Latest news with #colleagues
Globe and Mail
12 hours ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Your daily horoscope: June 20, 2025
You will achieve much more over the coming year if you resist the urge to be imperious and take a more democratic approach to decision-making both at home and at work. You know a lot but you cannot possibly know everything, so listen to advice. Set your own goals today and don't let anyone talk you into lowering them to a level that is too easy for you. As an Aries you like to be challenged because it allows you to show what you can do – and prove you are better than your rivals. A new cycle is about to begin and the good news is it will be one in which you get the chance to expand your outlook on life and reach for objectives you previously believed were beyond you. Set your sights high, then keep going higher. The stresses and strains of everyday living have taken their toll in recent weeks, so promise yourself that you won't do anything too challenging today and over the weekend. Even a livewire Gemini needs to slow things down once in a while. You found it hard to get your own way in recent weeks but as the sun is about to move into your sign opposition to your plans will fade and friends and colleagues will actually be supportive for a change. You have much to look forward to. You may think you have to work harder than ever to earn the respect of partners and colleagues but that isn't true at all. Most of them already think you are wonderful, so sit back and enjoy the well-deserved adulation. The sun's change of signs tomorrow means you will find it remarkably easy to win others round to your way of thinking and acting. With Jupiter and Mars on your side as well you are going to be doing great things over the next few weeks. When dealing with official matters of any kind today you must check the small print carefully, because if you miss something important others won't be inclined to give you a second bite at the cherry. Aim to get it right the first time. A wonderful new phase is about to begin, so strap yourself in and get ready for the ride of your life! With the sun, Mars and Jupiter all on your side there really is no limit to what you can accomplish. Love is in the air as well. By all means aim high today and over the weekend but don't set yourself the kind of targets that even a Sagittarius might struggle to reach. If you fail to remind yourself that you are human now an unexpected event will remind you later on. With so much cosmic activity taking place in the opposite half of your chart you have to accept that in most situations you won't be calling the shots. The good news is you don't have to as those making the decisions are very much on your side. If you find yourself at odds with someone you live or work with today don't turn it into a battle of wills or the sort of winner-takes-all situation that inevitably leaves one side feeling unhappy. Focus on areas where you still mainly agree. With the sun about to move into the most dynamic and creative area of your chart all your senses will be on alert and all your dreams will start to come true. Once you realize you can do no wrong you will want to do everything. Discover more about yourself at
The Guardian
a day ago
- General
- The Guardian
You be the judge: should my colleague stop bringing cakes into the office?
I'm not saying we should have no cakes ever, I just think we should stop assuming cake is always welcome I know how this sounds: I am the miserable cake police. But this isn't about being joyless, it's about creating a healthy working environment. There are 20 of us in the office, and there's sugar everywhere. We have free biscuits and a constant rotation of cakes, doughnuts and baked goods that descend on us without warning. It's so normalised, and if you politely decline, people ask if you're on a diet. Ruby takes the lead in guilt-tripping. If you say no thanks, she will look at you in disbelief. If you insist on not having a cake for your birthday, she will cajole you until you give in. Ruby loves to bake and she's always making something, even when there's no cause for celebration. It's lovely, but it encourages a constant habit of eating sugar. I also think it puts pressure on everyone else to bring something in. Not everyone can or wants to eat sugar. I have a condition that means it doesn't agree with me. Some people are recovering from eating disorders. And then there are allergies – I don't want someone collapsing at work because they didn't know there were hazelnuts in the ganache. I'm not saying we should have no cakes ever, I just think we should stop assuming cake is always welcome. A coffee, a card, time off, or just being acknowledged in a meeting is more meaningful than supermarket eclairs. I joined this company three years ago, a year after Ruby. She is the office baker and I accepted a sponge cake in my first year. But for the last two, I've requested no sweet treats and Ruby has listened. But I can tell that not baking me something is killing her. For