy that will ship their medication has a physical address and a telephone number based in the U.S. Patients should verify whether the pharmacy is registered on the official FDA database of approved compounded pharmacies and licensed as per the board of pharmacy of the state where the pharmacy is physically located. Using pharmacies that are not registered or licensed is highly unsafe and can result in serious adverse effects. If the online retailer does not clearly disclose which pharmacy they are using, you should contact the retailer to confirm this information. Finally, even after you receive your medications, you will need to carefully review the product and its label. This can help determine whether the medication being offered corresponds to an FDA-approved product or a compounded formulation. Products that arrive without proper packaging, labeling, or an expiration date, or have a foreign language on the packaging, may be unsafe or unverified products. Sujith Ramachandran is an associate professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi. Liang-Yuan (Claire) Lin is a PhD Candidate in Pharmacy Administration at the University of Mississippi. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

In a new neighborhood in Helsinki, you can skip owning a car. One key part of the district’s design? A new bridge that’s part of the city’s growing bicycle superhighway network. The 1.2-kilometer-long bridge, about three quarters of a mile, connects an island called Laajasalo to the city center. It opens to cyclists and pedestrians on April 18 and will soon also include trams. No cars can cross it; drivers have to take a longer route over an older bridge. On one edge of the island, a former industrial site is now filled with apartment buildings, and the population is quickly expanding across the whole island. “We’re looking at quite large new numbers of residents that will be in this part of town,” says Hanna Harris, the city’s chief design officer. “And the decision was made that we need to connect those parts of town across the water to downtown, but that we need to do it in a way that won’t increase congestion.” Called the Kruunuvuorensilta, or crown bridge, it’s part of the city’s broader work to decrease car use, including large investments in new rail lines and bike infrastructure. On the bridge, designers focused on the experience for people on foot or bike rather than those on the tram, who will only spend a couple of minutes crossing. “If people feel it’s too difficult or long a walk or cycle ride, then they won’t use it,” says Tom Osborne, director of UK-based Knight Architects, which partnered on the design with WSP Finland. The bridge curves slightly, which helps it seem less long to someone walking across. “A lot of times if you’re in a very long crossing and a very straight alignment, you get this vanishing point which can be quite intimidating and it feels like you’re never getting towards the end,” Osborne says. “But if you have a gentle curve, you can see your destination, which tends to make you feel safer and that you’re making better progress towards it.” The bike path connects to the bigger bike network at each end of the bridge, and it’s separated so cyclists can ride quickly without the risk of crashing into pedestrians. Halfway across, the bridge widens and there are benches where people can rest and take in the view. In the winter, a snowplow will clear the paths so people can keep riding and walking. (Two tram lines will also begin running either late this year or in 2027.) Because Helsinki is built on an archipelago, the path connects to a few other small islands before reaching the main train station. In the new development, residents are opting not to buy cars. “The density of that development is much greater because there’s no parking or fewer parking spaces required for each flat,” says Osborne. “And everyone’s buying bicycles, rather than buying cars, because that’s the mode that the bridge facilitates.” While the bridge was under construction, the city ran a ferry so that people weren’t tempted to start driving. The new bridge “makes biking and public transport a lot more attractive options on trips between Laajasalo and the inner city of Helsinki,” says Niko Setälä, the city’s team manager for the project. Transportation is now the city’s largest source of emissions. Though leadership is encouraging the switch to electric cars, it’s critical to make biking, walking, and transit as appealing as possible, he says. Right now, if someone wants to drive from the island to an office downtown, it’s a longer route. “You can still drive, but [the design is] trying to make people act in their own self interest,” Osborne says. “So if it’s cheaper and faster to cycle, then people will.” View the full article

SecurityNational Mortgage Co. alleges that the larger competitor facilitated the mass resignation of its staff from Glendale and Scottsdale offices. View the full article

Work sucks for women. Not all women, but far too many. There’s the gender pay gap, where full-time working women earn 81 cents for every dollar men earn, according to the most recent data from the Census Bureau. There’s the glass ceiling that prevents women from leadership advancement, as evidenced by the fact that only 37% of leadership positions in the U.S. are held by women despite representing 47% of the workforce. Let us not forget the disproportionate harassment at work that women experience compared to men, the gender sidelining, and the exclusion from the “boys’ club.” And if that’s not enough, there’s the additional unpaid domestic work that women are expected to do outside of the office—cooking, cleaning, and child rearing—that’s often overlooked and undervalued. That’s assuming they haven’t been displaced out of the workforce altogether, like the more than 300,000 African American women who lost employment in 2025 alone, despite being the most academically educated population in the country. Yes, women have it bad when it comes to work, and that ain’t good. Yet these realities still persist. I say that as someone who has benefited from the injustices women have suffered at work and, for far too long, I’ve been far too quiet about it. Perhaps it’s because earlier in my career I wasn’t as aware as I should have been that they existed. Or maybe it’s because I, too, have to wrestle with the challenges of marginalization as a Black man in America, so I perceived my hands as being “too full” to fight for someone else’s equality while I’m busy fighting for my own. Or maybe I didn’t care as much because it wasn’t happening to me. Honestly, I’m not sure which one it was or if it was a combination of them all. Whatever the case, as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King once espoused, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” And that’s exactly why we brought Stacy London on the From the Culture podcast to illuminate these wrongs and help shed light on how to make them right. London is a multihyphenate—New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, fashion expert, and television personality as the cohost of TLC’s What Not to Wear. These days, however, she’s most passionate about advocating for women who are navigating the dynamics of midlife, when they’re often devalued once they age beyond their child-bearing years. London is very vocal about the aforementioned struggles of women in work and the negotiations that women have to make about their identity when they walk through the office door. While there are social expectations for everyone to “get along,” she asserts, there are additional hardships that women have to endure if they have any ambition to climb the corporate ladder—hardships from which men are typically exempt. During our conversation with London, I kept hearing America Ferrera’s monologue from the Barbie movie play over and over again in mind: “You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line.” This is the patriarchy, the social system where men hold the majority of power, privilege, and control in society, and it sucks. Not just for women, but for all of us. Beyond MLK’s moral note about the importance of rooting out injustice, the patriarchy demands harmful expectations of masculine norms, which often restrict emotional development and promote mental health concerns among men. As a proof point, look no further than the loneliness epidemic we’re experiencing in young men who fall prey to the misguidance of the manosphere. Like most things that are socially constructed, London argues that the system is the way it is because that’s the way it’s been. But that’s not how it has to be. As she underscores in our conversation on the pod, things can be different if we invest the effort to see to them differently. She, like other feminists, has maintained the tradition of calling out injustices to women and taking the subsequent actions necessary to right the wrongs. In most cases, it starts by helping people see the world through a reality that is not their own—and that’s why we had London on. That’s why I’m writing this article. That’s why even though, admittedly, I was late to the feminism party, I’m now handing out invitations for others to join. I do all this to help others who were once like me see it differently so that we all might benefit, in work and in life more broadly. Because yes, injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. Check out our full interview with Stacy London here. View the full article

