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This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. What to do about a terrible workplace when you can’t leave I know it’s often the case that the best thing to do in a terrible work setting is to start looking for another job. I’m wondering if you have any advice for circumstances where you really can’t do that, or at least aren’t willing to accept the consequences of doing so. I’m a PhD student in a psychology program. As part of the program we have to spend a certain amount of time providing services through our departmental clinic. This is non-optional for the program, so the only way around this is to drop out of the program. Within our field, PhD students cannot transfer programs — if you drop out, you start from scratch at a new program (assuming one will even accept you; it’s one of the most competitive fields of graduate study and dropping out of a program is looked on unfavorably). So, the consequences of leaving are very high and potentially career-ending. Within this context, our clinic admin is a nightmare. She routinely screams, swears, yells, stomps around, and otherwise makes the clinic a tense and unpleasant environment. She interacts inappropriately with clients, yelling at them, recommending crystals instead of therapy, telling them to go home because they’ve arrived at the wrong time when in fact they’ve arrived at the correct time, and the list goes on. The students have tried to push back. We bring up these incidents to the clinic co-directors. One student even coordinated collecting complaints in a unified document — it was five pages long, single-spaced. When presented to the clinic co-directors, the response was that not much could be done. Supposedly, the clinic has no hierarchy and the co-directors therefore have no authority over her (?!). What are we missing? When a situation is this level of bad, what options are on the table that aren’t leaving? Well … possibly none. If the co-directors report to anyone, you could go over their heads to whoever they report to. If that’s another person, that’s a more feasible option than if it’s a board of directors. (Going to a board isn’t completely off the table, but the bar for doing it is very high and often won’t work; boards frequently just don’t get involved in day-to-day management issues.) The other options are to (a) keep pushing with the co-directors, but it sounds like you’ve already been pushing and they are simply not going to act, (b) come up with some kind of leverage that will motivate them to act (such as credibly making it clear you’ll be steering other students away from the program), (c) bring in someone else who has influence (like someone high up in your program who isn’t part of the clinic, or someone in the university who has oversight over the program), (d) unionize, (e) accept it’s not going to change and find a way to be okay with working around the problems, or (f) leave, which you noted you can’t do. Most people in normal work contexts end up eventually choosing E or F. In your case, C is likely the best shot at changing things, and if that doesn’t work, you’re looking at E. 2. Employee keeps writing in her pregnancy journal at work I work at a larger higher education institution in a department that manages many grant-funded projects. All of us working on these projects are in staff positions (not teaching faculty). One of my employees, Sansa, started several months ago and this is her first professional job since graduating. She is capable and I have no issues with her work overall. Last week, she announced to the office (repeatedly) that she is pregnant. Of course I wish her well. But the issue is that she now walks around with a first-time mom pregnancy journal and pulls it out to write in. Continually. It has been about a week and I see this journal multiple times a day. I want to say something to her along the lines of, “I know you are excited about your pregnancy, but please save your journal for your personal time, such as lunch breaks or out of office time.” This is no different to me than say, doing homework on work time (which I have dealt with before in a similar way). I feel that since this is pregnancy-related, though, I am dipping into uncharted territory. Do I say anything? Do I let this go? How do I approach her? My goal is to create a comfortable, low-distraction environment for staff and I am concerned this is going to turn in to a “thing.” If she’s doing a good job and getting all her work done and the amount of time she’s spending on the journal is just a couple of minutes here and there, let it go — the same way you presumably would if she were spending a few minutes socializing in the kitchen or texting her spouse. But if the amount of time she’s spending on it is excessive, then it’s reasonable to say something like: “I know you’re excited about the pregnancy, and I’m really happy for you. I’ve seen you writing in your pregnancy journal a lot during the day and I want to remind you to please save it for breaks or other non-work time — just like with anything else not work-related, like homework or social media.” 3. Interviewers want to know how I handle difficulties I’m looking for a job again for the first time in many years and am running into a type of question in interviews that I haven’t encountered in the past. All the questions are some variation of “how do you handle it when you are experiencing difficulty?” and I’m confused how to answer because it seems like an obvious “I would discuss it with my manager.” Some examples include: “What do you do if you can’t find the answer when you’re working?” “How do you handle it when you have a lot of work to do and can’t meet your deadlines?” “How would we know you are struggling?” That last one made me gape a little because it seems so obvious. I responded with, “I would tell you.” Can you provide some insight on why they are asking this and what sort of answer they are looking for? For deadlines or research, I did try to expand on how I would approach it if my manager wasn’t available. I’m concerned that I’m coming across as being unable to deal with problems on my own if my first thought is to ask my boss. However, that is how my prior bosses have wanted me to handle it. In my experience, my manager always wanted to know if I was running into roadblocks. You’d be surprised by how many people’s answer to the last two questions isn’t “You would know because I would tell you.” It’s obvious to you, but it’s very much not obvious to everyone. Some people will answer, “I would stay late and find a way to get everything done,” or “I would prioritize on my own without looping anyone else in” (although they don’t say it like that) or all sorts of other things. So your answer to those is fine. The question where I’d adjust a bit is “What do you do if you can’t find the answer when you’re working?” With that one, are there things you would do before you’d go to your manager — like reviewing documentation, googling, or looking at how similar problems have been solved in the past? I bet you do that stuff, and you’re assuming “when you can’t find the answer” means you’ve already tried those things, but spell out those steps too. 4. How to explain my boyfriend’s job when he has a trust fund and rarely works I’ve been with my boyfriend for five years. He comes from a rich family and has access to a trust fund and he doesn’t work, aside from a few projects here and there. (For anonymity, let’s say they are llama grooming projects and I am also a llama groomer). The problem is that when I’m out socially — or at networking events — people constantly ask me what my partner does. Saying “he’s a llama groomer” isn’t really true or accurate, as I can’t name an employer or even any recent projects. I’ve tried to keep things vague and name jobs he’s had in the distant past, but people just keep asking questions. Is there a graceful way to answer this? It’s very frustrating and I constantly find myself making things up, which I don’t like to do. I don’t think he would want me telling people he has a trust fund, either. Can you say, “He does freelance llama grooming”? If pressed for details about what he’s working on currently, you can say, “He’s pretty selective about what projects he takes on so nothing currently, but he tends to like work featuring X and Y.” Also, why are people asking so many follow-up questions?! Maybe that’s normal in your field, but I’m surprised they’re pushing for so much info. (Is it an in-demand speciality where they might want to hire him? Or what do you think is behind it?) The other option is to not mention his occasional llama grooming work at all and just answer with what he spends his time on: “He’s really into gardening and currently taking over our backyard with rutabaga and kohlrabi.” 5. How do I “do” FMLA as the healthy spouse? We’ve just been told that my husband’s medical tests have found evidence of cancer. We don’t know what stage anything is in yet, and we don’t know what treatment or management might look like. At what point do you request FMLA once you find out that your spouse has cancer? We only just found out, so we don’t yet know the severity or treatment plans. Is this something where I should go to HR right away, let them know the situation, and keep them updated as I know more? Or would it be better to wait until we have a clear idea of what’s going on and when I will need to be out of work? I’ve never had to request FMLA before, so I don’t even know where to start or what the etiquette is … or even what it really means, other than “you go on FMLA when you have a baby or somebody in your immediate family is really sick and you need to help take care of them.” How much detail do I have to give? Do I have to tell my supervisor first, and then she speaks to HR about it? Can I go straight to HR, bypassing my supervisor? Can telling my work what’s going on be used against me in any way? As the healthy spouse, what can I really use FMLA for (accompanying them to medical appointments, staying home with them while they’re recovering from the effects of chemo)? If we get worst-case scenario news and the doctor gives them six months to live, can I use FMLA just to stay with them so we have every moment possible together? I mostly want to cry and hold my spouse right now. I don’t want to have to explain to everybody what’s going on, especially as we don’t even really know yet and I will likely cry when I make the FMLA request. I just want my spouse to get better, and for the work aspect of my life to let me be with my partner as much as possible right now. I’m so sorry and I hope you get news that’s as positive as possible, as quickly as possible. FMLA is unpaid leave of up to 12 weeks per year that protects your job. You can be required to use up your paid leave as part of it; in other words, it’s not a separate bank of leave that kicks in after you’ve run through the rest of your leave. It’s basically 12 weeks of job protection while you’re out, which may or may not overlap with the paid leave your employer offers. You can use it for accompanying your spouse to appointments, transporting or caring for them during treatment, and other forms of care they need, including “psychological comfort.” More here. Generally it makes sense to wait until you have more clarity on the situation and know what you want to ask for. If you have a good relationship with your boss, you can certainly let her know now what’s going on, but you don’t need to do that. It’s fine to wait until you have more specifics about the time you want to take, at least to start with. You can also go straight to HR if you prefer to start with them. Once you’re ready to officially request FMLA, HR will likely have forms for you to fill out. Legally your company cannot hold your use of FMLA against you; that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, but if you’re working with generally decent people, they are likely to simply want to ensure you get what you need. View the full article