everyone else, she takes orders. It's lovely, and I think Ruby brings light into our office, but we should also let people enjoy their workplace without being backed into a corner by baked goods. If someone wants cake? Great, let's make a spreadsheet with dietary requirements and requests. Homemade is obviously better than shop-bought. But we shouldn't assume everyone wants a cake. The office shouldn't be a minefield of sugar. Bringing cakes in shows we care and adds a little joy to the office. I'm not force-feeding anyone Cake makes everything better and that's why I love giving it to people at work, or for birthdays, for my kids at home … Just everywhere. I've always loved baking and when I see the look on someone's face after I make them a lemon drizzle or red velvet, it makes the slaving away in the kitchen worthwhile. Homemade, shop-bought, gluten-free, it doesn't matter. It's not just about the sugar, it's the gesture. Someone took the time to make something, or stop by the shop to pick something up. Giving and baking are ways of showing that we care. I also just like to bake. It brings people together. I've had colleagues open up about their lives over a slice of banana bread. It would be criminal to ban that kind of magic. I totally get that not everyone wants sugar, and that's fine, but no one's force-feeding anyone and we've all learned how to cater to different diets: we bring gluten-free options and label allergens. I never force cake on anyone, I just express disappointment if they don't have some. Banning cake altogether feels joyless. Amina says I bring light into the office, and I always try. When I first made her a Victoria sponge years ago, she loved it. She ate loads and thanked me profusely. But then she changed her mind and said there's too much temptation and it's making us all unhealthy. I hate a sugar crash as much as the next person, so you've got to pace it – we do have a lot of sweet treats around us. But that's no reason to stop making cakes altogether. For the last two years I've respected Amina's right not to eat cake, but I do think baked goods are important to mark moments like birthdays, farewells and tiny personal wins. A slice of Colin the Caterpillar is not just a sugar rush, it's a signal that we care for each other. Of course we should be mindful of different needs – but banning cake completely? That feels like punishing everyone for the desires of a few. Life's hard enough. Amina shouldn't try to take cake away from the rest of us. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Should Ruby bake off?Yes, Ruby should lay off the guilt-tripping, but Amina really needs to lighten up! Anyone who doesn't want cake can be a grown-up and just say no, leaving everyone else free to enjoy themselves! Mark, 49 I sympathise with Amina, but there are solutions that don't need to go as far as making the office a cake-free zone. Amina could ask Ruby to reduce the amount of times she brings them in; for example, only on birthdays. A little bit of sugar goes a long 31 People often say they're excited about the prospect of cake but then take only a very thin slice when it's offered. So at the end of the working day, there's still loads left. People are now more cautious about sugary, fatty treats, so I'm sorry to say that I'm with Amina on this 59 I agree with Ruby that Amina's anti-cake stance 'joyless', as no one is force feeding her. But while I support Ruby's right to continue making cakes for grateful colleagues, she should accept with grace others' right to say no, rather than looking 'disappointed'.Victoria, 39 It's hard enough without the constant temptation of sweet treats. That said, Amina's a grownup and needs to take responsibility for her own choices. On balance I'm with Ruby, but she needs to take on board that 'expressing disappointment' is not 27 In our online poll, should Ruby cool it with the cakes? The poll closes on Wednesday 25 June at 10am BST We asked if Freddie should have painted the edges of the room, not just the walls 87% said yes – Freddie is guilty13% said no – Freddie is innocent
Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How Entrepreneurship Can Disconnect You From Your Inner Self
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. There's something powerful about creating and designing your own business that gives us entrepreneurs a sense of pride and accomplishment. From the earliest days of planning out a product or service to building the marketing strategy to landing your very first contract, each of those moments began with a design. And it's this design that's held near our innermost parts — the reason we often call our businesses our babies. We put so much thought into how we want our brand and business to be perceived, so much so that we stay up at night working long days and fine-tuning every aspect of our brand. All the while, we're losing sleep, not eating right, or worse, our stresses alter our perception of ourselves. A question that recently came up in a conversation with colleagues was, "How did I become