I tend to write about AI from the perspective of the bleeding edge, looking at how journalists and media companies are using the technology to change the way they work, reach new audiences, and transform their organizations. But the reality is that there’s a stigma around using artificial intelligence in the journalism community. In conversations I have with working reporters and editors, there’s clearly still a lot of reluctance, if not outright disdain, for using AI in almost any part of their work. Looking at recent coverage of journalists using AI, however, you might think some of that disdain is going away. The Wall Street Journal recently profiled how Fortune business editor Nick Lichtenberg uses AI to turbocharge his output, sometimes writing as many as seven stories in a single day. The same day, Wired highlighted how several prominent reporters—including independents like Alex Heath and Taylor Lorenz as well as The New York Times’ Kevin Roose—use AI in various editorial tasks, sometimes in the writing itself. With all this, it feels as if a kind of dam has burst, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it’s happening at the same time Claude Cowork—which brings incredibly powerful agentic AI to everyone—has transformed the AI landscape. (An interesting aside buried in all this coverage of journalists’ use of AI is that it appears Claude is rapidly becoming what the Mac became among media pros: the platform of choice for creatives who “know better.”) A cautionary tale in copy and paste However, if the relationship between journalists and AI has been warming up, it got splashed in the face with a cold bucket of water last week when The New York Times severed ties with a freelance writer who had submitted a book review that was at least partially AI-written. The review by Alex Preston, published in early January, included passages that were nearly identical to Christobel Kent’s review of the same book that was published in The Guardian months earlier. Preston admitted he used AI to assist in writing his book review, saying that he had “made a serious mistake.” While the incident is certainly a wake-up call for the Times (and not necessarily the first one) about how it communicates its AI policy to freelancers, it’s also a flapping red flag for any newsroom tempted to allow more AI use in their operations. Suddenly, there’s an error that seems to justify all the rules against it. That’s why it’s important to confront this directly. The incident steers us back into the dark cave of AI scandals in media—from CNET’s bot-authored service journalism to the made-up book titles in the Chicago Sun-Times’ “summer reading list” last year. It threatens to undermine all the gains many journalists and newsrooms are achieving in productivity, content optimization, and more, and potentially encourages those just taking their first steps with AI to fall back on the easy, blanket rule of “just don’t use it.” That’s why it’s important to look closely at how AI was used so we can better delineate between good and bad AI use. It’s easy to say there wasn’t enough “human in the loop” (an increasingly unhelpful term)—but where in the loop? With prompting, fact-checking, something else? The whole point of AI is to outsource some human decision-making to sophisticated machines, so rather than pointing out the obvious—that humans need to shape and monitor the process—it’s better to zero in on the specific decisions that AI was asked to make, and whether the human gave the right parameters and restrictions. When you examine this closely, it definitely appears the answer is no. According to The Guardian story, the two reviews have eerily similar language—so close that it’s difficult to argue against outright plagiarism. Look at these two passages: Original review, published August 21, 2025: “most significantly a song of love to a country of contradictions, battered, war-torn, divided, misguided and miraculous: an Italy where life is costume and the performance of art, and where circuses spring up on wasteland.” Times review, published January 6, 2026: “populate what is ultimately a love song to a country of contradictions: battered, divided, misguided and miraculous. This is an Italy where life is performance, where circuses rise on wasteland.” Looking at the dates and the unquestionable similarities, we can draw some conclusions. It’s obvious Preston directly or indirectly asked the AI to create text he intended to include in the piece, and not just based on his notes. Given that the two reviews were published four months apart (and considering the typically lengthy editing process at the Times, he likely submitted it much earlier), that’s almost certainly not enough time for the AI’s training data to be updated. Which means the AI tool he used was incorporating web search (aka RAG) to come up with the copy. This was a mistake. Giving Preston the benefit of the doubt, he may not have deliberately told the AI he was using to synthesize other reviews of the book, and perhaps it grabbed The Guardian review on its own. But he certainly didn’t tell the AI not to do that, which would seem to be an essential part of your prompt if you want to avoid the very plagiarized text he ended up including. From taboo to tool It bears repeating: In many—if not most—cases, how you use AI matters more than whether or not you use it at all. That requires acquiring a thorough understanding of these tools’ abilities and pitfalls, being meticulous about the parameters of your prompts, and a willingness to adapt your process continually. It’s an ongoing process, and it needs guardrails—such as “always” and “never” commands to avoid specific problems and (human) fact-checking. Otherwise, you’re playing with a gun that could easily go off. There are systemic safeguards beyond simple techniques. Whether you’re an independent writer or a full newsroom, it pays to have an AI policy. As a media AI trainer, I of course would encourage investing in training, but I think it’s still objectively a good idea. But most importantly, the trial-and-error that comes with figuring out the boundaries of “good AI” should be kept out of public view if you can avoid it. In the case of AI-assisted writing, developing your prompting and guardrails in a private sandbox is essential. That may seem obvious, but part of the “magic” of AI is that it creates outputs that seem identical to human-created outputs that have gone through a rigorous process. To the untrained eye, the appearance of competence feels good enough. Unlocking AI’s potential as a partner in writing and journalism means not simply trusting the underlying process, but accepting your role to build it, test it, and adjust it as needed. The more journalists do that, the more the stigma will fade. View the full article

Being a net exporter means that energy shocks no longer constrain US foreign policy in the ways they once didView the full article

Something has gone badly wrong in communication between Downing Street and government departments View the full article

Despite Google’s status as one of the true giants of U.S. tech, it’s never quite been able to make its Pixel phones a mainstream success. Last year, for instance, the company enjoyed record U.S. sales in September after the launch of the Pixel 10 line, according to Counterpoint Research. But despite achieving 28% year-on-year growth, the Pixel still only accounted for 6.1% of the $600-and-up smartphone market in the U.S., which is dominated by Apple. There is one market, however, where Google has managed to turn the Pixel into a big hit, and surprisingly, it’s in a country that was one of the last to adopt its search engine. The entry-level Pixel 8A and 9A have been some of the best-selling phones in Japan in recent years, and this seems to have prompted Google to pull out all the stops for the latest iteration. Announced this week, the Pixel 10A is getting a design-forward variant that’s exclusive to Japan. Google calls the color “Isai Blue,” and it was developed in partnership with the Japanese creative company Heralbony, based in the city of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture. “Isai” is a term that refers to “unique brilliance,” and the shade of blue used is intended to represent the symbolic color for autism. Earlier this month, Heralbony launched a campaign called the Beyond Blue Project to tie into World Autism Day on April 2. The connection there is that Heralbony collaborates with artists who have disabilities and helps integrate their creative work into lifestyle products. The Isai Blue Pixel 10A, for example, features exclusive wallpapers by artists including Midori Kudo, Kaoru Iga, and Shigaku Mizukami, and the Pixel software dynamically adjusts its app icons and color schemes in response. The Japan-exclusive Pixel 10A comes in specialized packaging with artwork from Kudo. It also includes a limited bumper-style case to highlight the device’s color, and a set of included stickers by artist Nozomi Fujita. It will be available in a single 256-gigabyte configuration for 94,900 yen ($596). “Smartphones have now become an integral part of our daily lives,” said Heralbony project planner Rinko Daimon in a statement. “I believe there is great significance in the fact that by featuring artists’ work on these familiar devices, people will naturally encounter the artists and engage with their expressions as part of their everyday lives.” Taking Japan Seriously It’s another example of Google taking Japan seriously and tailoring its product marketing in a way that feels authentic and well thought-out. The Pixel series has long been heavily advertised with unique campaigns featuring local celebrities, and the results speak for themselves: Google often sells more Pixel phones by volume in Japan than in its home market of the U.S., despite the much smaller population. Last year, the Pixel 9A and 8A were the second- and fourth-most popular Android phones in the country, according to Japanese analytics firm BCN. Pixel phones are now available on all of Japan’s major carriers, and Google has often priced them aggressively and offered regular discounts—which has helped keep prices affordable despite rising costs and the weakening of the yen. A modest upgrade The Pixel 10A, then, may well prove to be another hit in Japan. But there might be another