Workflow
‘Working parenthood is a terrible deal right now’
Here, Venessa Wong puts into words the feeling most working parents know too well: constant failure, despite trying and trying again to juggle parenting, work, school, and mental health at home. We particularly like this passage: “I recently read the Cat in the Hat to my son and found myself on the verge of maniacal laughter when the delusional cat tries to balance the cup, the milk, the cake, some books, a fish on a rake, a toy ship, and a little toy man, and also fan with the fan, as he hopped on the ball.” BuzzFeed
‘It’s time to get rid of employee surveys’
Anyone who’s worked in a corporate environment knows the dreaded ping of an internal employee survey—and the often fruitless efforts made to get employees to respond to them. You might even know that the feedback employers receive is, more often than not, ignored. This Wall Street Journal article seeks alternatives for gauging culture: reviewing exit interviews, shorter surveys, and looking at language used in Slack messages and Glassdoor reviews. We, um, think you, um, might want to check out this great tool for women called...InHerSight. The Wall Street Journal
‘‘Success addicts’ choose being special over being happy’
Is there a headline that more accurately describes being an American worker? In this article, Atlantic columnist Arthur Brooks talks about our country’s cult of overwork, hinging his piece on this relatable anecdote: "As I once found myself confessing to a close friend, 'I would prefer to be special than happy.' He asked why. 'Anyone can do the things it takes to be happy—going on vacation with family, relaxing with friends … but not everyone can accomplish great things.'" The Atlantic
Women to know
‘Meet Candace Valenzuela, who could become the first Afro-Latina in Congress’
Texas Democrat Candace Valenzuela is one of two candidates who could be the first Afro-Latinx in Congress, the other being Ritchie Torres in New York. But Valenzuela herself represents the intersection of so many identities that have long gone under- or unrepresented: Black, Latina, women, and mothers. If elected, she would also be the first person in Congress to have ever experienced homelessness. Of her Afro-Latina heritage, she says this: “Many of us who live at this intersection have no real way to communicate that we’re all bound to each other. Our fortunes, our futures come together. That’s one of the unique perspectives I’m bringing with me.” Fortune
Doesn’t ‘ocean spear therapy’ sound catchy?
‘Take a spear into the sea, and washing anxiety away’
Perhaps the pandemic, killer hornets, or any of the articles above have pushed you into anxiety overdrive. Never fear. All you have to do is pick up a spear and journey deep, deep into the ocean, where champion spearfisher Kimi Werner says the ocean will “hug” you and you’ll find instant peace from the sun shining through the water above. Or just read this article and listen to some Enya. NY Times
Plus: one of our own!
‘Where coders code’
We don't get to plug our tech team enough. Check out our own front-end developer Maude Mensah Simpson, featured here in Red Hat's podcast Command Line Heroes. Maude discusses the difficulties of working remotely versus collaboratively in the office. Sometimes those side conversations—the ones we miss out on when we're all at home—are what keep processes running smoothly. Command Line Heroes