On Saturday night, in compliance with a law that the U.S. Supreme Court had just upheld, TikTok shut down its popular video-sharing app for American users. On Sunday, after an incoming president Trump vowed to negotiate a deal once in office, they began restoring service. It’s unclear what will happen next, as some lawmakers in the president’s own party remain firmly in favor of the divest-or-ban demand, while some democrats seemed to back-pedal. From my perspective as a technology critic, the ultimate fate of this particular app is not the most important storyline here. What interests me more about these events is the cultural rubicon that we just crossed. To date, we’ve largely convinced ourselves that once a new technology is introduced and spread, we cannot go backward. Social media became ubiquitous so now we’re stuck using it. Kids are zoning themselves into a stupor on TikTok, or led into rabbit holes of mental degeneration on Instagram, and we shrug our shoulders and say, “What can you do?” The TikTok ban, even if only temporary, demonstrates we can do things. These services are not sacrosanct. Laws can be passed and our lives will still go on. So what else should we do? I’m less concerned at this moment about national security than I am the health of our kids. If we want to pass a law that might make an even bigger difference, now is a good time to take a closer look at what Australia did last fall, when they banned social media for users under sixteen. Not long ago, that might have seemed like a non-starter in the U.S. But after our recent action against TikTok, is it really any more extreme? It’s fortuitous timing that all of this is going down during the New Year season, when we typically think about self-improvement. Next week, for example, Scott Young and I are launching a new session of our online course, Life of Focus, which we traditionally do around this time of year. This course unfolds over three months and helps people find more depth and meaning in their work and life. Here’s what relevant to our current moment: the entire first third of the course is dedicated to digital minimalism. Scott and I realized as we were originally working on these lessons that until you repair your relationship with your devices, you won’t have the attention or energy to make a difference anywhere else. This is why it heartens me to see our culture begin to consider stronger steps against the most powerful of digital distractions — a key instantiation of my philosophy of techno-selectionism. But you shouldn’t have to wait for the next big legislative move to begin reclaiming your autonomy from the clutches of a small number of massive online platforms. You can implement your own personal technology bans anytime you want, and there’s nothing the president, or the industry insiders who have his ear at the moment, can do to stop you. ##### As mentioned: Life of Focus, my three-month course co-taught with Scott Young, will reopen for a new session on Monday, January 27, 2025. Find out more here. The post The TikTok Ban Is About More Than TikTok appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

On Saturday night, in compliance with a law that the U.S. Supreme Court had just upheld, TikTok shut down its popular video-sharing app for American users. On Sunday, after an incoming president Trump vowed to negotiate a deal once in office, they began restoring service. It’s unclear what will happen next, as some lawmakers in the president’s own party remain firmly in favor of the divest-or-ban demand, while some democrats seemed to back-pedal. From my perspective as a technology critic, the ultimate fate of this particular app is not the most important storyline here. What interests me more about these events is the cultural rubicon that we just crossed. To date, we’ve largely convinced ourselves that once a new technology is introduced and spread, we cannot go backward. Social media became ubiquitous so now we’re stuck using it. Kids are zoning themselves into a stupor on TikTok, or led into rabbit holes of mental degeneration on Instagram, and we shrug our shoulders and say, “What can you do?” The TikTok ban, even if only temporary, demonstrates we can do things. These services are not sacrosanct. Laws can be passed and our lives will still go on. So what else should we do? I’m less concerned at this moment about national security than I am the health of our kids. If we want to pass a law that might make an even bigger difference, now is a good time to take a closer look at what Australia did last fall, when they banned social media for users under sixteen. Not long ago, that might have seemed like a non-starter in the U.S. But after our recent action against TikTok, is it really any more extreme? It’s fortuitous timing that all of this is going down during the New Year season, when we typically think about self-improvement. Next week, for example, Scott Young and I are launching a new session of our online course, Life of Focus, which we traditionally do around this time of year. This course unfolds over three months and helps people find more depth and meaning in their work and life. Here’s what relevant to our current moment: the entire first third of the course is dedicated to digital minimalism. Scott and I realized as we were originally working on these lessons that until you repair your relationship with your devices, you won’t have the attention or energy to make a difference anywhere else. This is why it heartens me to see our culture begin to consider stronger steps against the most powerful of digital distractions — a key instantiation of my philosophy of techno-selectionism. But you shouldn’t have to wait for the next big legislative move to begin reclaiming your autonomy from the clutches of a small number of massive online platforms. You can implement your own personal technology bans anytime you want, and there’s nothing the president, or the industry insiders who have his ear at the moment, can do to stop you. ##### As mentioned: Life of Focus, my three-month course co-taught with Scott Young, will reopen for a new session on Monday, January 27, 2025. Find out more here. The post The TikTok Ban Is About More Than TikTok appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article

Google's ad targeting systems prioritize intent-based matching. Learn how phrase match keywords can now capture broader, intent-aligned search terms for more effective ad campaigns. The post Google Phrase Match: Everything You Need To Know appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Samsung may have announced three Galaxy phones today, including the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra, but that didn’t stop the company from teasing a fourth. Alongside detailed specs of the new lineup arriving on Feb. 7, Samsung also hinted at a more mysterious future phone called the Galaxy S25 Edge. This announcement came towards the tail end of Samsung’s Unpacked event, and didn’t give viewers much more to work off of than a name and some renders. From the looks of it, though, the Edge seems to be a thinner version of the Galaxy S25, with a dual lens camera bump swapped in to help accommodate the smaller body. Credit: Samsung That would coincide with rumors that Apple is also working on an iPhone Air, which have been shared by reputable sources including supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg tech reporter Mark Gurman. Assuming these rumors are true, the iPhone Air and the Galaxy Edge both releasing back-to-back would seem to point towards an upcoming shift towards thinner phones, which could potentially convince users to upgrade their handsets in the face of flagging interest in foldable phones and increasingly iterative updates on the standard format. According to Android Authority, which spoke with a Samsung South Africa representative, the Edge will definitely come to South Korea and the US when it launches at some point in the future, but it may take some time to reach the rest of the world. Credit: Samsung As for what kind of specs to expect, Samsung president of mobile devices TM Roh told Bloomberg that, “The Edge will use some of the same technologies as the new Ultra model, but fit them inside a slimmed-down design.” Given what looks to be a much-reduced camera capacity, I’m a little skeptical of that, but maybe the Edge really will beat out the base S25. With that kind of power in such a small form factor, though, I would definitely expect a heftier price tag (the base S25 starts at $800), although that’s still under wraps for now. Its release date is also still up in the air, at least officially, but Gurman posted on X to expect the phone “in the first half of this year.” View the full article