reason that Google is making a big effort to win people over in what’s already its biggest market: The phone itself isn’t actually much of an upgrade this year. Unlike the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro, which feature Google’s latest Tensor G5 processor, the 10A uses the same G4 chip from the Pixel 9 range. The 6.3-inch OLED screen is almost identical to the previous panel but has slightly higher peak brightness and sturdier Gorilla Glass. The camera hardware is unchanged, save for an even tinier bump—in fact, it’s slightly recessed now. The battery is the same 5,100-milliampere-hour (mAh) capacity but charges a little faster, at up to 30 watts with a cable or 10 watts wirelessly. To be clear, the Pixel 10 phones weren’t radical upgrades over their predecessors, either. But they did at least get the new G5 chip, as well as Google’s MagSafe-style Pixelsnap magnetic wireless charging solution. Both headline features are absent on the 10A. This would be a solid upgrade for anyone using a 7A or 8A, to be sure. Most people who bought last year’s second-most popular phone in Japan, however, are unlikely to be very convinced. But Google’s announcement of a Japan-exclusive model—which is not something particularly common for Western tech brands—makes the launch feel like an event all the same. And it helps that Heralbony is a classy partner for the collaboration, providing some stylish art and an authentic connection to the local market. The two companies are even putting on a weeklong exhibition in Tokyo’s trendy Shimokitazawa neighborhood next month, where visitors can see the phone for themselves and get limited-edition pin badges with artwork by Fujita from a gacha (vending) machine. In what has proven to be perhaps the most important market for the Pixel, Google has turned an otherwise pedestrian phone upgrade into an inspiring, design-forward event. The Pixel 10A might not be the most exciting phone of 2026, but it should be one of the more eye-catching launches in Japan this year. View the full article

Conservatives refuse to accept prime minister’s move to shift blame by sacking top Foreign Office official View the full article

Errands, Target runs, tennis games, and even flying to Europe—these are just some of the things employees have done while taking “soft off days.” The idea of taking soft off days, in which you use a work day to do just about anything else, has become a phenomenon. Videos across social media instruct employees on the best way to take a soft day while assuaging any guilt. While employers might see it as wasting company time, many people believe soft off days are harmless—even needed. So-called “time theft,” the practice of running errands or doing personal matters on the clock, has become widely pervasive since the pandemic normalized remote work. From consciously long lunch breaks to Botox appointments, many workers increasingly view the practice as crucial for their work-life balance. But now, the nature of activities has escalated to include things like hopping on a personal flight. Take Emma, who was fully remote at her old job. (Emma is using a pseudonym to protect her identity.) She started using time on the clock to do laundry, run to the store, or leave early for a workout—but took more “liberties” after no one noticed, eventually graduating from garden-variety time theft to a full-on soft off day. “One weekend, I flew to a European country on Wednesday night without telling anyone, took a couple of calls Thursday and Friday, and just kept my Slack live. No one knew I was in a different time zone,” the U.S.-based worker explains. Emma would still get all her work done, and felt little guilt at a company where even the management “were just collecting a paycheck,” rather than being motivated to grow the organization. Sure, flying to another country on company time is a bit brazen compared to other soft off day activities. But “using work-from-home days to rotate loads of laundry, pay bills, clean the house, or engage in a hobby can be quite supportive in balancing the cognitive load that it takes to feel more balanced,” explains Angela Williams, LCSW, a psychotherapist and executive coach. And in a world where more workers than ever are sick of the rat race and “corporate ick,” this phenomenon could well become a more common one. How workers pull it off For those taking a soft off day, finishing all tasks and not making significant breaks obvious are key. This can mean staying active on team chats, like Emma, or spreading their workload accordingly. “If I want a ‘soft off day’ I will typically plan my workload for the week around this so I have less to do, and don’t have to feel guilty,” says Grace, who’s also using a pseudonym. “I also won’t do it if it will put a strain on the rest of my team.” Then there’s Hannah (also a pseudonym), who will book a meeting with herself to play tennis for part of a day. While out, she’ll regularly check her work phone for any messages and stay active in any work group chats. Plus, she often plays first thing in the morning, at lunch time, or on Friday afternoons, when people are less likely to contact her. What drives people to do this One reason is low pay. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found about 70% of respondents felt underpaid for their quality or amount of work. At Emma’s previous job, she felt like the company paid her too little for the amount of work they required. “I took ‘soft off days’ to make up for the earnings gap; it made me feel better to earn less as long as I had a ton of freedom and flexibility,” she explains. “I was still able to go above and beyond in my role even with these days off. If I were struggling with my workload or being unresponsive to internal and external messages, I likely would not have taken so many liberties.” Soft off days typically aren’t someone trying to exploit remote work. In fact, Emma explains that, in her current hybrid job, she works the same amount at the office—but without the flexibility to use her extra time as she wishes. Most people use soft off days as a way to make up for things like poor compensation and long hours. They’re still getting their work done, while taking back some agency over their time. ‘They’re trying to stay functional without burning out’ “The ethical question of ‘soft off days’ has nothing to do with doing laundry at 2 p.m.,” says Jessica Kriegel, author and Chief Strategy Officer at consulting firm Culture Partners. “The real question is whether the employee delivered what they said they would. If they did, the laundry is irrelevant.” Again, the ethics of this might depend on exactly what you’re doing. (Some may have no problem doing laundry and might draw the line at international travel.) But when an employee is consistently required to work late, soft off days—or parts of days—can help provide work-life balance, proponents argue. Such is the case for Hannah, who uses the time to create “boundaries” with her job. “We go through very intensive periods each quarter. When it’s slow, I will take a little time for myself so that I feel like I still have opportunities to enjoy my extracurriculars,” says Hannah. “This is also how I avoid burning out. So, in the long run, it’s probably best for myself and my managers. If anything, they should encourage it.” Meanwhile, Grace finds them necessary when chores have built up or she has to get ready for a trip. “The real issue isn’t ethics, it’s that our expectations of productivity haven’t caught up with how people are actually living and working,” explains Williams. “Most people aren’t trying to get away with less work. They’re trying to stay functional without burning out.” Kriegel blames the need for soft off days on leaders who focus too much on control, rather than results. Grace seconds this. “If there was more flexibility, and a culture where you could do your work and leave early, I would probably do this, and then block out a day or afternoon where my company knows I’m not working—and I don’t have to feel guilty about it.” View the full article

If you’re looking to file as a corporation, it’s vital to understand the steps involved in the process. First, you’ll need to choose a unique business name and verify it’s available. Then, appoint a registered agent with a Texas address. After that, you’ll file the Certificate of Formation and draft corporate bylaws. These steps lay the groundwork, but ongoing compliance is fundamental for maintaining your corporation’s good standing. What comes next might surprise you. Key Takeaways Choose a unique business name and verify its availability through the Texas Secretary of State’s office. Appoint a registered agent with a physical address in Texas for legal document service. File the Certificate of Formation (Form 201) online or by mail, paying the $300 filing fee. Draft corporate bylaws to outline governance rules and adopt them during the initial board meeting. Comply with ongoing requirements, including annual franchise tax reports if applicable, to maintain good standing. Choose a Unique Business Name When starting a corporation, one of the first steps is choosing a unique business name, and it’s vital to get this right. Begin by conducting a search through the Texas Secretary of State’s office or using the SOSDirect service to verify the name isn’t already in use. Your chosen name must include a corporate designation like “Inc.” or “Co.” to comply with state requirements. Be mindful of any restricted words that might lead to legal complications. If you’re not ready to file immediately, consider reserving your business name for up to 120 days by submitting a Name Reservation form with a $40 fee. This gives you time to finalize your plans. Moreover, check for the availability of a corresponding online domain name to improve your business’s digital presence. Following these steps is vital for successful corporate filing and