The OffBeat #64: Half Note / Whole Note
Something to read, something to think about, something else
Something to read:
The benefits of keeping a work journal (shout out to
)The magic of the “recently returned” shelf at the public library
The best thing ever written about “work-life balance”
The secret to deeper friendships
Where did all the book readers go?
A new study combed through a mountain of research to determine the most effective leadership style
Something to think about:
“To be mature you have to realize what you value most. It is extraordinary to discover that comparatively few people reach this level of maturity. They seem never to have paused to consider what has value for them. They spend great effort and sometimes make great sacrifices for values that, fundamentally, meet no real needs of their own. Perhaps they have imbibed the values of their particular profession or job, of their community or their neighbors, of their parents or family. Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one’s own values is a tragic waste. You have missed the whole point of what life is for.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Something else:
I’ve had a very up-and-down relationship with social media over the last few years, but ultimately can never truly quit / escape due to my career as a marketer. I feel obligated to stay up on the latest functionality on the major platforms and keep a pulse on what’s relevant in culture; newsletters and podcasts can only get me so far.
So because of my reluctant presence, I hold my social feeds to the highest possible standards. I’m quick to mute or unfollow, and I dip in and out quickly—every few days I’ll pop on, do a quick scroll, and try to close out within ten minutes. While I’m there, I want to see only funny, beautiful, inspiring, informative stuff.
In that spirit, here’s a non-exhaustive, non-exhausting, offbeat grab bag of good-vibes-only accounts I follow. These give me none of the junky, algorithm-soaked ick of modern-day social:
@simoncholland: dad humor, but actually funny
@newyorkercartoons: cartoons and caption contests
@iamthirtyaf: “Millennial heaven”
@chartrdaily: visual data stories
@the_marketing_millennials: relatable marketing humor
@persicophoto: Philly food & beverage photographer
@reallittlemeals: toddler meal ideas
@adamgrant: organizational psychology
@barbara.kingsolver: life wisdom from one of my favorite writers
TikTok
@streetartbydavidzinn: street doodler
@csapunch: hilarious Xennial mom
@philadelphiaeagles: self-explanatory
@corporatenatalie: the O.G. corporate creator
@allisonbornstein6: wardrobe stylist
@jesusnalgas: king of the POV
The OffBeat #50: 50 Playlists for Work and Life
I can’t stop thinking about Kyle Chayka’s Filterworld, specifically how algorithms have flattened culture by influencing what we consume and what gets produced.
For double the reading recommendations, a.k.a. a Whole Note, including a piece on why women are so vulnerable to shame, and how the return-to-office wars (ugh) have diminished workplace wellbeing, keep reading.