Jessica's Friday Five

Hi Reader, Yesterday, I chaperoned some 5th graders on a trip to the zoo. They were as silly about red baboon bottoms as you'd expect and as thrilled about the half cup of Dippin' Dots you get for $8 as you'd expect. I tried to learn some new Gen Alpha lingo and felt pretty old when their explanations of the phrases didn't make sense to me at all. Let's get to your Friday Five - five tips for an easier and more joyful life. Holiday Cards Deal This Sunday: If you don't want to send holiday...

Hi Reader, Whew. Tough week for so many of us. If you've been around for a bit, you know that I cared a lot about how the elections in the US went this cycle. I know that these results impact not only us here in the States but people around the world, as I've been hearing from friends in other countries about how worried they are as well. A few things that have helped me this week are this piece about situating this election in a larger story from a Howard University Professor shared by my...

Hi Reader, Happy Candy-For-Breakfast Day to all who celebrate. Maybe add in a little protein too, but no shame if you need a little Reese's cup to get your day going. I get you. Thanks for voting last week on which charity to donate to - on behalf of all of us, I donated $650 to Mountain Strong Hurricane Recovery Fund this week. Let's get to your Friday Five, shall we? Heated Vest: My friend Mariah introduced me to the magic of a heated vest a few years ago and I'm never going back for fall...

Hi Reader, Distraction and anxiety are going to be an an unusually high rate the next couple of weeks if you're a manager based in the US with a high-stakes election happening next week. Take care of yourselves and your team. My leadership-during-elections advice from last month can be viewed here if helpful. Let's get to your Monthly Management Memo - as always with something bold, something new, something borrowed, and something to pursue. Something Bold - Put Disaster Policies in Your...

Hi Reader, If you're in America like me, are you anxious about election results? I certainly am. It feels like the next 10 days are going to be the longest year ever (and there's a good chance we won't know all the outcomes we care about for days or weeks after that). Hang in there! I decided, with dropping temperatures and election anxiety, that it was time to get out my weighted blanket again (I have this one, my kids have this one, and this one was just added to my wishlist after my friend...

Hi Reader, This week, I spent some time "polishing up" some of my personal and work systems to finish the year strong. If you're feeling like inputs are coming at you from a whole bunch of directions, that's probably because it's true. We live in a busy environment! The top two tips in today's Friday Five are for you if you feel like this, too. When you're feeling scattered: The best thing you can do when you're feeling like there's too much to do and it's coming from all directions is to get...

Hi Reader, This week, I got the chance to facilitate 5 different experiences for many incredible leaders across the globe, from education leaders in America to nonprofit leaders in Europe, and the final session of the current cohort of Joyfully Managed Worklife. I, like many of you, have a worried eye on the hurricane-related devastation happening in Florida (which is where I was born), and I'm sending so much love to everyone who is dealing with this tragedy and losing loved ones and beloved...

Hi Reader, Lately I've been thinking about how I want to invest more time into hobbies - things that I can do just for me. I've even purchased a few things to try to make this happen (like a home pottery kit), but I never actually make time to do the thing. My local Parks & Rec Department put out their winter activities guide this week. There's a painting class there that happens on a weekday morning. Instead of being annoyed that it's not offered at night, I decided - what if I signed up...

Hi Reader, Hurricanes, floods, high-stakes elections, and more. Leadership is rarely easy, and it seems like there's tremendous pressure right now on those who are leaders at work. I'm hoping today's issue provides resources to support you. If you're new here, I'm Jess, and this free monthly newsletter is intended to provide you all (a community of just over 5,000 managers at work) with practical resources to inspire more joy, ease, and effectiveness in your leadership. Let's get to your...