In the two days since Donald Trump was sworn into office, you may have noticed something odd on social media: You and your friends might be following Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, first lady Melania Trump, and the Trump White House on Instagram and Facebook, despite never following these three individuals before. It begs the question: Did Meta automatically follow these accounts on your behalf? Instagram isn't necessarily forcing you to follow TrumpAccording to Meta, the answer is no. The company is referring outlets to a post on Threads from Meta communications spokesperson Andy Stone, who says: "A reminder: the Facebook.com/POTUS and Facebook.com/White… accounts are managed by the White House. They change when the occupant of the White House changes." Cosmopolitan obtained another statement from Meta, which reads: "People were not made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President or First Lady ... Those accounts are managed by the White House so with a new administration, the content on those Pages changes. This is the same procedure we followed during the last presidential transition. It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands." The explanation makes some sense: If the account, like the presidency itself, is more than just its current occupant, then users who follow the official POTUS, VPOTUS, and FLOTUS accounts are really following whoever happens to be president, vice president, and first lady at the time. In fact, it's what happened last time: This CNN article from January of 2021 talks about how most social media platforms—including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube—transitioned their POTUS, VPOTUS, and FLOTUS accounts (and their followers) to the incoming Biden administration. At the time, Twitter was the only network that decided not to automatically transfer followers, and instead shared alerts with users about how to follow the new accounts. Some users are pointing to the fact Meta itself seems to suggest these accounts are brand new. If you look at the official account of the President (not Trump's personal account, mind you) Instagram says the "date joined" was January 2025. (The verification date is exactly the same.) That is adding to the confusion from users: Meta says these accounts are established and changing with the current holder of the office, but also that Trump's POTUS account was made this month. However, if you look at President Biden's archived account, it says the date joined and verified was January 2021, suggesting the Biden account was also started when he assumed power. Meta's political problemsTo me, the issue lies more in miscommunication, polarization, and existing grievances from users with the platform. Meta should have made it clearer to users that they were not following the politicians themselves, rather an account that will change when the politicians do. If you have no interest in following a new president or vice president, you shouldn't feel you were forced to do so. And that brings me to the larger point: Meta is simply setting themselves up to look very sympathetic to the new Trump administration. Mark Zuckerberg was one of the tech giants who attended the inauguration, after all, so when his platform seemingly follows the new president, vice president, and first lady on behalf of its users—whether that's necessarily true or not—it plays into that idea. That comes at the same time the company is openly moving rightward with its politics, and embracing politics in general more than ever. Earlier this year, Instagram and Threads did a 180, making it the default to add political content to feeds from accounts users don't follow. At the same time, Meta also backtracked its policies on fact-checking and hate speech across its platforms. Meta has alienated a sizable portion of its user base in recent months, so when those users open their apps to see that they're now following politicians the company seems biased towards—politicians those users may vehemently disagree with—it creates a situation like what we see today, with headlines abuzz about Meta forcing users to follow Trump, Vance, Melania, and the Trump White House. Just scan the comments on the POTUS, VPOTUS, and White House accounts to see how unhappy many users are to be following them. (At this time, FLOTUS has no posts.) You might have to wait to unfollow these accountsUnfortunately, unfollowing these accounts might not be as easy as, well, hitting "unfollow." According to Andy Stone, it might take some time for unfollow requests to process, which means you might be stuck with any combination of these three in your feed. On the other hand, if you were following the previous administration on any of these three accounts, you will still be following their archived accounts, as well. Being archived, you won't see new posts from these accounts, so the choice is up to you whether to stay followed or not. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. During the first Trump presidency, I worked at a major news networks found it impossible to distance myself from the tumult of the daily news, which seemed to bring one alarming crisis after another. Yet even when I got home at the end of the day, I found myself scrolling and scrolling my social media feeds, unable to disengage. Too many nights, I lay awake far into the night, reading the latest social media missives from the president and consuming the commentary and context around it all, despite the fact that in just a few hours, I'd be back in the middle of it—just more exhausted and stressed than I would have been if I'd put the phone down and gone to sleep at a reasonable hour. I had to train myself to fully disengage in my personal time, which was made easier by the fact that I was inundated with it all day. But I don't work in political media anymore, and as the world slips into ever-worsening crises, from political upheaval to environmental disasters to endless wars, I've found myself falling into my old news-consuming habits. I know that constantly engaging with news and opinions about complex and upsetting topics isn't generally good for me, and can have a real effect on my mental health. To help curb my habit before it gets out of control again, I've been turning to apps for regulation and distraction. Here are a few I've most found helpful. To get just enough news: Apple News (or Google News) Apple News Credit: Lindsey Ellefson Obviously, commentary and context from experts and people with lived experiences can be valuable tools for making sense of the news, but it's easy to get carried away consuming post after post and reaction after reaction. If you want to cut down on how much you're consuming and scrolling but don't want to cut out getting the main news of the day altogether, try switching up where and how you get your information. Rather than looking at X or Threads, where you'll see not only the headlines but all manner of responses to them, opt for a designated news app. I've been using Apple News ($12.99/month with a one-month free trial), which lets me customize the kinds of news I see and the publishers I read. I can open the app, glance at the headlines from these outlets, read an article if I want, and go about my day without getting sucked into a discourse hole. I like Apple News (or Google News if you're on Android or don't want to pay Apple for the service) better than competitors like Flipboard because I don't want to have too many options. I want a curated, condensed look at current events, what other people are reading, and what I need to know, rather than a morass of too many things I could get stuck in for hours. Use Apple News for: Seeing the headlines of the day Reading reputable outlets when you want to dive deeper Getting a sense of trending stories, which are featured in their own section Reading content that would typically be paywalled, if you have a subscription to Apple News+ Curating what you want to see and don't want to see To curb screen time: One Sec One Sec Credit: Lindsey Ellefson OK, so I can't completely disengage, which is why I haven't just deleted my social apps altogether. In those cases, I try to curb my screen time. For this, I like One Sec, which forces you to pause before opening designated apps, reminds you to do breathing exercises, tracks your time spent on those designated apps, and can even block certain ones. It's free to use for one app, or $19.99/year for unlimited apps. I set mine up to prompt me to be "intentional" when I try to open certain apps, too. When I attempt to open X, for example, One Sec asks me why I want to do that, and I have to select an option like "stay in the loop" or "can't sleep," which forces me to think about if it's really necessary at that moment. And if you like stats, One Sec tracks how many times it has prevented you from opening another app and how much time it estimates it has saved you. Data on how many times the app has stopped me from opening X in the last day. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson Use One Sec for: Cutting down the time you spend scrolling Getting hard data on how much time you spend on social media or other time-suckers Building long-term habits that enable you to resist the urge to open an app and scroll To calm down after doomscrolling: Headspace Headspace Credit: Lindsey Ellefson There are two main problems with doomscrolling. First, you waste a lot of time, a problem addressed by the apps above. Second, and worse (for me), you can do major damage to your mental wellbeing. It's no good to be worked up all the time, but social and news media are both designed to get you riled up, engaged, and coming back, with no regard to how that impacts your nervous system. So in addition to cutting out doomscrolling, you should also have an app that counteracts its negative effects. For this, I like Headspace ($69.99/year with a 14-day free trial.) It houses meditations, sleep sounds, tips on mindfulness, and more, with graphics that are simple and calming. You do have to remind yourself to use it, so this one is only beneficial if you have the wherewithal to log in and fight back against the stress, but the app is easy enough to use and produces clear enough results that it quickly became a habit for me. The meditative exercises can be small, —as short as three minutes—and can be accessed anywhere, which is why I favor Headspace over other de-stressing apps I've tried. A meditation I joined with 400 other people when I was feeling stressed. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson Use Headspace for: Monthly check-ins to track your progress on stress or anxiety (depending which you are focused on) Brown noise to fall asleep to (which I selfishly like because it prevents me from wrecking my Spotify algorithm with hours of hissing) A daily offering of custom grounding exercises, meditations, focus sessions, and even music, some of which you participate in with a group, so you feel less alone View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Since TikTok has been (temporarily) saved from a national ban, there's no better time than now to use the app to improve your life. Specifically, in addition to following CleanTok gurus so you can steal some of their tips for maintaining a spotless, organized home, you should check out some of the products they (and regular-degular app users) recommend. Here are some of the most popular cleaning tools you'll see touted on TikTok, as well as what they’re used for, where you can get them, and how you can save money when you don’t need a specific brand. Spin mops TikTokkers love spin mops. There are a few varieties, but the main appeal of all of them is that the mops can spin rapidly in the mop bucket, so they’re not as wet when they hit the floor, making cleaning less, uh, messy. Some of these mops come with a two-chamber system that enables you to keep dirty and clean water separate. By far, the most popular brand is O-cedar, which sells spin mops for around $35. Pet hair removers There’s something satisfying about watching videos of people systematically remove pet hair from their carpets and couches, which is probably why these gadgets are so popular. But if pet hair is a real problem for you, the purchase of a special tool for removing it might be more about necessity than ASMR brain tingles. Pick up a variety pack of five for $9.99 so you always have one ready to go. You can also try the Chom Chom, which is a little more expensive but super popular, with 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon and nearly 200,000 ratings. It collects the pet hair in a separate chamber, which makes it easy to dispose of. Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover $24.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $3.00 Shop Now Shop Now $24.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $3.00 Scrub Daddy Yes, a Scrub Daddy is just a scrubber—but it has legions of fans who post about their devotion to the happy-looking sponge. It's rough and makes scrubbing a breeze, and there are a bunch of Scrub Daddy hacks floating around the fan community. (For instance, you can run your knives through the mouth of the smiley face to quickly clean them without cutting yourself.) Nab three for under $15 and join the movement. Drill brush scrubber attachments Scrubber attachments for your power drill are an exciting addition to your cleaning arsenal, even if they seem a little silly. TikTokkers do point out these are mostly useful if you have issues scrubbing manually, and they don’t do much that you couldn’t do yourself if you’re capable, but using them is sort of fun anyway. Try a 30-piece set from Amazon for $24.95. Soap dispensing brushes CleanTokkers love soap-dispensing brushes—not just for dishes, but for all kinds of home scrubbing. One often-recommended hack is keeping one in your shower and using it to wipe down your tiles while you’re in there sudsing yourself. Or, be like the content creator above and use it on your windows. Try this one from OXO for $10.99. Drain snakes Like those pimple-popping videos we were all watching in 2016, there is an appeal to watching someone haul hair and product gunk out of their sink drain with a long, spiked tool. You might see some influencers recommend a certain brand (usually because they want a commission). Do not listen to them. You can get a perfectly acceptable drain snake at any dollar store—or get an eight-pack for $4.95 on Amazon. Keurig cleaning pods I’ve always recommended using vinegar to clean your pod coffee maker, but if you want a brand-name, ready-made solution, you can try Keurig pods designed to clean the inside of your machine. Six of them will run you $9.95. While it's easy and fun to use a pre-made cleaner, don't forget you can totally descale your pod-based coffee machines on your own, too, and TikTokkers' love for these may stem from a commission program (though not always). Mini desk vacuums One item that has gone truly viral is the mini desk vacuum, which you can find on Amazon for about $13. These absolutely does not need to exist, nor do you need one from a particular brand. You can find them from a variety of sellers online. A desk vac will only pick up little things, like crumbs, but they make desk cleaning more fun, and it beats the hell out of just sweeping it all into your hand. The Pink Stuff Finally, we have the Pink Stuff. It's hard to find cleaning channels on TikTok that don't feature this product—usually in its paste form—because it's just that popular. It can be used on tiles, glass, steel, or whatever surface is in need of a good, strong cleaning. Having tried it, I can attest that it makes grime disappear, which is likely why it's so popular in short-form videos, where before-and-after clips are their own kind of currency. Stardrops - The Pink Stuff - The Miracle All Purpose Cleaning Paste $5.49 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.99 Save $0.50 Shop Now Shop Now $5.49 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.99 Save $0.50 View the full article