this person? When and where did I change throughout this process?" After we've built businesses and developed well-defined brands, how did we lose steam when designing ourselves? What does it mean to design yourself? Well, we are human, not business entities after all. However, much of our inner selves is heavily designed and shaped by our environments, childhoods, life experiences and relationships. And adding on to that, the changes that can take place during the times we're focused on business and work can sneak up on us, which is when we tend to disconnect from the person we were before designing our business. The disconnect can feel like a place of unfamiliarity and stagnation. There is good news: When we take back control of this design, it can lead to massive transformations. Related: How This Female Founder Never Lost Herself When Starting a Successful Business Who really designed you? As I talked with that colleague about who we've become over the years, she said she didn't recognize this person who had become so wrapped up in work anymore. We chatted about the topic longer, and I listened as she dissected all of the voices and experiences that have shaped this new person — someone she didn't like. I asked a simple question, "Who do you say that you are?" She was stunned and stumbled over her words a bit. It became apparent to me that the inner self often gets neglected while we're designing other aspects of our lives — especially our businesses. We're told things like, "You don't have the skills for that," or "You're not a good fit" or my favorite, "I don't see the value in your service." Ouch. These phrases can sting, or worse, leave gaps where our minds try to fill in with assumptions and negative thoughts. Sit for a moment and think about how anything you've heard from clients, competitors or naysayers might've translated into your inner design. How do you feel about that? Do you believe the things that have been said? Taking control of your design Regaining control over your inner design may sound like a daunting task. But don't be discouraged! While I can't promise overnight results, I'll offer some tips that may help you dig deeper into this phenomenon and hopefully push you to think about how to take back control of your design. 1. Self-reflect: What traits do you love about yourself? What traits do you want to improve upon? Why do you like certain parts of yourself, or why not? Really start thinking about these questions and forming answers that you believe in. For example, during a training session years ago when I was selling jewelry, I was coached on how to approach customers. I was told that I was too quiet and passive. I needed to be more aggressive if I wanted to see sales conversions. The feedback was a little more harsh than that, if I recall! I went home and was upset for a while, thinking, "I don't like aggressive sales tactics." Why? Because I knew that I wouldn't like it as a customer, so why would I do it to others? In short, I decided that I liked the way I sold. Low pressure and listening to what the customer wanted was my method. And guess what? Within just a few months, I had become the highest-selling gold jewelry salesperson. I didn't want my coach's voice dictating who I needed to be in order to be successful. Ask yourself the hard questions, give yourself an answer and live it. Related: Are You Living Your Most Authentic Self? 2. Question your motives: Why are you working so hard? Who are you trying to impress? Are you working on a relationship for the wrong reasons? Yes, this is more reflection with a twist! What I've found over the years is that often our motives can tell us a lot about who we are. Our motives are held close to our chests, and we rarely reveal them to others. But if we practice the art of questioning why we do what we do, we might find that our motives could be holding us back from living our true design. As an example, I was in a situation where I wasn't quite getting what I wanted out of a relationship in a new field. You see, I was just starting to become familiar with folks in the fashion scene here in Chicago, and I was going to multiple events per day. It was burning me out. I had to stop and ask myself: Why was I doing this? My answer shifted something inside me. I peeled back an answer — a truth that I felt I wasn't well known — I was a nobody in the fashion world. And I was living for a world that, in part, I had built up within my mind. I felt the need to show up as much as possible so I could get ahead in this "world." I was draining myself and putting stress on people close to me with the motive of trying to appear as a fashion person. I listened to the voice telling me that I was nobody. My motive made me realize that I wasn't truly in control of my design. I was trying to appear as someone I was not (I changed my focus to building solid relationships authentically). Relationships with boundaries that I dictate. Question your motives and answer honestly. The answer might take some time to come to you. When it does reveal itself, things in your life might begin to make more sense. 