The Secret Weapon to Happiness. Happiness is tied to expectations—whether things exceed or fall short. Adjusting expectations, as suggested by Buddhism, can boost joy, without the need for constant striving or societal pressures.
Why It’s So Hard to Apologize. Non-apologizers find it challenging to set aside pride and concede imperfections, often as an effort to protect a fragile self-image. Apologies don’t have to prove a point.
The Two Best Employee Engagement Questions. How actively do you engage in enhancing your responsibilities, and does your workplace actively seek your input for improvements? To what extent do the processes you work with support your success in your role?
Listening Is Not Just Waiting to Talk. When we pretend to listen while internally rehearsing our response—crafting a counterargument,—we fail to genuinely grasp the speaker’s message, overlooking its nuances and subtleties.
A Daily Appointment with Your Worries. Schedule specific 15- to 30-minute “Worry Time” slots on your calendar to limit and make your worries more productive, encouraging active problem-solving and preventing constant rumination throughout the day.
The Shoichi Yokoi Fallacy. Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi hid in Guam for 28 years, clinging to his identity and principles, but ultimately sacrificed his life as unwavering adherence to ideals turned into a vice.
Why Your Partner May Be Lying. People may lie to partners when they feel unsafe telling the truth, fearing rejection or disapproval. The focus is often on short-term benefits, and if they believe they won’t get caught, they find it expedient to sidestep the truth.
Three Rules to Decide If You Should Automate a Task. Selecting processes for automation is challenging, but a thorough workflow analysis reveals the ideal path for automation. The process should be efficient, requiring minimal human interaction.
Much Said, Little Decided in Most Meetings. Gathering well-paid professionals for unproductive, costly interactions is unchecked. For better decisions, plan purposeful meetings that prioritize decision-making over information-sharing.
Under Pressure, the Narrowing Cognitive Map. Time pressure can lead to “narrowing of the cognitive map,” causing tunnel vision and errors in judgment. The case of Singapore Airlines Flight 6 exemplifies how this hinders decision-making.
And here are some articles of yesteryear that continue to be popular:
- Lessons on adversity from Charlie Munger
- If you’re looking for bad luck, you’ll soon find it
- Don’t let small decisions destroy your productivity
- Expressive writing can help you heal
- To be more productive, try doing less.
- Get good at things by being bad first.
- The power of negative thinking
- Accidents can happen when you least expect
- How smart companies get smarter
- Don’t be a prisoner of the hurt done to you.
- The Fermi Rule & Guesstimation
We wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2024!