📜 QUICK READS
Byte-sized news

Reimagining "the prime of life". The new golden age of happiness and confidence: 60. A new study shatters the myths about ageing and concludes that most people reach their peak happiness and confidence at 60. Instead of the fears of ageing, the research shows that it comes with unexpected rewards: a clearer mind, a stable life and a genuine appreciation of the present moment. These findings contradict the common perception that youth is the prime age of life, and show that retirement can bring the highest levels of personal satisfaction.
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The world's 30 unhappiest countries. Hollywood has given us the impression that the pursuit of happiness is a global one, but hundreds of millions of people face other harsh realities. Poverty is the main cause of unhappiness. Poverty leads to political instability, which is another major contributor to unhappiness by fostering an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and hopelessness. The international poverty line is $2.15/day/person. It is the threshold that determines whether a person is living in poverty. Romania is far behind these countries, although, according to the INS, 4.02 million Romanians live in poverty (but the figure is estimated on the basis of other indicators).
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The importance of breaks. A 58-second story by Simon Sinek.
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Re-organise your to-do list using the ABCDE method. Ranking tasks according to their importance and urgency can change the way you approach everyday challenges. Experts say we find it easier to prioritise our tasks if we keep these things in mind: 'A' tasks are the most important, with significant consequences if neglected, while 'B' tasks are important but not necessarily urgent. "C ' tasks are useful but have no consequences if neglected, 'D ' tasks can be delegated to others, and 'E' tasks are those that can be eliminated from your schedule altogether. The method, taken from the book "Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time" by Brian Tracy, provides a realistic structure for planning and executing your tasks in an efficient, pragmatic and stress-reducing way.
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Changes at the top of the world's major economic powers: Japan and the UK have slipped into recession. Japan, surprised by a 0.4% GDP contraction in the final quarter of 2023, loses the title of third largest economy to Germany. The UK, on the other hand, shrinks by 0.3% in the last three months of 2023 - its weakest annual performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, excluding the impact of the pandemic.
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Pandemic school closures could delay global growth by up to 40 years, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Estimates show that a drop in performance during the pandemic, due to online learning and economic disadvantage, could have a negative impact on global productivity, knowledge diffusion and innovation for the next 30-40 years. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds have struggled with online learning due to a lack of resources such as access to the internet, computers, study space and support from teachers and peers. In some countries, prolonged school closures affected not only academic performance but also pupils' mental health, according to the report.
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Generation X - the first generation of workers to retire with less money than their parents and grandparents. According to a Schroders survey, 61% of working Gen X Americans are not confident they will have a comfortable retirement. With the average savings requirement for a comfortable retirement estimated at around $1.1 million, Gen X Americans expect to retire with an average savings of only around $660,000 - a gap of around $450,000. They will be the first to experience the major shift from traditional to defined contribution retirement plans. With the responsibility for saving shifting from employers to employees and the pressure of their own financial security weighing heavily on their shoulders, Gen Xers will need to plan and save more seriously for the future.
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Unproductive Fridays are costing the US economy up to $1.9 trillion. Researchers at Texas A&M University studied the impact of Friday and found reduced productivity regardless of where employees work, whether in the office or at home. Researchers at Texas A&M University looked at the effect of Friday and found that productivity drops regardless of where people work - and whether employees are in the office or working from home. What's more, this has become a costly challenge for the US economy, costing nearly $2 trillion. To counter this trend, companies such as Oyster have introduced the concept of 'Meetingless Fridays', giving employees more time to get work done without distractions.
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Feeling uncertain in today's job market? Whether you're facing layoffs or recovering from job loss, we have your back. Our new article featured on Medium provides actionable steps to manage negative thoughts, prepare for potential layoffs, and cope with unemployment. From updating your resume to exploring personal development, we've got you covered. Plus, we discuss emerging trends like Layoff Diaries on TikTok and share insights on maintaining professionalism online. Whether you seek solidarity or practical guidance, this article has it all - dive in and empower yourself today.

💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Dementia can be predicted 10 years before it's diagnosed.

British scientists have identified dementia-specific proteins and are on the way to a blood test that can predict the disease 10 years before symptoms appear, a major step towards finding a cure.

Researchers from the University of Warwick and Fudan University trained machine learning models to analyse blood samples taken between 2006 and 2010 from 52,645 volunteers enrolled in the UK Biobank project. Of these, 1,417 went on to develop Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or dementia from any cause.

They identified 1,463 proteins associated with dementia, which the researchers ranked according to the likelihood that each of them indicated the onset of the disease. People with higher blood levels of the proteins GFAP, NEFL, GDF15 and LTBP2 were significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or dementia from any cause. People with high levels of GFAP had a 2.32-fold increased risk of developing dementia.

The study, published in the journal Nature Aging, is seen as an important step in the prevention of dementia. In the United States, an estimated 10% of adults over the age of 65 have dementia. What's more, treating the disease is a burden for both patients and their families.

😠 BUZZKILL IN CHIEF
"Indispensable" in the pandemic, today 80% of employees feel far from a priority.

As organisations scramble to meet employees' demands for remote working, flexibility and professional development, one critical group of employees is being left out of the conversation entirely: the 80% of employees who spend their working day somewhere other than behind a desk.

From plumbers to pilots, firefighters to production line workers, they have been hailed as "essential workers" during the pandemic. People on the front line, whose work continues despite the risks, providing continuity in hard-to-reach areas. But a new study by the O.C. Tanner Institute reveals that they are now feeling dangerously demoralised - and the gulf between them and 'office workers' is widening as employers' efforts are disproportionately felt.

Experts say it is vital that organisations act to remedy this situation and make their employees feel seen, heard and valued. This will lead to a significant increase in their engagement and job satisfaction, which, you know, we need even when there is no imminent danger.

🧠 MIND HACK
The vampire tasks — what are they, and how do we shake them off?

Those little tasks on our to-do list can be real energy vampires, sucking the life out of us and wrecking our work mojo, experts say. Cecily Motley, co-founder of Harriet, an AI assistant, points out that these repetitive tasks — like scheduling meetings and tackling emails - gobble up precious time that could be better spent on focused work or high-impact projects. To tackle this issue and boost our productivity, she suggests three down-to-earth tactics:

• Realistic time blocking: Carving out chunks of time in our calendar for specific tasks, including admin sessions, can create uninterrupted stretches for important projects. It's crucial to be honest about how long each task will take and to clearly communicate our schedule to colleagues and bosses. This will help ward off that feeling of “not doing enough” by the end of the day.

• Turning off notifications: Those pesky pop-ups can easily derail our focus and make us treat minor tasks like major emergencies. A simple fix? Turn them off and tackle messages in dedicated time slots when we're mentally prepared for it.

• Setting firm boundaries: Saying no to unnecessary tasks not only prevents burnout but also earns respect in the workplace. It's all about being polite yet assertive, and exploring tools that can lighten the load of admin work and task juggling.

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The newsletter is written by the Hacking Work team: Cristina, Ioana,  Izabella,  Andreea, Ionuț, Loredana, Tibi, Iulia, Alexia and Doru.

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