It’s More Than Pretty. It’s Smart.

Everyone who knows me knows I love beautiful things. Ugly objects, no matter how utilitarian they are, hurt my eyes and shrink my creativity. It’s one of the reasons I love working from home: I’m surrounded by things I’ve chosen for their meaning, their esthetic, or their ability to soothe or inspire me. Michelle Slatalla, … Continue reading It’s More Than Pretty. It’s Smart.

Leveraging AI Could Save Workers 8 Hours a Week. You, too.

A recent report, Bridging the Generational AI Gap: Unlocking Productivity for All Generations,  surveyed nearly 3,000 workers and 240 executives globally, reveals that professionals using AI save an average of 7.5 hours per week – worth around $18,000 per employee per yearin productivity gains or the equivalent of one workday. Wow. Why aren’t we all leveraging AI in our … Continue reading Leveraging AI Could Save Workers 8 Hours a Week. You, too.

The Case for Ambition

Jeff DeGraff Ph.D., writing for Psychology Today, says that somewhere along the way, ambition turned from a virtue to a vice. “Once a cornerstone of the American ethos—synonymous with self-reliance, upward mobility, and personal agency—ambition is now more often associated with selfishness, power-hunger, or hollow striving. We’re suspicious of those who want too much, push … Continue reading The Case for Ambition

On becoming a Former Wunderkind

I have a birthday this week and knowing that I’ve completed another trip around the sun always makes me… conflicted. On the one hand, growing old is a privilege; I understand that and believe it with all my heart. Plus, you get cake on your birthday. But as you reach your 60s, your perspective on … Continue reading On becoming a Former Wunderkind

A Love Letter to Your Job

As with many relationships, yours with your job may be complicated. But I believe that a healthy relationship with work (and hopefully, your job), can make your life richer and more fulfilling. It’s about the contribution you’re making, of course, which I hope also challenges and engages you. If it doesn’t, you have my permission … Continue reading A Love Letter to Your Job

The Messy Perfectionist

I’d bet that you’d never think to pair the words “messy” and perfectionist” in the same sentence. But perfectionism comes in all shapes and sizes. That’s according to Katherine Morgan Schafler, who has written The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power. In it, she frees up perfectionists to lean into … Continue reading The Messy Perfectionist

Colleges Embracing (and Teaching about) The Gig Economy

It makes sense that a music school would be among the first to take the gig economy seriously enough to teach a course on how to do it well. After all, the word “gig” was applied to music and artistic jobs long before it was applied to general work. Writing for Fast Company, reporter Shalene … Continue reading Colleges Embracing (and Teaching about) The Gig Economy

The View Matters

I’ve worked in both a cramped cubicle and a spacious corner office with a view. There’s no doubt that my view of the treetops (3rd floor) and blue skies while sunshine poured in made me happier and my work easier. Whoever dreamed that workers would choose to return to the office to go back into … Continue reading The View Matters

The Procrastinating Perfectionist

In this post and this post, I wrote about Katherine Morgan Schafler, who has authored a book that’s changing my life.  In The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power, she frees up perfectionists to lean into their perfectionism as long as it’s doing no harm (more on that in future … Continue reading The Procrastinating Perfectionist

Leadership Thinking

When you ask someone what makes a good leader, plenty of qualities come to mind. Confidence, authority, gravitas, fairness, and empathy are a few I’ve heard recently. But even more important than how a leader presents themselves is how they think. Writing for The Big Think.com, Donna Wiggs cites psychologist and science journalist Adam Grant, author … Continue reading Leadership Thinking