THE challenges organizations face today are becoming increasingly complex, interconnected, and unpredictable. Yet, as we examine these challenges more closely, a striking realization emerges: most are rooted in connection issues. Network science heralded as the science of the 21st century, provides a groundbreaking framework for understanding connections. It uncovers profound insights into the structural and functional challenges organizations encounter, offering a transformative lens for leadership in this era of complexity. To thrive, leaders must embrace a new paradigm that prioritizes the power of connections. Let’s explore two critical domains where connections are paramount: innovation and talent management. Innovation Is a Connection Issue Innovation is no longer a choice — it’s a necessity for survival. Organizations must continuously evolve to remain relevant in a world where rapid technological advancements, globalized competition, rising customer expectations, sustainability imperatives, and the accelerating pace of change are redefining the landscape. Businesses face relentless pressure to create new products, services, and experiences. The speed of change, coupled with shrinking product lifecycles, demands an ever-present focus on reinvention. But true innovation — transformative, game-changing innovation — requires more than resources or technical expertise. It requires connections. True Innovation Requires Novel Connections Innovation doesn’t arise in isolation. It emerges when existing components — technologies, ideas, or processes — are combined in novel ways. Breakthroughs happen at the intersections. Consider these examples: • Netflix disrupted the entertainment industry by integrating streaming technology with a subscription-based model, reimagining how content is consumed. • The iPhone combined touchscreens, mobile internet, and portable media players to create a seamless, revolutionary device that reshaped industries. These innovations weren’t about inventing entirely new technologies. They were about creating connections — linking ideas and resources in ways others hadn’t imagined. For innovation to flourish, leaders must create environments where connections thrive. This means fostering diverse teams, building networks that bridge silos, and nurturing cultures where collaboration is encouraged. By connecting people, ideas, and resources across boundaries, leaders can ignite fresh thinking and unlock transformative breakthroughs. Talent Management Is a Connection Issue Talent is the lifeblood of any organization. Yet, in today’s digital age, retaining top talent has never been more challenging. With alternative employment opportunities more visible and accessible than ever, organizations must prioritize creating environments where employees feel valued, engaged, and connected. The pressure to retain talent is more urgent than ever. Employee expectations have shifted. Today’s workforce seeks more than just a paycheck — they seek purpose, belonging, and meaningful connections. Organizations that fail to meet these needs risk losing their best people to competitors who can. Retention depends on high-quality connections. Studies show that a sense of belonging is at the heart of employee retention. A Harvard Business Review study found that fostering belonging reduces turnover by 50 percent, increases job performance by 56 percent, and cuts sick days by 75 percent. A Gallup study revealed that employees with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged. When individuals feel connected to their teams, their leaders, and the broader organization, they’re more likely to stay and perform at their best. Strong workplace connections foster trust, boost morale, and create a shared sense of purpose, all of which are critical for engagement and retention. The Leadership Imperative Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering these connections. By investing in team building, encouraging collaboration, and cultivating a culture of inclusion, leaders can create workplaces where employees thrive. Prioritizing connections isn’t optional — it’s a strategic necessity that directly impacts organizational performance and success. Connections Are Central to Organizational Success Beyond innovation and talent management, many other organizational challenges, such as supply chain coordination, AI implementation, cross-functional collaboration, and team performance, are also deeply rooted in connection issues. This should come as no surprise. Network science reveals that all complex systems are, at their core, networks. Organizations, being complex systems, are no exception. Networks are simple in structure yet extraordinarily powerful. They comprise: Nodes: In human networks, these are individuals. Connections: The links between them, such as communication channels. Interactions: The flows that occur between nodes, such as information exchange or collaboration. The strength and quality of these connections determine the effectiveness of the network — and, by extension, the organization. The Network Science Message for Leaders Network science offers a revolutionary insight for leaders: Focus on connections — the space between people. Stronger connections lead to stronger networks, which in turn drive better organizational outcomes. Whether addressing innovation, talent management, or operational challenges, leaders who prioritize building and strengthening connections unlock their organization’s full potential. Transitioning to Network Leadership: Mastering Connections To truly harness the power of connections, leaders must master both the art of small, close-knit connections and the art of large, systemic connections. Small connections: Small teams, typically composed of four to five members, consistently outperform larger teams. Why? Because smaller teams foster higher-quality connections, enabling superior engagement, trust, and performance. These teams are where the work gets done. Large connections: While small connections excel at execution, they risk losing sight of the bigger picture. Large gatherings, on the other hand, cultivate a sense of belonging, enhance cross-functional collaboration, and create the conditions for serendipity and breakthrough innovation.. Magic lies in mastering both the art of small and large connections. Leaders must create environments where small teams can thrive while ensuring the organization as a whole remains interconnected, inspired, and aligned. The path forward for leadership in the 21st century is no longer about command and control; it’s about connection and collaboration. The leaders who excel in this new era will be those who understand the power of networks and use them to drive innovation, engagement, and performance. By focusing on connections — strengthening the space between people — leaders can create organizations that are not only resilient and adaptive but also capable of achieving extraordinary outcomes. The future belongs to those who master the art of connection. * * * Jeffrey Beeson has spent decades serving thousands of leaders and leading culture transformation initiatives for multinational corporations. He is the founder of Ensemble Enabler, fostering agile organizational cultures and advanced leadership. His new book, Network Leadership: Promoting a Healthier World through the Power of Networks (Cambridge University Press, Dec. 31, 2024), unpacks how leaders can apply cutting-edge insights from network science applies to meet today’s challenges. Learn more at www.networkleadership.eu. * * * Follow us on Instagram and X for additional leadership and personal development ideas. * * * View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Sonos brand is well known in the smart speaker and surround sound system space. And very much like Apple, people will pay a premium price for their minimalistic, premium quality, and discounts are often hard to come by. Of course, it's always better to get a deal, and that's exactly what you can do today: The Sonos Arc, which was Sono's flagship soundbar prior to the launch of the Sonos Arc Ultra, is $649, $250 off its usual $899 price. It's also a new low price for this model, according to price tracking tools. Maximum Output Power: 110 Watts, Connectivity Technology: Wi-Fi, Audio Output Mode: Surround Mount. Sonos Arc Soundbar $649.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $899.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Get Deal $649.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $899.00 Save $250.00 Maximum Output Power: 110 Watts, Connectivity Technology: Wi-Fi, Audio Output Mode: Surround Mount. Sonos Arc Soundbar $649.99 at Best Buy $899.99 Save $250.00 Get Deal Get Deal $649.99 at Best Buy $899.99 Save $250.00 SEE -1 MORE Sonos speakers are not for everyone, if only because you'll have to justify paying around two grand for a complete surround sound system when you can get a setup like the Samsung Q990C for about half the price. But audiophiles swear they can hear the difference, so the cost might be worth it to you. If you pick up this soundbar, you'll want to consider the Sonos 300 rear speakers and the Gen 4 subwoofer to go with it—they're the latest Sonos has to offer, though you can choose Eras 100 or an older or smaller subwoofer to lower the price tag. As for the Arc, it offers Dolby Atmos, providing immersive three-dimensional sound with height channels that simulate audio coming from above you (you can read the details in PCMag's "excellent" review). It offers enough of a low-end kick that you don't really need a subwoofer if you have a small space. If you already own other Sonos speakers, you can seamlessly connect them through the Sonos app to create a surround sound setup or a multi-room system. Best Buy is offering $75 in credit if you want them to mount the soundbar in your space, but you'll have to buy the mounting materials separately. View the full article

