Jessica's Friday Five

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...

Hi Reader, How in the world are there only 96 days left of 2024?! Goodness. And just 5 more issues of Friday Five before we will reach the US presidential election. Time feels like it's flying over here! This week, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the official Facilitator Training for the Fair Play Method, which is all about creating a more intentional and equitable division of labor in our homes. I can't wait to begin creating opportunities to share these approaches with...

Hi Reader, I've had a chance to connect with so many of you this week - the Joyfully Managed Worklife cohort continues to rock along and we got to see some alumni of the program in a bonus session this week, the best practices of excellent managers session was a joy despite tech challenges that tried to derail us (we persevered!), and all of that reminded me how critical connection is. As an introvert, I can sometimes forget how important it is to be in a community with others. But rarely do...

Hi Reader, This week, we got some special film installed on the windows in our house that get the most sun during the day, and wow, it has made a huge difference in keeping those rooms cooler. I wish I'd done this many months ago. The local company calls it "glass tinting," and as our climate warms, it might be worth checking out if you are also in a place where there are super hot days in the future. Let's get to your Friday Five! Best to-do list app: I really trust Wirecutter's...

Hi Reader, This week started with an incredible group of leaders joining the newest cohort of Joyfully Managed Worklife. The next cohort will either start in November or January - put yourself on the waitlist here if you're interested. I also launched a new free resource about appreciation at work and am playing with some ways of potentially starting a podcast for all of you. If I could get the weather to cool down a few dozen degrees so I can start wearing sweaters, things would be really...

Hi Reader, I'm feeling hopeful these days. Maybe it's because my new shirt arrived, or because I just got connected with an organizer doing fantastic work in NC that I'll be coaching pro-bono this fall through Blue Wave Coaching, or the trip to Spirit Halloween I took with my 8-year-old that reminded me that the fall season will eventually actually arrive someday. I hope you are having some hopeful moments in your life, too. Let's get to your Friday Five! Saving Recipes from Social Media: I...

Hi Reader, I'm excited to share this week's Friday Five with you! In the last handful of days, I've chatted via phone and Zoom with some of you for the first time (folks considering joining Joyfully Managed Worklife), and it's been so great connecting with you! I told Keisha yesterday (hi Keisha!) that writing these emails feels like sharing my favorite things in a big group text and getting to know folks as individuals is a joy. Let's get to your five tips/resources this week! Chicken Orzo:...

Hi Reader, To write this week's issue of Friday Five, I had to sort through over 35 ideas of tips I wanted to share with you (and that's just the ones I had tagged for today in my list of over 300 Friday Five tip ideas!). Goodness gracious. I might create some little email series with tips for specific audiences that folks can opt into if they want (like you'd get 30 days of one tip per day for those who are managers at work, or 30 days of tips for parents, or 30 days of tips for business...