comprehension of how to file as a corporation. Appoint a Registered Agent Appointing a registered agent is a vital step in establishing your corporation, as this individual or business entity serves as the official point of contact for legal documents. In Texas, every corporation must designate a registered agent, who can be either a resident or a business entity authorized to operate in the state. This agent must agree to accept legal documents on your corporation’s behalf and have a physical address in Texas—no P.O. Boxes allowed. It’s important that this address is a place where documents can be served during normal business hours. When you file your corporation’s Certificate of Formation, you’ll need to include your registered agent’s information. If you ever change your registered agent, be sure to update this information by filing an amendment with the Texas Secretary of State. Choosing a reliable registered agent helps guarantee your corporation remains compliant and receives important legal correspondence without delay. File the Certificate of Formation Filing the Certificate of Formation is crucial for officially establishing your corporation in Texas, as it marks the legal creation of your business entity. You’ll need to complete Form 201, which requires information such as your corporation’s name, registered agent, initial directors, and authorized shares. Keep in mind there’s a $300 filing fee, and you can submit the form online through SOSDirect or by mail. Here’s what to include in your Certificate of Formation: Required Information Details Notes Corporation Name Your chosen business name Must be unique Registered Agent Individual or business entity Must be authorized in Texas Purpose and Mailing Address Purpose of the corporation and address Include effective date Once you submit the Certificate and it’s accepted by the Secretary of State, your corporation is officially formed. Draft Corporate Bylaws Drafting corporate bylaws is a fundamental step in establishing the internal governance of your corporation, as these documents define the rules and procedures that will guide your organization. Although you don’t need to file bylaws with the state, you must adopt them during your initial board meeting and keep them in a corporate records book. Your bylaws should include provisions for meetings, voting rights, officer roles, and stock issuance, which create your corporation’s operational framework. It’s advisable to consult a legal professional when drafting these bylaws to guarantee they comply with state laws and address your corporation’s specific needs. Maintaining updated bylaws is essential for protecting your corporation’s legal status and guaranteeing clarity in governance. This clarity can help mitigate conflicts among stakeholders, promoting a smoother operational environment for everyone involved. Hold the First Board Meeting After you’ve drafted your corporate bylaws, the next step is to hold the first board meeting. This meeting is essential for adopting those bylaws, which outline how your corporation will be managed. During the meeting, you should appoint corporate officers, such as a president, secretary, and treasurer, to handle daily operations. It’s equally important to authorize the issuance of stock to initial shareholders, documenting this in the meeting minutes to maintain accurate records. If you’re considering S corporation status, discuss and approve this election, as it can greatly impact your tax treatment. Finally, verify that the minutes from this first meeting are documented and retained in your corporate records. Keeping these records not only guarantees compliance but also promotes transparency in governance. Taking these steps will lay a solid foundation for your corporation’s future operations. Issue Stock Certificates Now that you’ve held your first board meeting and established your corporate structure, it’s time to issue stock certificates to represent ownership in your corporation. These certificates should include vital details like the corporation’s name, the shareholder’s name, the number of shares, and the date of issuance. You can choose to issue physical certificates or digital shares, depending on your preferences and state regulations. It’s important to maintain a stock transfer ledger to document each transaction, noting the names of purchasers, the number of shares bought, and purchase dates. Shareholders can contribute cash, property, or services in exchange for stock, and you must accurately record these transactions for legal and tax purposes. Compliance with relevant regulations is critical during this process to avoid potential legal issues, so consulting legal or financial professionals is strongly recommended to guarantee you’re following the proper guidelines. Comply With Ongoing Requirements To guarantee your corporation remains in good standing, it’s essential to comply with ongoing requirements that may vary by location and business type. In Texas, for example, if your annual revenue exceeds $2.47 million, you must file an annual franchise tax report (Form 05-102) by May 15 each year. Although there’s no annual report required for the Secretary of State, adhering to local, state, and federal tax obligations is critical. Moreover, keep accurate corporate records, including meeting minutes and bylaws, as these protect your corporation legally. Depending on your business type, you may need to obtain and periodically renew various licenses or permits. If you operate as a foreign corporation in Texas, remember to register with the Secretary of State and appoint a registered agent, which involves filing the Application for Registration (Form 301) and paying a $750 fee. Compliance guarantees your corporation can operate smoothly and legally. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Steps Required to Form a Corporation? To form a corporation, start by choosing a unique business name and conducting a trademark search. Next, file the Articles of Incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State, including crucial details like the corporation’s address and purpose. Appoint initial directors and hold a board meeting to adopt bylaws. After that, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, and guarantee compliance with ongoing state requirements, such as annual tax filings. Can I Declare Myself a Corporation? You can’t simply declare yourself a corporation. To establish a corporation, you must file official documents, like Articles of Incorporation, with your state’s Secretary of State. This process involves selecting a unique business name, appointing a registered agent, and detailing your corporation’s structure and purpose. Although you can be the sole shareholder and director, following these legal steps is essential to guarantee you gain the protections and liability limitations a corporation offers. What Are the Three Steps to Start Your Corporation? To start your Corporation Service Company, first, choose a unique name that meets state regulations and conduct a trademark search. Next, file the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State, including vital details like the corporation’s name, registered agent, and purpose, during paying the required fee. Finally, draft corporate bylaws that outline your management structure and hold your first board meeting to issue stock and document corporate resolutions, ensuring compliance with state laws. Can I Set up an S Corp Myself? Yes, you can set up an S Corporation by yourself. You’ll need to file Articles of Incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State and submit Form 2553 to the IRS for S Corp status. Make sure your business meets eligibility requirements, like having no more than 100 shareholders and one class of stock. Don’t forget to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax purposes and maintain corporate formalities for limited liability protection. Conclusion In summary, filing as a corporation in Texas involves several clear steps, from selecting a unique business name to complying with ongoing requirements. By carefully following each step, including appointing a registered agent and drafting corporate bylaws, you can establish a solid foundation for your business. Remember to maintain accurate records and fulfill any annual reporting obligations to guarantee your corporation remains in good standing. With diligence, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the corporate environment effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Simple Steps to File as a Corporation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re looking to file as a corporation, it’s vital to understand the steps involved in the process. First, you’ll need to choose a unique business name and verify it’s available. Then, appoint a registered agent with a Texas address. After that, you’ll file the Certificate of Formation and draft corporate bylaws. These steps lay the groundwork, but ongoing compliance is fundamental for maintaining your corporation’s good standing. What comes next might surprise you. Key Takeaways Choose a unique business name and verify its availability through the Texas Secretary of State’s office. Appoint a registered agent with a physical address in Texas for legal document service. File the Certificate of Formation (Form 201) online or by mail, paying the $300 filing fee. Draft corporate bylaws to outline governance rules and adopt them during the initial board meeting. Comply with ongoing requirements, including annual franchise tax reports if applicable, to maintain good standing. Choose a Unique Business Name When starting a corporation, one of the first steps is choosing a unique business name, and it’s vital to get this right. Begin by conducting a search through the Texas Secretary of State’s office or using the SOSDirect service to verify the name isn’t already in use. Your chosen name must include