Controlling a computer with a mouse might seem like second nature to you, but to people with motor control issues or other disabilities preventing them from keeping a steady hand on a peripheral, it can be a frustrating endeavor. That’s why Google’s giving Chromebook users the ability to control their cursors with their faces. Initially announced in December, Face Control allows Chromebooks to use your webcam and facial gestures as input. Look down to move your cursor down to your menu, or look up and to the left to hover over the Compose button in Gmail. Move your mouth left or right to left-click or right-click, and open your mouth to start using voice-to-text. Assuming there are no hiccups, the tool should allow for entirely hands-free control, intended to aid with accessibility. According to Google, this is another AI-powered feature, and “uses a series of machine learning models” to generate a 3D mesh of your face with 478 specific facial points for fine control. There’s a small catch, in that Google recommends 8GB of RAM for the best performance, but now that the feature’s out of beta, you’re free to try it for yourself and test it out. Google says it’s rolling out to all users now, alongside features to access reading mode in the Chrome browser with more natural voices, plus use a screen reader in “previously inaccessible PDFs.” On the more fun side of things, Face Control is actually fairly similar to Project Gameface, a similar tool Google developed for Windows and Android that allows gamers to control titles like World of Warcraft by mapping facial gestures to in-game actions. Unfortunately, while Project Gameface is open-source, allowing developers to tweak the tool and add support for it as they wish, Face Control is limited to ChromeOS for now. To turn it on once it rolls out to you, find it under the Accessibility menu at Settings > Accessibility. View the full article

It’s difficult to keep track of how much Netflix costs these days, since the company keeps raising its damn prices. That goes extra if you want to share your account with others: The company killed free password sharing in the U.S. back in May of 2023. Since then, if you want to lend out your Netflix password to someone else, you’ll need to tack on an extra monthly charge. But even that monthly charge has increased. During its Q4 2024 earning results call on Tuesday, Netflix announced it would be raising prices for all subscriptions and extra users. Here’s where the company’s various subscription options currently stand, as of January 2025. Standard with ads ($7.99 per month)“Standard with ads” is currently Netflix’s cheapest plan. Launched in November of 2022, the plan gives subscribers access to most of Netflix’s library of movies and TV shows, and all of its mobile games. It’s a bit hard to find updated lists of the titles not included with a “Standard with ads” plan (the latest appears to be a 2024 article from Variety) but, in any case, you’ll see a lock icon next to titles your ad-supported plan doesn’t allow. The plan lets you stream on two supported devices at once in “Full HD.” That means your content will stream in 1080p, and not in 4K HDR. You can also download titles to two devices at a time. In addition, you cannot add other users to your plan. The plan cost $6.99 for quite a while, before Netflix upped it to $7.99 in January. Standard ($17.99 per month, plus $8.99 for an extra user)There’s one immediate difference between Standard and Standard with ads: the lack of ads. Standard lets you stream Netflix to your heart’s content—all of Netflix’s content, mind you—without ever serving you a single ad. You know, like Netflix always used to do. You’ll also be able to download those titles to up to two supported devices at a time. Standard also invites you to add someone outside your household to your account for an extra $8.99 per month. (That's $1 more than it used to cost.) That raises standard’s monthly price from $17.99 to $26.98. You’ll only be able to add one additional outside user to your account, however, so choose wisely. While you don’t have to deal with ads, nor do you have limitations on what you can watch, your content will look the same, since the video quality is capped at 1080p. If you want 4K HDR shows and movies, you’ll need to pay even more. Premium ($24.99 per month, plus $8.99 for each extra user)A Premium Netflix account is as good as it gets. Here, you have unlimited access to Netflix’s library, including the ability to stream in 4K HDR when available. Netflix lets you stream concurrently on up to four devices at once, and download titles on up to six devices at a time. This subscription was previously $22.99, but Netflix raised the price to $24.99 this week. You also have the option to add up to two users outside your household to your plan. Of course, that adds up fast: Premium’s $24.99 per month cost goes up to $33.98 when adding one user, and $42.97 when adding two. Imagine telling someone in 2022 watching season four of Stranger Things that you pay more than $40 a month for Netflix. View the full article

