Jessica's Friday Five

Hi Reader, I'm writing this issue quite a while before it's landing in your inbox, as I've been out of the office this week, spending time with extended family while my children are out of school for fall break. Hopefully I've been successful in staying unplugged by deleting my email and other work-related apps so that I can get some real mental rest and come back rejuvenated. Let's get to the Friday Five! Simplify with a Single Sock Type: If you love having tons of different types of fun...

Hi Reader, In this month’s issue, consider taking just one idea that might be helpful in your leadership and finding a tiny action you can take to move it forward (send a note to a colleague, add something to a team meeting agenda, etc.). If there are more ideas you want to come back to, hit the Snooze button in Gmail or Outlook and let this email come back to the top of your inbox in a month or so, and consider the next thing. Let’s get to your Monthly Management Memo - as always with...

Hi Reader, Earlier this week, I was woken in the middle of the night by my earthquake early-warning app. If you're in California, Oregon, or Washington, MyShake is a helpful app that gives you a few seconds of notice before shaking begins, allowing you to take protective action for earthquakes of 4.5+ in magnitude (or, perhaps, maybe it just gets your adrenaline flowing sooner to help you react more quickly). Luckily, this one didn't cause much damage, but it was quite the jolt for my friends...

Hi Reader, I know we might have been saying this for the last 5 years, but the world is a stressful place these days. But also, people are doing good things every single day in every single community to make things better for each other. I mean, check this out (and be sure to stay until past the 30-second mark). And this. And this. What's the next small, good thing you could do? The opposite of hopelessness isn't hope - it's the choice to take action. Action creates hope. Which means hope is...

Hi Reader, Thank you for voting last week on which charity we should donate to as a community (more information on how these donations are generated can be found here). The $600 was split proportionally according to the votes across the three charities, with the majority given to the National Parks Foundation. We'll vote again in a few months with whatever amount we've collected by then. Let's get to your Friday Five with 5 tips for living a more joyful and easy life: Halloween Good Deed: I...

Hi Reader, I just spent five days at a women's camp where phones lived in a "phone spa" (drawer), and I deleted all social media and email apps for the week. Checking my phone just once or twice daily to call home and check texts from friends felt so refreshing. Now I'm back in smartphone land, already craving another escape. Every time I try tech boundaries, it creates such clear joy and ease. Do you have any "tech sabbatical" practices? I'm considering what a regular rhythm might look like....

Hi Reader, This issue of Friday Five was written many days ago before I headed to a camp near a lake in the woods in Michigan where I'm facilitating a little as a counselor and hopefully getting in some fun and rest and reflection time as well. When I come back, I'd love to have replies from you all - do you have any sort of life hacks or tips that really help you that would make a good tip for the Friday Five community? Let me know! I love hearing from you. Spend more time with your friends:...

Hi Reader, This month I've pulled together tools for you to support building a feedback culture, bring a little surprise joy into your team, facilitate a meeting towards success even if you're not the one leading the meeting, and show up for your team in the midst of this busy season of year. Let’s get to your Monthly Management Memo - as always with something bold, something new, something borrowed, and something to pursue. 🔥Something Bold - Feedback CultureA while back, I was helping a...

Hi Reader, The world continues to be a tough place to navigate as of late. If you need a little joy, here's your reminder that I share my favorite memes of the week on Insta and Facebook every Friday morning. Let's get to your Friday Five, shall we? 5 tips to make your life a little easier or more joyful. To help you declutter, ask this question: I've been on a bit of a decluttering spree the last few months, picking at least one small project per weekend to spend 10-15 minutes organizing and...