a corporate designation like “Inc.” or “Co.” to comply with state requirements. Be mindful of any restricted words that might lead to legal complications. If you’re not ready to file immediately, consider reserving your business name for up to 120 days by submitting a Name Reservation form with a $40 fee. This gives you time to finalize your plans. Moreover, check for the availability of a corresponding online domain name to improve your business’s digital presence. Following these steps is vital for successful corporate filing and comprehension of how to file as a corporation. Appoint a Registered Agent Appointing a registered agent is a vital step in establishing your corporation, as this individual or business entity serves as the official point of contact for legal documents. In Texas, every corporation must designate a registered agent, who can be either a resident or a business entity authorized to operate in the state. This agent must agree to accept legal documents on your corporation’s behalf and have a physical address in Texas—no P.O. Boxes allowed. It’s important that this address is a place where documents can be served during normal business hours. When you file your corporation’s Certificate of Formation, you’ll need to include your registered agent’s information. If you ever change your registered agent, be sure to update this information by filing an amendment with the Texas Secretary of State. Choosing a reliable registered agent helps guarantee your corporation remains compliant and receives important legal correspondence without delay. File the Certificate of Formation Filing the Certificate of Formation is crucial for officially establishing your corporation in Texas, as it marks the legal creation of your business entity. You’ll need to complete Form 201, which requires information such as your corporation’s name, registered agent, initial directors, and authorized shares. Keep in mind there’s a $300 filing fee, and you can submit the form online through SOSDirect or by mail. Here’s what to include in your Certificate of Formation: Required Information Details Notes Corporation Name Your chosen business name Must be unique Registered Agent Individual or business entity Must be authorized in Texas Purpose and Mailing Address Purpose of the corporation and address Include effective date Once you submit the Certificate and it’s accepted by the Secretary of State, your corporation is officially formed. Draft Corporate Bylaws Drafting corporate bylaws is a fundamental step in establishing the internal governance of your corporation, as these documents define the rules and procedures that will guide your organization. Although you don’t need to file bylaws with the state, you must adopt them during your initial board meeting and keep them in a corporate records book. Your bylaws should include provisions for meetings, voting rights, officer roles, and stock issuance, which create your corporation’s operational framework. It’s advisable to consult a legal professional when drafting these bylaws to guarantee they comply with state laws and address your corporation’s specific needs. Maintaining updated bylaws is essential for protecting your corporation’s legal status and guaranteeing clarity in governance. This clarity can help mitigate conflicts among stakeholders, promoting a smoother operational environment for everyone involved. Hold the First Board Meeting After you’ve drafted your corporate bylaws, the next step is to hold the first board meeting. This meeting is essential for adopting those bylaws, which outline how your corporation will be managed. During the meeting, you should appoint corporate officers, such as a president, secretary, and treasurer, to handle daily operations. It’s equally important to authorize the issuance of stock to initial shareholders, documenting this in the meeting minutes to maintain accurate records. If you’re considering S corporation status, discuss and approve this election, as it can greatly impact your tax treatment. Finally, verify that the minutes from this first meeting are documented and retained in your corporate records. Keeping these records not only guarantees compliance but also promotes transparency in governance. Taking these steps will lay a solid foundation for your corporation’s future operations. Issue Stock Certificates Now that you’ve held your first board meeting and established your corporate structure, it’s time to issue stock certificates to represent ownership in your corporation. These certificates should include vital details like the corporation’s name, the shareholder’s name, the number of shares, and the date of issuance. You can choose to issue physical certificates or digital shares, depending on your preferences and state regulations. It’s important to maintain a stock transfer ledger to document each transaction, noting the names of purchasers, the number of shares bought, and purchase dates. Shareholders can contribute cash, property, or services in exchange for stock, and you must accurately record these transactions for legal and tax purposes. Compliance with relevant regulations is critical during this process to avoid potential legal issues, so consulting legal or financial professionals is strongly recommended to guarantee you’re following the proper guidelines. Comply With Ongoing Requirements To guarantee your corporation remains in good standing, it’s essential to comply with ongoing requirements that may vary by location and business type. In Texas, for example, if your annual revenue exceeds $2.47 million, you must file an annual franchise tax report (Form 05-102) by May 15 each year. Although there’s no annual report required for the Secretary of State, adhering to local, state, and federal tax obligations is critical. Moreover, keep accurate corporate records, including meeting minutes and bylaws, as these protect your corporation legally. Depending on your business type, you may need to obtain and periodically renew various licenses or permits. If you operate as a foreign corporation in Texas, remember to register with the Secretary of State and appoint a registered agent, which involves filing the Application for Registration (Form 301) and paying a $750 fee. Compliance guarantees your corporation can operate smoothly and legally. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Steps Required to Form a Corporation? To form a corporation, start by choosing a unique business name and conducting a trademark search. Next, file the Articles of Incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State, including crucial details like the corporation’s address and purpose. Appoint initial directors and hold a board meeting to adopt bylaws. After that, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, and guarantee compliance with ongoing state requirements, such as annual tax filings. Can I Declare Myself a Corporation? You can’t simply declare yourself a corporation. To establish a corporation, you must file official documents, like Articles of Incorporation, with your state’s Secretary of State. This process involves selecting a unique business name, appointing a registered agent, and detailing your corporation’s structure and purpose. Although you can be the sole shareholder and director, following these legal steps is essential to guarantee you gain the protections and liability limitations a corporation offers. What Are the Three Steps to Start Your Corporation? To start your Corporation Service Company, first, choose a unique name that meets state regulations and conduct a trademark search. Next, file the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State, including vital details like the corporation’s name, registered agent, and purpose, during paying the required fee. Finally, draft corporate bylaws that outline your management structure and hold your first board meeting to issue stock and document corporate resolutions, ensuring compliance with state laws. Can I Set up an S Corp Myself? Yes, you can set up an S Corporation by yourself. You’ll need to file Articles of Incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State and submit Form 2553 to the IRS for S Corp status. Make sure your business meets eligibility requirements, like having no more than 100 shareholders and one class of stock. Don’t forget to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax purposes and maintain corporate formalities for limited liability protection. Conclusion In summary, filing as a corporation in Texas involves several clear steps, from selecting a unique business name to complying with ongoing requirements. By carefully following each step, including appointing a registered agent and drafting corporate bylaws, you can establish a solid foundation for your business. Remember to maintain accurate records and fulfill any annual reporting obligations to guarantee your corporation remains in good standing. With diligence, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the corporate environment effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Simple Steps to File as a Corporation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Professional workdays are full, fast, and designed for productivity, not recovery. In Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index, 80% of global workers said they don’t have enough time or energy to do their work, and workers were interrupted about every two minutes during the day. That’s the experience of modern work: back-to-back meetings, endless emails and chats, and constant task-switching. The day doesn’t pause for you. We know breaks matter. But for most of us, the problem in taking them isn’t desire or discipline, it’s that the workday doesn’t seem to have room. The good news is you can build short, targeted recovery into the day you already have, once you learn to see the space that’s already there. These are five ways to take breaks