All projects are risky ventures and so is running an enterprise. Unexpected events, whether internal or external, can impact the schedule, budget and operations. Risk can have an even greater impact on larger, more complex projects or the organization that implements them, which is why enterprise risk management is so important. An enterprise risk management framework can mean the difference between a successful or failed project. Enterprise risk management software is critical to delivering a successful project. But first, one must understand the risk management process and risk management strategy. What Is Enterprise Risk Management? Enterprise risk management (ERM) is a structured approach to identifying, assessing, managing and monitoring an organization’s risks to minimize potential negative impacts on its operations, strategy and financial performance. It involves a comprehensive, integrated process that aligns risk management efforts with the organization’s objectives and overall risk tolerance. The benefits of a risk management framework include providing a comprehensive view of the organization’s risk landscape, which helps to make more informed decisions by understanding risk. This allows organizations to better align strategic initiatives and operational activities. Identifying risks before they turn into major issues avoids being unprepared and having to suddenly react to a crisis. It also helps organizations adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, which reduces the risk of penalties. While this requires an enterprise risk management strategy and implementing an enterprise risk management process, which we’ll get to later, it’s also critical to have enterprise risk management software. ProjectManager is enterprise risk management software that has risk management tools that help identify, track and mitigate risks in real time. It includes a risk management matrix that shows the level of impact and the likelihood of occurrence to help determine what actions need to be taken. There’s also space to describe that action, assign team members to own the risk, add tags and files, plus team members can add comments. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CTA-light-mode-risk-view.pngProjectManager has risk management tools to identify, track and mitigate risks in real time. Learn more What Is an Enterprise Risk Management Framework? We’ve mentioned an enterprise risk management framework previously, but what exactly is it? An ERM framework is a structured and systematic approach an organization uses to identify, assess, manage and monitor risks. It provides the foundation for implementing risk management practices across the organization. The framework ensures that risk management is integrated into an organization’s strategy, operations and decision-making process. What Are the Elements of a Risk Management Framework? An ERM framework is a critical tool for organizations to manage uncertainty, safeguard assets and enhance their ability to achieve strategic objectives while minimizing risk exposure. The following are key parts of a risk management framework. Governance and Leadership This involves a designated risk management leader, often called the chief risk officer, and a risk management committee responsible for overseeing the risk management efforts. Senior leadership, including the board of directors, plays a crucial role in ensuring that risk management practices align with the organizational objectives. Enterprise Risk Tolerance This refers to the organization’s boundaries for risk-taking in pursuit of its objectives, which is arrived at by balancing strategic ambition with prudent decision-making. It also defines how the culture promotes awareness and understanding of risk management at all levels. Employees should be encouraged to identify and report risks, fostering a proactive approach. Enterprise Risk Management Plan It outlines how an organization will identify, assess, manage and monitor risks over time. It is a strategic document that provides the roadmap for risk management activities, detailing the processes, roles, responsibilities and actions that will be taken to manage risk effectively. This is important because it ensures that efforts are consistent, structured and aligned with the organization’s strategic goals and objectives. Enterprise Risk Management Budget These are the financial resources allocated to support the risk management activities within the organization. This budget is used to implement and sustain the processes, tools, technologies and personnel required to identify, assess, manage and monitor risks across the enterprise. It ensures that sufficient resources are available to address risk proactively and effectively. Communication Plan Effective communication ensures that risk-related information is shared transparently and consistently across the organization, helping stakeholders understand the risks and the measures being taken to manage them. A communication plan facilitates decision-making, ensures accountability and promotes a risk-aware culture. The Enterprise Risk Management Process Organizations use this systematic, structured approach to identify, assess, manage and monitor risks that could affect their objectives and overall business performance. The process is designed to be integrated into the organization’s strategy and decision-making to help mitigate potential negative impacts while capitalizing on opportunities. It starts by understanding the external and internal environment and defining the risk appetite and tolerance of the organization. Then follow these steps. 1. Risk Identification The organization identities both existing and emerging risks that could impact its ability to achieve objectives. This includes a broad range of risks, such as financial, operational, strategic, compliance, reputational and environmental risks. Risks can come from a variety of sources, such as market changes, technological disruptions, natural disasters, regulatory changes or internal operational inefficiencies. Identify these risks using brainstorming sessions, interviews, surveys, workshops, historical data or risk mapping. 2. Risk Analysis or Risk Assessment After identifying the risks, the organization analyzes each to assess the likelihood of occurrence and its potential impact on the business. Based on this, risks are prioritized according to their potential impact and likelihood, using tools such as risk matrices, heat maps or scoring models. Then decide which risks need to be addressed immediately and which ones can be monitored. 3. Risk Planning Once risks are assessed, appropriate plans are developed to address them. This can include avoidance to eliminate the risk, reducing the likelihood or impact of the risk, shifting the risk to a third party, acceptance of the risk and its consequences or exploiting the opportunity inherent in the (positive) risk. The risk plan will then schedule activities and assign resources to execute those tasks. 4. Risk Monitoring Risks and the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies need to be monitored continuously. This ensures that any changes in the organization’s risk environment are detected early and risk responses are adjusted accordingly. Organizations often use key risk indicators to track risks over time and gauge whether they are approaching unacceptable levels. Regular audits and reviews of risk management processes help ensure compliance with policies and regulations as well as evaluate the effectiveness of implementing risk mitigation strategies. Adjustments should be made as needed. 5. Risk Mitigation This refers to the actions or strategies taken to reduce the likelihood or impact of identified risk. The goal of risk mitigation is to minimize the potential adverse effects of risks on the organization’s objectives and operations. This is the stage in the enterprise risk management process in which decisions are made on how to address risks, such as whether to avoid, reduce, transfer or accept the risk. There are various approaches to risk mitigation, from taking preventive measures, using risk reduction to reduce the likelihood of a risk occurring or lessen its impact to having a contingency plan, diversification to spread the risk across different areas or product or purchasing insurance to transfer certain types of risk, such as property damage, liability or business interruptions, to third-party insurers. 6. Communication and Reporting Communication and reporting ensure that all stakeholders within and outside the organization are informed about the risks the organization faces, the measures being taken to manage those risks and the effectiveness of the risk management efforts. Clear and timely communication and reporting are essential for decision-making, accountability and maintaining a strong risk culture. Internal and external communication is done through workshops and training, regular meetings, dashboards and reports. Different types of risk reports include risk registers, dashboards and incident reports. How ProjectManager Helps With Enterprise Project Management We explained what enterprise risk management is, the enterprise risk management framework and process, but now comes the most important element to successfully managing risk: enterprise risk management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with risk management features to identify, assess, plan and mitigate risks in projects and organizations. Multiple Enterprise Project Planning and Scheduling Tools Risk plans need to be scheduled. Our software allows risk managers to do so on robust Gantt charts or roadmaps if they’re planning across multiple departments. Both organize tasks, add milestones and can link all four types of task dependencies to avoid delays and cost overruns. The critical path can be found by simply filtering for it. Then set a baseline to compare planned effort against actual effort in real time to stay on track. Teams can then execute their tasks on kanban boards or task lists while stakeholders can stay updated on progress with the calendar view. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-1.png Robust Resource Management Features and Tools To ensure that risk mitigation is going as planned, managers need to oversee resources. This begins when onboarding the risk team. Managers can set their availability, such as PTO, vacation and global holidays and skills, which helps when making assignments. Then the color-coded workload page gives an overview of their allocation so managers can see who is overallocated or underutilized, balancing the team’s workload to keep them working at capacity and avoiding burnout. There’s also a team page to get an overview of resources. It can be filtered to show daily or weekly views as well as priority, progress and more. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Cost Tracking Timesheets, Dashboards and Reports Resources aren’t the only metric to monitor. Managers can get a high-level overview of the project’s key performance indicators (KPIs) on the real-time project and portfolio dashboards. They’re collecting live data automatically and displaying it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that display time, cost, workload and more. Customizable reports can be filtered to go into the weeds or summarize progress and share with stakeholders to keep them informed. Our secure timesheets streamline the payroll process and offer a window into how far team members are in completing their tasks and labor costs to help stay on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks.png Related Risk Management Content Risk management is larger than just the enterprise sector. For those interested in reading more about the topic, below are a handful of links to recent blog posts. How to Make a Risk Management Plan (Template Included) The Best Risk Management Tools & Techniques for PM Pros Risk Mitigation in Project Management What Is a Risk Register & How to Create One 9 Free Risk Management Templates for Excel ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in the world. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Enterprise Risk Management: Process & Framework Explained appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Google expands AI Overviews in Circle to Search, enabling instant insights from visual content on Android devices. The post Google Expands AI Overviews In Circle To Search appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I’m a recent grad, and I’ve been searching for my first full-time position. Recently, I was invited to second round of interviews for an event planning position at a national organization with a recognizable name. It included a schedule of seven virtual half-hour interviews with different groups of people at the organization and a request for me to prepare a 10-slide presentation of a potential event for the organization and challenges I might face. I thought seven interviews were overkill for such a junior position, especially as the organization does not specialize in event planning, but I was happy to participate. The seven interviews were horrifyingly awful. In the very first one, I was asked a very technical question about a product the organization produces. In response, I was clear that I was new to the field, did not know enough technical info to answer the question successfully but was excited to learn, and tried to redirect to my event planning experience. I was then reprimanded by the person who asked the question for not having knowledge that I think would take several degrees and 10 years in the field to acquire. The other three interviewers seemed to take their cues from the first interviewer, and were very dismissive. Their tone was along the lines of “You definitely don’t know this, but how do you…” including saying those exact words to me. They were correct, I did not know! I clicked into the next Zoom link utterly certain it was not the right role for me. Each of the remaining interviews, with the exception of one with five similarly junior employees who I would not actually be working with, was similarly challenging. I was asked questions that I was very uncomfortable answering, with very little relevance to the role and the responsibilities: for example, how I would solve a crisis like the Israel-Palestine conflict, or tackle a hate crime that had happened to a specific employee, enacted by an employee in the next group to interview me, who they named. All cameras were off for my presentation, and I wasn’t asked a single question — including by my potential direct supervisor, present on the call, who left it to me to wrap up the meeting in dead silence. I’ve since found another role, where I was asked sensible, relevant questions during the hiring process, but I can’t help wondering about how I should have handled that series of interviews. Was there a way I could have pulled out of the entirety of the planned day and consideration for the position after the first interview of the day? Was there a way I could have expressed feedback — perhaps to the very lovely HR person — after the truly horrific day of interviewing? And frankly, why would they have that many people (I want to say a total of 50) take the time to interview me? For what it’s worth, I don’t think I was underqualified for the position. The first round was an interview with someone from HR, and my understanding of the role was that I would provide support logistics for the several large conferences the company hosts — booking rooms, tracking RSVPs, sending invitations, and the like. They clearly decided they didn’t want me during the first 10 minutes (I sent an email the next day thanking them for their time and politely withdrawing), but I am genuinely confused about how and why the day went the way it did. They asked how you would solve the Israel-Palestine conflict in a job interview for a junior events planning position?! Or how you would solve a hated crime perpetrated by one employee against another, then sent you to interview with the doer of the crime?! WTF?! Yes, you can cut short an interview if it becomes clear that you’d never want to work there or that moving forward isn’t a good use of anyone’s time. Most of the time it makes sense to see out an interview through to the end — since the employer might have a different opening in the future that you would be considered for if you make a good impression now — but there are a few situations where it makes more sense to just call it to a halt: * if an interviewer is being abusive or insulting * if you’re in the middle of a day-long series of interviews (and so it’s not a matter of just getting through the next 30 minutes, but of investing hours more of your time and theirs) * if it becomes clear that the job is absolutely not right for you for an easily explainable reason that you’re comfortable being straightforward about (for example, it turns out the job was advertised as mostly X but turns out to be mostly Y and you hate Y, or the hours are obviously not the right fit) In those situations, it’s fine to say something like: * “I really appreciate your time, but as we’re talking I’m realizing that this wouldn’t be the right match for me.” * “As we’re talking, I’m realizing that this job wouldn’t be right for me, and since I want to be respectful of your time I don’t think it makes sense for me to continue with the rest of the day’s meetings.” * “It sounds like this job is really focused on X. I’m actively trying to move away from X and focus on Y, so this doesn’t sound like it would be the right match. I don’t want to take up more of your time so why don’t we wrap up here and you can focus on other candidates.” Again, the bar should be fairly high for doing this, but in situations like the ones above it’s a reasonable choice. To your other questions: It would be fine to give feedback to the HR person afterwards! You could say that the questions gave you a very different idea of the role than she had (and be specific about the two questions you shared here because those are %$&*#!) and/or that the interviewers were dismissive to the point of rudeness. As for why they’d have that many people interview you: they’re terrible at hiring! That explains basically all of this. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I own and operate a small business. The workflow is typically manageable within a 40-hour work week. However, occasionally an important project comes in with an especially tight deadline and usually affects a different person each time. I have difficulty asking employees to go the extra mile for that day or two when needed. I’m not even sure what constitutes a fair request. What are the “rules” about this? I almost always decide that I will take on whatever extra work is necessary myself, rather than ask for any extra push from employees. My logic is that I will “save it up” for when something is really critical. Of course that day never comes. Taking on the additional work from employees in this way has become distracting from my primary job. Hiring an additional person is not an option because the extra work does not always pop up in the same operational area, and typically the work overflow requires deep knowledge of a particular project. (Also, all but one of my employees are salaried exempt.) Under these conditions, is it appropriate to ask for an occasional extra push? If so, how do I go about asking for that? I answer this question over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here. View the full article

