Business As Usual And Slowing Down
This week we’re talking about the joyful moments in the documentary Summer of Soul, which tells the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Questlove, of the Roots and music director for the Tonight Show, directed the buzzy film. Listen to how the past year and making the film changed him. Even he’s surprised.
And, did the work from home experiment accelerate white-collar workers taking control of their calendars again? Will it stick?
Then, we hear a lot about “Imposter Sydrome” —you know, feeling like a fraud despite accomplishments. Nancy Branka found there are some ways to turn that all around.
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Questlove on Slowing Down and Reviving The “Summer of Soul.”
The Tonight Show Music Director Questlove has ventured into a new arena: He’s made his directorial debut with the documentary Summer of Soul, which tells the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a series of six free concerts held in what is now Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park.
In this episode of Fresh Air he tells Terry Gross “The last year has really been a big lesson for me in terms of self-love,” Questlove says. “I was world famous for being a machine. … I thought chaos was the only way that I could exist. But now I embrace quiet, and I can hear myself think.”
The Case for Scheduling Everything
Workers want to have more control over their precious hours and avoid burnout. What if the secret is a calendar full of meetings as well as “me” time?
Taylor Trudon in the New York Times [paywall] covers the acceleration of a trend for more control over our work schedules and fitting in personal appointments (and naps).
In the absence of commutes and face-to-face conferences, some white-collar workers began defining their own hours, sneaking in grocery runs, medical appointments and naps between job tasks.
Ashley Whillans, a Harvard Business School professor and the author of “Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life,” thinks we could be at a turning point.
“Now is the perfect time to set new rules, new routines, and new ways of working because we’re in this phase of habit disruption,” Dr. Whillans said. “We completely changed our working model for the last year, and we would be doing a disservice to ourselves if we just immediately went back to the way things were before.”
Imposter Syndrome: Even the Best in Tech Suffer From It
Nancy Branka on Startup Decoder has a look at this common trait. She writes, “We’ve all been there. Feeling like a fraud despite accomplishments. Hoping no one will discover our actual lack of qualification. Believing what we’ve achieved was due to luck, not skill or effort. Imposter syndrome.”
Sound familiar? Good news, she sourced some experts who have found ways to turn the syndrome into a positive.
Toolbox
Our favorite tools and resources for expanding your network, staying in the know, learning new skills, and making your next move.
- Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life. Author and Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans will give you proven strategies for improving your “time affluence.”
- How To Be An Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace. Now available for preorder, written by Change Catalyst CEO Melinda Briana Epler.
- Making Stuff: From creativity coach Thomas Deneuville, this twice monthly newsletter has just enough inspiration to keep moving forward on your masterpieces.