even when you think you can’t. #1. Use the Gap: Turn Dead Time into Connection Time Most professionals spend their days in endless meetings and operate in cultures where every minute is expected to be productive. This structure feels constrictive yet has hidden opportunities—the gap time between the start of a meeting and waiting for people to join. That waiting time is often used to squeeze in one more email or chat message. Instead, use it to recover. Try this: Use a meeting’s opening minutes for a social micro-break. Research shows that even brief social interactions during the workday can reduce the emotional toll of work demands and improve energy and mood. Ask a simple question like, “What’s one thing going well for you this week?”, “What’s something that made you laugh recently?”, or “What are you working on that you’re excited about?” These questions do more than fill time; they demonstrate to people that they matter, a fundamental driver of well-being at work. #2. Slow Your Pace: Reset Your Nervous System When work intensifies, our bodies, in response, often pick up the pace—typing quickly, walking faster, speaking with urgency. These rapid movements signal a “threat” to the brain, sending your nervous system into a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state. For relief, you can self-regulate by downshifting your tempo. No extra time is required—just awareness and a deliberate choice to slow down. Research shows that both slow breathing and intentional, slow movement send a safety signal from the body to the brain, telling it to calm down. By shifting your pace, you stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the body’s rest-and-recovery system. Try this: In the moment, drop your shoulders and for 60-90 seconds breathe only through your nose, inhaling for 5 seconds and exhaling for 5 seconds. Instead of rushing to your next meeting, walk more slowly than usual, focusing on the sensation of your feet hitting the floor. #3. Stop Micro-Multitasking: Let Yourself Focus Too often in meetings we’re half-listening while scanning chat or drafting an email. It feels efficient, but it isn’t. Our brains can’t process two things at once, and task-switching degrades productive time. Technology workflows and hybrid work keep us attached to our devices, yet research shows that having a smartphone in the room while working, even turned off, reduces our available cognitive capacity. A CEO I heard speak this year makes a point of not bringing her cell phone into one-on-one meetings. Why? Because she wants to be fully present to the individual in front of her. By doing so, she not only signals the person’s importance, but she also gives her brain a break from the tax of multi-tasking and digital distraction. This focus itself becomes a form of cognitive rest. Try this: Go analog in your next in-person meeting. Take pen and paper rather than your phone or computer. For an important block of work, put your phone in another room and close all but one work window on your computer. Notice how your attention and energy shift. #4. Trick Your Brain Into a Break: Clear It First, Then Let It Wander Many of us find it difficult to “turn off” our brains when it’s time to shift our attention. We continue to ruminate on a tense meeting, an incomplete project, or a pending decision. This is known as the Zeigarnik Effect: unfinished tasks remain active in our working memory, draining mental energy. Cognitive offloading, moving unfinished tasks or thoughts onto paper or into a system, offers relief and signals to our brain that it can let go. Taking a pause can also be the most productive thing you do. Neuroscience shows that some of our best problem-solving and creative thinking happens not when we’re task-focused, but when we step away. When we stop actively working on a problem, we tap into the brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN), which supports mind-wandering and making creative associations. So instead of feeling guilty stepping away, tell yourself that you are working, because the science says we are. Try this: Before a break or new task, spend two minutes writing down what’s on your mind to get it off your mind. Then, if you can, take a walk without trying to solve anything. Just let your mind wander. #5. Make It Small and Targeted: Align to What You Need Not all breaks are guaranteed to restore you. For example, a scroll through social media may feel like a pause and still leave you more drained than before. A meta-analysis of micro-break research found that short pauses boost energy and reduce fatigue, but the type of break matters. Some break activities actually increased the negative effects of demanding work rather than relieving them. Try this: Allow yourself even a few minutes, and before you take a break, ask yourself: What do I actually need right now? Am I emotionally drained, physically tense, cognitively overloaded, or stuck on a problem? Then choose a break that matches what you need. Learning to restore yourself within full workdays is a skill worth mastering. You don’t need to completely clear your calendar. You can shape your day and integrate breaks by shifting your behaviors and using the time you already have. The day won’t pause for you, but you can learn to pause inside of it. View the full article

Technology is making it easier for everyone to move faster. The important question is who will move in the right direction? New technologies—including AI and automation—are quickly becoming indispensable teammates that can draft, summarize, analyze, and accelerate the work that keeps organizations moving. I see most individuals on my team using AI and automation to complete some tasks in a fraction of the time, allowing them more time to focus on relationship-building, innovation, and value creation. When the use of AI and automation becomes widespread, it will stop being a performance differentiator. Differentiation will come instead from the people that use them with judgment, clarity, and accountability, and that’s where leadership matters. As new technology spreads, human capabilities contribute to high performance In Deloitte’s new research on high-performing teams—based on an external survey of 1,394 US working professionals—respondents were asked to think about teams they have been a part of that consistently meet or exceed expectations over time. We found that surveyed high-performing teams are more likely to use AI in their day-to-day work (78% versus 54%) and more likely to report stronger outcomes including efficiency, problem-solving, and collaboration. Technical know-how certainly matters. But the research was also clear that high performance in the AI era is human-led and AI-powered. Members of surveyed high-performing teams are 2.3 times as likely to feel trusted by their team leader, 2.3 times as likely to feel respected and appreciated by peers, and nearly 1.5 times more likely to report feeling included. They also cited emotional and social intelligence as the top success factor for their team. While AI can generate options quickly, it can’t act on what matters most, set expectations for excellence with others, or own the consequences of outcomes. That’s human work, and it is leader work: staying close enough to provide direction and reinforce judgment, not just measure speed. Despite the importance of human capabilities in maximizing the benefits of AI, most organizations are investing almost exclusively in technology. According to Deloitte’s 2026 Tech Trends, roughly 93% of surveyed organizations’ AI-related budgets are being spent on technology, and only 7% on people. That imbalance may determine which organizations translate AI investment into sustained performance and which simply deploy more technology. It can also signal a broader pattern: investing in technology without investing in the leaders and teams that make them useful. What sets high-performing teams apart Deloitte’s research found teams that say they consistently achieve high performance tend to demonstrate capabilities such as)—curiosity, resilience, divergent thinking, and emotional and social intelligence. While these capabilities are not new, they take on greater importance in the age of AI. They help shape how teams navigate uncertainty, exercise judgment under pressure, and apply technology responsibly in real-world decisions. High-performing teams don’t emerge only because AI was deployed. They’re built through leadership choices, often small, repeatable ones, that build durable capability over time. Here are five moves leaders can implement now to help teams build a culture of high-performance while using AI. 1. Clearly define expectations Expect that work is verified, define in clear terms what “good” looks like, and set standards for, and role model, ethics and integrity. In many ways, this is no different than the expectations a leader sets for all work and how team members hold each other accountable. 2. Continue to invest in human capabilities AI will continue to evolve, and investment in technology will continue to rise, but the next competitive advantage isn’t expected to be defined by technology alone. It will likely be defined by who also builds teams that consistently demonstrate enduring human capabilities. 3. Embed curiosity into workflows Rotate a “second viewpoint” role in key meetings and reviews, or someone explicitly responsible for asking what’s missing, challenging assumptions, and surfacing trade-offs. Make that role responsible for challenging tool-driven conclusions, not just human ones. 4. Use strategic check-ins Our research shows leaders are more likely to perceive their team as high-performing than their team members. A consistent 10-minute check-in—what changed, what’s unclear, what decision is needed, what help is required—can help speed up decisions and impact. Consider using it to spot where technologies are creating bottlenecks, rework, or hidden risk. 5. Cultivate a culture of continuous learning Normalize peer demos, “show your work” walkthroughs, and quick prompt/output feedback. When learning flows laterally, skillsets expand—and AI adoption becomes more effective and consistent. Broaden apprenticeship from skills to craft—how the team thinks, decides, and delivers quality when technology accelerates the work. In our research, 63% of all respondents said enduring human capabilities will increase in importance in the AI era, yet only 33% of all respondents strongly agree their organization is developing technical and human capabilities equally. That gap should be a concern among leadership. As AI scales across the enterprise, executive responsibility scales with it. Leaders can treat AI as a technology initiative or as an opportunity to build enduring human capabilities to achieve and sustain high performance, whatever comes next. View the full article