Resource planning templates simplify the process of assigning and allocating resources throughout your project. They save you time and effort, help you make strategic resourcing decisions, and help deliver the project successfully—on time, on budget, and within scope. The post 4 Resource Planning Templates For Excel & Sheets appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

Want to retain employees? Here’s one way. By Beth Bellor Go PRO for members-only access to more Beth Bellor. View the full article

Want to retain employees? Here’s one way. By Beth Bellor Go PRO for members-only access to more Beth Bellor. View the full article

Yes, we included the answers ... just in case. By Ed Mendlowitz Tax Season Opportunity Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

Yes, we included the answers ... just in case. By Ed Mendlowitz Tax Season Opportunity Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: This letter has a lot of personal issues attached to it, but I swear this is job-related. My mother is trying to strong-arm me into letting my 13-year-old brother stay in my office with me after school since his school is close to where I work. I’ve had an exhausting feud with my mother because of her passive parenting of my brother. She simultaneously thinks I don’t do enough to control him, while any actual consequences I give him always get me a “why did you have to be so meeeeeean to him?” (My father passed away a few years ago, unfortunately.) Predictably, this has led to my brother being insufferable for anyone to be around and, bluntly, a professional liability. To briefly give you an idea of what my brother is like: * On a family trip to the zoo this last Christmas, my brother “innocently” pointed out the size of the zebra’s genitalia loud enough for anyone within ten feet to hear. * Made inappropriate remarks every time one of our toddler cousins used a phrase with the word “daddy.” * Remember those DJ Bouncin’ Beats toys where the toy makes a song and bounces to whatever someone records on it? Guess who followed the TikTok trend of making porn noises to it in the Walmart toy aisle? * And the reason why this discussion about me babysitting him at work came in the middle of the school year? Because he isn’t allowed in extracurriculars for the rest of the year because he’s been sexually harassing a female classmate. My response to my mother was ABSOLUTELY NOT, and I put my foot down by saying I couldn’t let my brother into the office even if I wanted to. Unfortunately, my mother has taken it a step further by calling my job without my knowledge. She only got to talk to the receptionist, but when my mom asked if single moms are allowed to bring their kids in, the receptionist confirmed that it was allowed. My mother then let me know how wrong I was about the policy at my own job. I haven’t brought any of this up to my manager because I wanted to solve it on my own first, and I didn’t think my family issues should be his problem. However, I’m starting to feel like I should bring it up to him to figure out what we can do to keep my brother out of the office (especially now that my mother already involved my job). Do you have any suggestions or scripts to navigate this professionally without any undue burden to my manager or coworkers? In terms of telling my manager about my family situation, do I just say that I do not trust my brother to curb his disruptive behavior in the office? I felt like my mother contacting my job herself was also a huge unprofessional breach, so how do I tell my manager that I had never asked her to call on my behalf? Or is there any way I can approach this without dragging my poor manager into it at all? Whoa, your mom really overstepped when she called your office! Remember this, though: your office isn’t going to make you bring your brother in just because your mom wants you to. You don’t need to figure out a solution with them. You only need to hold firm with your mom that it’s not happening. It was reasonable to tell your mom that you couldn’t bring your brother to work even if you wanted to; that would be the case in many — in fact, most — jobs. And for what it’s worth, even if your particular office allows parents to bring kids in, (a) this isn’t your kid, and (b) that generally means “on rare occasions during a child care emergency,” not “as a daily supervision plan.” But even if you worked in the rare office that would allow your brother to hang out there every day, your mom should have dropped it as soon as you said you couldn’t make it work. Wanting to be able to focus on your job without babysitting a challenging kid is a very, very reasonable stance; most people would feel that way. Pushing you to divide your attention every day would be unfair to you, to employer, and to your coworkers (and probably to your brother, too). And even if your office welcomed the daily presence of your brother (which, again, is highly unlikely even if he were well-behaved), it doesn’t matter because you get to decide you’re not doing it. You’re not doing it because he’ll distract you from work that requires your focus / he’ll distract other people from their work / he won’t behave appropriately / it would reflect poorly on your own professional judgment — take your pick. All of those are legitimate reasons. If your mom will only accept a no if you first persuade her that you have a “good enough” reason: that’s too bad for her. You don’t need her to sign off on your decision. You can just say, “No, I can’t do that” and hold firm. If you want to explain more, you can say, “I can’t do my own job and watch him.” You can say, “I’m not willing to jeopardize my job over this.” Sometimes when you’re dealing with boundary-crossing family members like your mom, it’s better not to give any reason at all because the person will just debate you, but you know best whether that’s the case with your mom. Either way, what ultimately matters is that your answer is no and you’re not going to change that. You don’t need her to be happy about your stance, or to convince her that her proposal is a bad one. You just need to convey that it will not happen and it’s not up for further debate. Her feelings about that are up to her and she will have to work through them, but you do not need to give in just because she’s unhappy. Maybe she’s going to be unhappy about it, and that’s okay. As for your boss, I don’t know that you need to say anything about it to him at all. But if addressing it would give you peace of mind, it’s fine to! You could say, “I want to give you a heads-up that my mother, who tends to cross boundaries, has been trying to convince me to let my brother stay at the office with me after school. I consider that an absolute no-go and told her that — and then unbeknownst to me, she called the office and asked Jane if it would be allowed. I’m handling this within my family — and my brother will not be coming here — but I wanted to loop you in in case she tries calling again. I’m sorry to involve you at all.” (You don’t need to get into your brother’s behavior at all; it’s understandable to refuse the request regardless, even if he were an angel who would mop the kitchen and deliver snacks to your coworkers.) View the full article