3. Practice saying the positive out loud: Yes, say it out loud into the world. Imagine your business growing in a void — it can't! Your business grew and developed because you spoke about its design, you shared your ideas, and you were excited to explore everything your business had to offer the world. Now, when we think about ourselves, how often do we say things in our heads (some good, but mostly bad)? Get out of your head. Find those things you like about yourself and say them out loud. Create an inner-self elevator pitch that you feel good about repeating. For a practical example that doesn't just involve repeating affirmations in a mirror or regurgitating items on your resume, try speaking things out loud as if you were speaking on behalf of yourself to a new person. Try saying something like, "DeAnna has a quiet confidence, and she really holds herself to a high standard in life. You can trust her because she's a pretty honest person." Oh, I'm blushing! Compare this type of self-dialogue to, "I have strong client services experience, and I've helped companies navigate internal concerns. I have excellent communication skills. I am kind, and loved, and I deserve this life!" Bleh, generic (I mean absolutely no offense to you if these are your affirmations). If you've been able to get through steps one and two, you will be able to speak honestly and truthfully about your inner design. You'll be able to speak from a place that is real — a place that you love. Related: 6 Essential Mantras to Refocus Your Life and Business The power of your inner design This is the power that allows you to walk into a business meeting, an interview, a prospect call or any room and confidently know who you are, regardless of what others may think. You can be the big fish; you can be the pond for all I know. You can be the person you've designed. Building on the conversation I had with my friend, even someone who feels they've lost their sense of identity can still design and create who they want to be. It's called storytelling for a reason; you tell the story of you. Being in a strong state of awareness is a major power source that has driven some of the most influential people in history to their success. That same power is something you have access to. And it starts with your thoughtful design. As entrepreneurs, we can't just wander through business — we'll be walked over. I personally don't want that for any of you. I want to see you all living the design of your life to the best of your ability. Keep in mind that your design may require some updates and improvements along the way. As long as you remain in control of those changes, you won't lose yourself again. How would you design your inner self? Or, how do you like your current design?
Forbes
3 days ago
- General
- Forbes
The Paranoia Trap In Remote Work And Why It's So Hard To Shake
For many (me included!) the shift to remote work was a breakthrough. No commute. More autonomy. Fewer distractions from hallway politics. But for others, especially high-achieving professionals used to being seen and heard, working from home quietly unearths a troubling mental pattern: when the feedback loop goes silent, the mind fills in the blanks. And more often than not, it fills them with fear. What begins as a quiet sense of disconnection can spiral into a gnawing belief that something is wrong. That a colleague is orchestrating something behind your back. That your name has come up in a meeting you weren't invited to. That you're about to be caught off guard. It sounds irrational. And yet, when you're in it, it feels real. The strangest part? The moment you step back into the office, the feeling dissolves. A quick chat in the hallway, a casual laugh in a meeting, or just hearing your name spoken without suspicion—that's all it takes. You don't uncover a plot because there was never one to begin with. You simply re-enter a space where context makes paranoia unnecessary. Remote work is productive, but it can also be psychologically disorienting. What stabilizes people at work isn't just a clear job description or a defined workflow. It's the invisible network of signals we trade throughout the day. Things like nods, smiles, spontaneous feedback. These signals remind us where we stand. They offer micro-confirmations that we're still part of something. Take them away, and the mind starts to scan. Not for data, but for danger. Humans are wired to interpret uncertainty as risk. In the absence of feedback, we don't usually assume everything is fine. We assume we're in trouble. That's negativity bias in action—the cognitive reflex to prioritize potential threats over neutral or positive cues, especially when the situation is ambiguous. The brain starts drafting stories to explain the silence. That delayed email? It must be bad news. That skipped video call? Maybe you're being excluded. If you're someone who has navigated environments where trust was scarce or reputations were fragile, the leap from silence