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An accounts receivable system is crucial for managing the money customers owe your business. It automates tasks like invoicing and payment reminders, which helps maintain cash flow. By evaluating customer creditworthiness, this system reduces bad debt risks. Comprehending how it works and its key components can greatly impact your company’s financial health. So, what are the critical elements that contribute to an effective accounts receivable system? Key Takeaways An accounts receivable system automates invoicing, payment reminders, and collections to enhance cash flow for businesses extending credit to customers. It includes features for credit management, helping evaluate customer creditworthiness and reducing the risk of bad debts. Timely invoicing with accurate details facilitates quicker payments and improves overall financial health. The system tracks incoming payments, manages overdue invoices, and utilizes aging reports to prioritize collection efforts. Integration with software solutions streamlines processes, providing real-time reporting and remote access for better financial management. Understanding Accounts Receivable Systems Comprehending accounts receivable systems is essential for businesses that extend credit to their customers, as these systems play a critical role in managing outstanding invoices and ensuring timely payments. An accounts receivable system automates invoicing, sends payment reminders, and facilitates collections, helping you maintain a steady cash flow. It likewise reduces the risk of late payments or bad debts that can harm your financial health. These systems often include features for credit management, allowing you to evaluate customer creditworthiness and set appropriate payment terms based on risk. In addition, you can measure the efficiency of your accounts receivable system using metrics like accounts receivable turnover, indicating how well you collect outstanding debts over time. Key Components of an Accounts Receivable System When managing accounts receivable, comprehending invoicing and billing procedures is essential for maintaining cash flow. You’ll additionally need effective payment tracking and reconciliation methods to guarantee that all transactions are accurately recorded and accounted for. These key components not merely streamline your processes but furthermore improve the overall efficiency of your financial management. Invoicing and Billing Procedures A well-structured invoicing and billing process is vital for any accounts receivable system, as it directly influences cash flow and financial accuracy. Timely invoicing helps you get paid faster, so send invoices immediately after delivering goods or services. Each invoice should include detailed information, such as the amount due, payment terms, and due dates, along with a unique invoice number for easy tracking. This reduces confusion and errors in your accounts receivable. Automated billing procedures can likewise improve efficiency by sending reminders for upcoming or overdue payments. Proper documentation of your invoicing and billing procedures is fundamental, as it directly impacts the accuracy of accounts receivable balances on your company’s balance sheet, ensuring reliable financial reporting. Payment Tracking and Reconciliation Effective payment tracking and reconciliation are crucial components of an accounts receivable system, as they guarantee that your business maintains accurate financial records and cash flow stability. Payment tracking involves closely monitoring incoming payments against outstanding invoices to verify timely collections. Automated software tools can streamline this process, sending reminders for overdue payments and greatly reducing manual intervention. Reconciliation, in contrast, entails comparing your accounts receivable ledger with Bank of America statements to verify that all payments are accurately recorded. Regular reconciliation helps identify aging accounts, enabling you to take proactive measures to collect overdue debts. In the end, these accounts receivable automation benefits promote improved efficiency, provide insights into payment trends, and support strategic decision-making for your business. The Importance of Managing Accounts Receivable Managing accounts receivable is vital for enhancing your cash flow, as collecting payments swiftly guarantees you have the funds to meet your operational needs. By reducing bad debt through vigilant monitoring of overdue accounts, you can maintain a healthier financial position, which is critical for long-term sustainability. Furthermore, efficient AR management strengthens your overall financial health, boosting investor confidence and improving relationships with suppliers and creditors. Enhancing Cash Flow In relation to enhancing cash flow, grasping the significance of accounts receivable (AR) management can’t be overstated. Efficient management of your accounts receivable cycle guarantees you collect outstanding invoices quickly, directly impacting your liquidity and operational capacity. By shortening the accounts receivable period, often measured by Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), you can manage cash flow more effectively and reinvest in growth opportunities sooner. A high accounts receivable turnover ratio reflects strong customer relationships and effective collection practices, contributing to financial stability. Automating your AR processes can streamline invoicing and collections, leading to faster payments and fewer manual errors. In the end, maintaining an efficient AR process preserves working capital for crucial business operations as well as minimizing overdue accounts. Reducing Bad Debt Reducing bad debt is vital for maintaining a healthy financial position, especially for businesses relying on consistent cash flow. Effective management of accounts receivable directly impacts your cash flow, as timely collection of outstanding invoices is fundamental. Regularly monitoring overdue accounts can help you address the aging of receivables, which increases the likelihood of bad debt. Implementing clear credit policies and conducting thorough credit assessments guarantees you extend credit only to financially stable customers. Utilizing automated invoicing and reminder systems improves the efficiency of your AR collection process, speeding up payments. Furthermore, analyzing metrics like Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) allows you to identify trends in payment behavior, enabling proactive measures to prevent potential bad debts before they escalate. Strengthening Financial Health Effective accounts receivable management doesn’t merely reduce bad debt; it plays a vital role in strengthening a company’s overall financial health. By optimizing your accounts receivable process, you can markedly improve liquidity, directly impacting your cash flow and ability to meet short-term obligations. A shorter accounts receivable period improves your cash flow management, allowing you to reinvest funds into operations and growth opportunities more quickly. Monitoring metrics like Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) helps you assess payment collection efficiency, signaling potential cash flow issues when trends indicate increased collection times. Establishing a systematic approach to invoicing and collections not only supports timely payments but additionally cultivates stronger relationships with customers through clear communication and expectations, eventually improving your company’s creditworthiness. How Invoicing Fits Into the Accounts Receivable Process Even though invoicing might seem like a straightforward task, it plays a significant role in the accounts receivable process by formally requesting payment for goods or services provided on credit. Each invoice details the amount owed, payment terms, and must include critical information such as the invoice number, business and customer contact details, a description of the products or services, the total amount due, and the payment due date. Sending invoices without delay after delivery increases the likelihood of quick payments, which helps maintain positive cash flow for your business. Many businesses utilize invoicing software to automate the creation and distribution of invoices, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual errors. Regularly tracking sent invoices and following up on overdue payments is likewise fundamental for effectively managing accounts receivable and minimizing the risk of bad debts. Therefore, efficient invoicing is key to maintaining financial health and ensuring smooth operations. Tracking Payments and Outstanding Invoices To effectively manage your accounts receivable, tracking payments and outstanding invoices is essential. You’ll need to enter received payments into your system, linking them to the correct invoices, which helps maintain accurate financial records. Furthermore, keeping