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This article is posted with permission from our partner MacPaw. MacPaw makes Mac + iOS apps that have been installed on over 30 million devices worldwide. Freelancers Union members receive 30 days of free unlimited access to CleanMyMacX and Setapp: https://freelancersunion.org/resources/perks/macpaw/ It’s often quite a challenge to have deep focus when you begin your career as a freelancer and must complete online freelance work, right? This is especially true when working from home — there are so many distractions that can result in poor-quality work. To succeed, you’re going to need strategies that’ll restore your deep focus. And this is easier with the best apps and tips. So, how to focus on work?’ (particularly freelance work from home). Let’s figure this out. 3 approaches to help you focus on freelance workEach way to boost your focus on freelance work has its own vibe, but they can really help you get things done. All of these methods come with some awesome apps to try. So, here are three cool approaches to help you zone in on your freelance projects. Working with timersSometimes, focus can require timeboxing or setting aside specific amounts of time for specific online freelance work. If you’re a huge fan of the Pomodoro technique, many studies state it helps individuals complete similar tasks in a shorter timeframe. So, this is the FIRST tip for focusing as a freelancer. Now, the Pomodoro technique is a time management strategy that requires breaking tasks down into 25-minute intervals. For instance, you might need to set aside 25 minutes for researching an article and 50 minutes for writing it. But this can be quite challenging if you’re not working with a precise timer — a technique that involves allocating time slots for each task, such as creating an outline, and then setting the timer. In fact, you might find yourself losing focus if you use an alternative strategy and keep checking the clock on your phone. That’s where Focused Work can make a difference. This app is a timer that allows you to allocate time for tasks. The app has a built-in Pomodoro tab ideal for time allocation for each task. It’ll count from 25 to zero for each 25-minute interval, after which you can take a break. 0:00 /0:33 1× Focusing on writingStaying organized can help when completing online freelance work. But there are, of course, times when, despite being organized, you simply can’t focus at work. It requires a specific mood of focus to ensure you can complete a task effectively. So, a couple of tips for this include staying focused by keeping notes and playing focus music for work. Thankfully, there are apps that offer both of these features. Focused, for instance, offers note-taking advantages and music to enhance your focus. This simplified note-taking app also offers formatting benefits, which you can use for creating a list of blog ideas divided into separate sections with headers. Adding a focused mood with audio surroundings Background sounds can really make a difference to your level of focus when completing freelance work. Now, each individual will likely have preferences for their focus music for work. That’s where the customizable GetSound app can be music to your ears. GetSound offers features for switching locations for soundscapes. It offers options from Bangkok, New York, Paris, and more, and even lets you access environmental layers like wind chimes and streams. 0:00 /0:31 1× Focus deeper on tasks with top strategies and appsIt’s with a great level of focus on online freelance work that you can stay productive and avoid distractions. It can make a real difference to your output, and the right strategies and apps can support you when you can’t focus at work. With my strategies and the apps covered, you’ve almost got all you need to complete tasks efficiently. All that’s left is to access, download, and use the apps, which you’ll find at Setapp. Setapp offers a seven-day free trial, too, so you can use these apps without paying for them during this timeframe and get an idea of how they work. When you can’t focus, don’t panic. Use great apps from Setapp and the tips mentioned to succeed as a freelancer. View the full article

This article is posted with permission from our partner MacPaw. MacPaw makes Mac + iOS apps that have been installed on over 30 million devices worldwide. Freelancers Union members receive 30 days of free unlimited access to CleanMyMacX and Setapp: https://freelancersunion.org/resources/perks/macpaw/ It’s often quite a challenge to have deep focus when you begin your career as a freelancer and must complete online freelance work, right? This is especially true when working from home — there are so many distractions that can result in poor-quality work. To succeed, you’re going to need strategies that’ll restore your deep focus. And this is easier with the best apps and tips. So, how to focus on work?’ (particularly freelance work from home). Let’s figure this out. 3 approaches to help you focus on freelance workEach way to boost your focus on freelance work has its own vibe, but they can really help you get things done. All of these methods come with some awesome apps to try. So, here are three cool approaches to help you zone in on your freelance projects. Working with timersSometimes, focus can require timeboxing or setting aside specific amounts of time for specific online freelance work. If you’re a huge fan of the Pomodoro technique, many studies state it helps individuals complete similar tasks in a shorter timeframe. So, this is the FIRST tip for focusing as a freelancer. Now, the Pomodoro technique is a time management strategy that requires breaking tasks down into 25-minute intervals. For instance, you might need to set aside 25 minutes for researching an article and 50 minutes for writing it. But this can be quite challenging if you’re not working with a precise timer — a technique that involves allocating time slots for each task, such as creating an outline, and then setting the timer. In fact, you might find yourself losing focus if you use an alternative strategy and keep checking the clock on your phone. That’s where Focused Work can make a difference. This app is a timer that allows you to allocate time for tasks. The app has a built-in Pomodoro tab ideal for time allocation for each task. It’ll count from 25 to zero for each 25-minute interval, after which you can take a break. 0:00 /0:33 1× Focusing on writingStaying organized can help when completing online freelance work. But there are, of course, times when, despite being organized, you simply can’t focus at work. It requires a specific mood of focus to ensure you can complete a task effectively. So, a couple of tips for this include staying focused by keeping notes and playing focus music for work. Thankfully, there are apps that offer both of these features. Focused, for instance, offers note-taking advantages and music to enhance your focus. This simplified note-taking app also offers formatting benefits, which you can use for creating a list of blog ideas divided into separate sections with headers. Adding a focused mood with audio surroundings Background sounds can really make a difference to your level of focus when completing freelance work. Now, each individual will likely have preferences for their focus music for work. That’s where the customizable GetSound app can be music to your ears. GetSound offers features for switching locations for soundscapes. It offers options from Bangkok, New York, Paris, and more, and even lets you access environmental layers like wind chimes and streams. 0:00 /0:31 1× Focus deeper on tasks with top strategies and appsIt’s with a great level of focus on online freelance work that you can stay productive and avoid distractions. It can make a real difference to your output, and the right strategies and apps can support you when you can’t focus at work. With my strategies and the apps covered, you’ve almost got all you need to complete tasks efficiently. All that’s left is to access, download, and use the apps, which you’ll find at Setapp. Setapp offers a seven-day free trial, too, so you can use these apps without paying for them during this timeframe and get an idea of how they work. When you can’t focus, don’t panic. Use great apps from Setapp and the tips mentioned to succeed as a freelancer. View the full article