Hack your emotional intelligence to stop procrastinating | 3 major messaging apps may eventually be tied together, Zuckerberg says | Media organizations make job cuts
Hack your emotional intelligence to stop procrastinating Emotional intelligence can be used to increase productivity in several ways, explains Harvey Deutschendorf. One tip is to start projects with the easiest task first to get the ball rolling, while another is to have the self-awareness to know which environment is most productive for you to work in, whether it be a quiet room or a bustling coffee shop. Fast Company online (1/25)Gates Foundation finds 6 months ideal for parental leave Six months of paid parental leave is the sweet spot, according to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which recently decreased its parental leave policy from one year down to six months along with a $20,000 stipend for child care expenses once the parent returns to work. Internationally, six months appears to be the right balance, and while 12 weeks unpaid remains common in the US, other employers and legislators have begun to follow suit. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/25)
How to Have Great First Dates With Candidates OK, maybe not real first dates, but a pre-hire assessment is just like a first date. You and your candidates are asking: Is this the one? To answer that question and ensure optimal job fit, you both have to meet each other's expectation. Find out how you can win The Match Game!
HuffPost announced employee cuts after parent Verizon said it would lay off 7% of its media division, while BuzzFeed is laying off 15% of its workforce. About 1,000 jobs were lost last week in the media industry. CNN (1/24)
Your Next Challenge
An engaging cover letter uses specific examples and data Use quantifiable data on your cover letter rather than broad statements with no real supporting evidence, suggests leadership coach Ashira Prossack. Rather than just writing what you're good at or have accomplished, provide solid examples of this work and how it benefited the company or your career growth, Prossack writes. Forbes (1/25)
Balancing Yourself
Working mothers have higher rates of chronic stress, study finds Working mothers with one child are 18% more stressed than co-workers, and this figure increases to 40% in working mothers with two children, according to a UK study. Researchers found that flexible work arrangements didn't necessarily improve stress levels for working mothers, but working fewer hours did. The Guardian (London) (1/27)
The possible oldest rock from Earth was found by scientists in a lunar sample brought back from the 1971 Apollo 14 space mission to the moon. The research published found that the rock came to the moon when an asteroid went from Earth and collided with the surface of the moon 4 billion years ago. NASA (1/24)