an eye on overdue invoices will enable you to follow up with customers without delay, thereby enhancing your cash flow management. Payment Tracking Methods Many businesses face challenges regarding tracking payments and managing outstanding invoices. Effective payment tracking methods involve systematically recording incoming payments against these invoices, guaranteeing accurate financial reporting and cash flow management. You can utilize automated accounts receivable systems that integrate with invoicing software, streamlining your payment tracking and reducing manual errors. Regularly reconciling accounts receivable ledgers with bank statements helps identify discrepancies and guarantees all payments are accounted for. Furthermore, aging reports categorize outstanding invoices based on their due dates, allowing you to prioritize collections and manage cash flow effectively. Implementing reminders and follow-up notifications for overdue invoices can likewise improve collection rates, helping maintain a healthy cash flow and minimizing bad debts in your business. Managing Overdue Invoices Effective management of overdue invoices is critical for maintaining a healthy cash flow and guaranteeing that your business remains financially stable. To effectively manage overdue invoices, utilize aging reports that categorize outstanding debts based on how long they’ve remained unpaid. This allows you to prioritize collection efforts accordingly. Establish clear payment terms and due dates, typically between 30 to 90 days, to set customer expectations. Implement automated software to track payments and send reminders for overdue invoices, boosting collection efficiency. Regularly reconcile your accounts receivable ledgers with your general ledger to guarantee accuracy in tracking outstanding invoices. Finally, develop a systematic follow-up process for overdue invoices, including escalating reminders or using collection agencies to improve recovery rates. Evaluating Customer Creditworthiness When businesses assess a customer’s creditworthiness, they examine various financial indicators to predict the likelihood of receiving timely payments. Evaluating customer creditworthiness is vital for minimizing financial risks. Here are three key factors to take into account: Credit Scores: Companies typically use credit reports from agencies like Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion, where scores range from 300 to 850. Higher scores suggest lower risk. Financial History: Analyzing payment behaviors and existing debt levels provides insights into a customer’s reliability. Credit Application Process: Requesting financial statements, trade references, and bank statements helps you gauge a customer’s financial stability before extending credit. Addressing Disputes and Payment Issues Addressing disputes and payment issues is vital for maintaining a healthy accounts receivable system, as these challenges can disrupt cash flow and customer relationships. A clear dispute reporting and resolution process allows you to investigate customer concerns efficiently. Disputes often arise from human error or discrepancies, requiring thorough investigation to clarify misunderstandings. When payment issues occur, unpaid invoices may need to be recorded as bad debt if payment isn’t received in established timeframes. It’s important to accurately credit payments to the correct accounts and close out corresponding invoices, especially during disputes. Here’s a simple overview of the process: Step Action Outcome Identify Dispute Review customer concerns Clarification of issues Investigate Analyze discrepancies Resolved misunderstandings Resolve Payment Issues Apply proper credits Accurate financial records Leveraging Technology for Accounts Receivable Management As businesses increasingly face the challenges of managing accounts receivable, leveraging technology becomes essential for streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency. By adopting AR automation, you can greatly reduce time and labor involved in invoicing, payment processing, and collections. Here are three key benefits: Automated Reminders: Technology sends scheduled reminders to customers about upcoming or overdue payments, which can improve collection rates. Predictive Analytics: Advanced software forecasts payment behaviors, allowing you to manage cash flow more effectively and make informed decisions quickly. Integrated Systems: Integration with ERP software provides a thorough view of your finances, enhancing data accuracy across platforms. Utilizing cloud-based solutions additionally facilitates remote access and real-time reporting, ensuring you always have the latest financial data at your fingertips. Embracing these technologies not only boosts efficiency but also positions your business for sustained growth in a competitive environment. Analyzing Accounts Receivable Metrics Analyzing accounts receivable metrics is crucial for comprehending your business’s cash flow and financial health. One key metric, accounts receivable turnover, measures how efficiently you collect receivables by dividing net credit sales by average accounts receivable. A higher ratio indicates better performance. Furthermore, average days delinquent tracks how long invoices stay overdue, helping you pinpoint collection inefficiencies. Collections efficiency index reveals the percentage of receivables collected over time, offering insight into your collection process’s effectiveness. Days sales outstanding measures how many days it typically takes to receive payment after a sale, with lower values indicating improved cash flow management. Finally, monitoring the aging schedule categorizes outstanding invoices by due dates, enabling you to prioritize collection efforts and address potential cash flow issues before they escalate. Best Practices for Efficient Accounts Receivable Management Effective accounts receivable management is vital for maintaining healthy cash flow and minimizing financial risk. By implementing best practices for efficient accounts receivable management, you can streamline your processes and improve your accounts receivable service. Here are three key strategies: Systematic Credit Application: Assess customer creditworthiness with a clear application process and set defined payment terms to reduce bad debt risk. Timely Invoicing: Confirm your invoices are accurate, detailed, and sent without delay. This nurtures on-time payments and reduces disputes. Automated Tracking and Follow-ups: Use automated reminders for overdue invoices, which can help decrease Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and boost cash flow efficiency. Additionally, regularly analyze key performance metrics, like accounts receivable turnover, to gain insights into your management practices and identify areas that need improvement. Frequently Asked Questions What Is an Example of Accounts Receivable System? An example of an accounts receivable system is QuickBooks. This software allows you to create invoices automatically after sales, track payment due dates, and manage customer reminders for overdue payments. With features like integration with your accounting software, automated payment processing, and reporting tools, it helps you analyze payment trends. Furthermore, it improves customer relationships by providing a user-friendly portal for clients to view and pay their outstanding invoices online. What Are the 5 C’s of Accounts Receivable Management? The 5 C’s of accounts receivable management are essential for evaluating a customer’s creditworthiness. First, character evaluates their credit history and reliability. Next, capacity measures their ability to repay based on income and existing debts. Capital refers to their net worth, indicating financial health. Collateral includes tangible assets that secure the credit, as conditions consider economic factors that might affect repayment. Comprehending these elements helps you make informed lending decisions. What Are the Four Types of Accounts Receivable? The four types of accounts receivable include trade receivables, which arise from your normal sales activities; non-trade receivables, such as loans to employees; other receivables, including miscellaneous amounts like tax refunds; and notes receivable, which are formal agreements to pay a specific amount in the future, often with interest. Each type has unique characteristics and collection processes, so comprehending these distinctions is essential for managing your company’s cash flow and financial health effectively. What Are the Three Basic Functions of Accounts Receivable? The three basic functions of accounts receivable are invoicing customers, tracking receivables, and managing collections. You generate accurate invoices that detail services or products, including payment terms and due dates. Tracking receivables involves updating account balances and reconciling ledgers. Finally, managing collections means monitoring overdue accounts, sending reminders, and initiating collection efforts for delinquent invoices. Together, these functions guarantee timely payments, improve cash flow, and minimize potential bad debt for your business. Conclusion In conclusion, an accounts receivable system is crucial for effectively managing customer debts and ensuring consistent cash flow. By automating invoicing, tracking payments, and addressing disputes, businesses can greatly improve their financial health. Leveraging technology and analyzing key metrics allows for informed decision-making, in the end reducing the risk of bad debts. Adopting best practices in accounts receivable management not just improves efficiency but likewise strengthens customer relationships, contributing to overall business success. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is an Accounts Receivable System and How Does It Work?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article