to suspicion is even shorter. But this isn't just a glitch in reasoning. It's often a response to identity friction. For people who derive meaning from being visible, influential, or at the center of things, remote work can feel like a form of professional invisibility. Without recognition, your self-narrative begins to fray. You start mistaking the absence of affirmation for the presence of rejection. Here's what's quite fascinating: the moment we're physically back among colleagues, the imagined story loses its grip. You see your manager smile. You overhear a conversation that confirms you're still in the loop. You remember that most people are too busy with their own priorities to scheme about yours. Suddenly, you're not being targeted. You're just back in the room. That shift isn't just a mood swing. It's a recalibration of social identity. According to social identity theory, a big part of how we maintain self-worth is by feeling recognized and accepted in groups that matter to us. Work is one of the most important of those groups. Without shared physical space, the group becomes harder to see, and easier to feel excluded from. Even video calls, though helpful, often fall short. They compress emotional bandwidth. They filter out body language, subtle tone, even the spontaneity that makes us feel truly connected. In that vacuum, the brain tries to simulate the missing social data. And in the process, it often gets the story wrong. This is why some of the most outwardly confident professionals feel unsettled at home but unexpectedly calm the moment they re-enter a shared office. It's not just that they miss people. It's that they miss the psychological GPS that tells them where they are in the team's social landscape. In-person cues don't just clarify communication. They restore belonging. The most common mistake leaders make is assuming that silence is neutral. It's not. Silence is a story waiting to be written. And if leaders don't supply the story, people will write their own. Sometimes it's optimistic. Often, it's catastrophic. This is especially important in hybrid workplaces, where some people thrive on autonomy while others quietly unravel without regular interpersonal signals. What looks like flexibility for one employee might feel like exile to another. And the employees who seem the most competent and self-sufficient on paper are not always the most psychologically steady. High achievers often carry a high cognitive load, not just to perform, but to predict and pre-empt every social cue they can no longer see. This explains why remote work doesn't just create logistical complexity. It creates relational ambiguity. And ambiguity is rarely neutral ground. It's not enough for leaders to check in about deadlines. They need to check in about direction and connection. People want more than clarity about the task. They want to know where they stand, whether they're still trusted, still seen, still included. This isn't insecurity. It's a need for psychological visibility. And research in self determination theory suggests that relatedness, not just competence or autonomy, is one of the core drivers of motivation. If that need is unmet, even the best performers can spiral. If you're someone who starts imagining the worst when working remotely, the first step is to recognize the pattern. Your brain isn't telling you the truth. It's trying to keep you safe. But in doing so, it may be creating a threat that isn't there. Instead of letting the story spin, interrogate it. What do you actually know? What are you guessing? If something feels off, reach out. Don't wait for validation to come to you. Sometimes, a three-minute call is enough to reset your entire mental state. Leaders can help by reducing the distance between perception and reality. That means being transparent about decisions, proactively acknowledging contributions, and noticing the emotional signals that don't show up in project plans. It also means understanding that for many people, a lack of contact is never just a logistical absence. It's a psychological gap. In a world increasingly defined by screens, the most important gesture may be the simplest one: making people feel remembered. Not just needed, but noticed. Not just looped in, but genuinely seen. So the next time you start believing that you're being excluded, sidelined, or quietly targeted, pause. You're probably just out of sync. And more often than not, that's all it is. Not a conspiracy. Not a downfall. Just the mind, searching for context in the silence.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
The two very different types of female alcoholic: My friend Sarah took a sip of wine after six years sober. When I next saw her, I was shocked to the core: AMANDA GOFF
Sarah* didn't wake up in a stranger's bed, nor did she vomit on the Uber driver. She knew she didn't need to check her phone in the morning and cringe at the abusive texts she'd sent to colleagues. She didn't even need a Panadol. There was no drama, no tragedy, no sirens, no clink of handcuffs.
