How to Convince Yourself to Do Hard Things

Summary.   

When we’re tired or stressed, our brains want to save mental energy and help us make decisions quickly. We’re wired to move toward things that make us feel good and away from things that make us feel uncomfortable. Our brains tag effort as bad, because it’s hard work, and we’re more likely to “go with our gut” instead of carefully considering all the available information. So how do we do hard things when our brains are constantly telling us to avoid effort? The author offers three tips.

Ask anyone how they’re feeling these days and chances are they’ll reply with some version of “exhausted.” We’re tired of operating amid uncertainty. We’re tired of balancing childcare with work. We’re tired of staffing shortages and supply chain problems.

When we feel like this, our brains want to save mental energy by directing our focus to the most readily available, recallable information to help us make decisions quickly. We often do this by going with our gut and making our best guess.

Complete Article at HBR

Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein Applied the Concept of 'No Time' to Boost Their Creativity. What Does It Entail?

According to neuroscience, taking a break from our busy schedules and devoting some time to doing absolutely nothing is key to fostering creativity.

An essential element to achieving success is implementing a proper routine on a daily basis, as science and history point out.

The magazine also points out that many successful people have dedicated a large part of their lives to "no time." 

Steven Kotler, author of the book "The Art of the Impossible" and a TED speaker, pointed out that "no time" has to do with a quiet moment in which a person can isolate himself, herself or themselves from the noise and demands of the world.

It's no wonder that the internet is full of articles related to the morning routines of important and famous figures, giving suggestions on how to add positive activities to your day-to-day life.

In order to have a beneficial and satisfying life, it is advisable to take into account  gratitude practices, nature walks and connection with oneself, since they are backed by research that confirms that all these activities are good for people. Likewise, science indicates that "no time" is much needed in such a routine, because if you spend most of your day with all of these existing habits, it is unlikely you will have time for yourself.

Complete Article at Entrepreneur India

5 Skills Public Health Officials Need to Combat the Next Pandemic

Summary.   

The pandemic has highlighted the huge challenges that public health agencies face in combating such major, fast-moving threats. In this article, the people who led New York City’s response to the pandemic, highlight five leadership skills that public health managers require and recommend training programs to ensure that they have them.

In the United States, federal and state initiatives to revitalize public health agencies have focused primarily on hiring and training frontline personnel, such as community health workers, epidemiologists, and microbiologists. The Covid-19 pandemic also exposed a need to improve leadership skills of executives of public health agencies.

During the pandemic, there was a massive turnover of public health agency leadership, with many state and local public health officials being fired or resigning due to public abuse, disputes with elected officials, exhaustion, or public controversies. A New York Times investigation published in mid-October found that “more than 500 top health officials …left their jobs” during the pandemic in what has been called “the largest exodus of public health leaders in American history.”

While many people have the technical qualifications to fill these newly vacant positions, they also require key leadership skills. Many programs provide leadership training and coaching for business and government, but few address the unique cognitive and management skills that are needed to lead public health agencies, particularly during infectious disease epidemics. Based on our experience leading the Covid-19 response in New York City, we believe that public health leaders require five essential skills to effectively manage the next pandemic.

Skill #1: Translate Science

Public health leaders are expected to not just be managers and spokespersons for their organizations but also subject matter experts for complex issues that cross multiple disciplines, including epidemiology, microbiology, and medicine. They must be able to rapidly assess new scientific information and synthesize the key points for different audiences, including policymakers, health care professionals, and the public.

Complete Article at HBR

Microsoft India to hire from local talent pool for new India Development Center

 

Microsoft is going to increase its footprint across India, through the launch of its India Development Center (IDC) in Delhi NCR. For the IDC, the company aims to hire talent from the local pool from engineering and management institutions.

Though the company has an IDC at the NCR but citing the prospect of the market at NCR, Microsoft is further expanding its facility in the region by opening one more site at Noida to better meet the needs of the customers and create a direct and indirect economic impact in the region.

The development centre expands over an area of  150,000 square feet and is built to drive digital innovation through expanded teams in Cloud & AI, Experiences and Devices Group, Microsoft Digital Teams, and the new Gaming division have a growing presence in India.

Complete Article at People matters