3 New Year’s Resolutions to Fight Burnout

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In this edition, we dive into 3 New Year's resolutions to fight burnout, the brunch spots that charge a 'vomit fee', starting 2024 with these small business grants, and more.

And, of course, don’t miss our meme of the week for a good laugh! Let's dive right in, shall we?

3 New Year’s Resolutions to Fight Burnout

Dr. Ben Baran is an associate professor at Cleveland State University and co-founder of Elevating What Works.

Being a leader is hard. It can come with long hours, rushing between tasks, and a nonstop sense of responsibility. But it’s also important to recharge so you don’t burn out.

So, when you leave work and have some downtime in the evening, what’s the best way to recharge?

What you need is “leader recovery.” A recent study analyzed ways in which a leader might spend their after-work hours. The approach that worked the best involved detaching yourself completely from your job, both physically and mentally, instead of continuing to think about it. Based upon that, here are a few practical steps:

• Quiet your internal monologue. Listen to music, catch up with a friend, or unwind with a movie or show (but don’t binge too late — you need your sleep, too).
• Get a hobby. This could include exercise, crafts, mentoring, or other pastimes that focus your attention on something worthwhile yet unrelated to your work.
• Create boundaries. In the evening, limit your work-related email and phone usage as much as possible. If you work from home during the daytime, consider changing your clothes, going for a walk, or doing something else physical that helps you separate your workday from your evening.

It may take some intentional effort and practice to disengage, but this approach can help you show up the next day with a renewed sense of yourself as a leader, equipping you with the confidence and authority you need to make a difference. Leadership across a career is a marathon, not a sprint, so be smart about how you refresh yourself along the way.

Start 2024 With These Small Business Grants

Grants are vital to helping small businesses thrive, from nurturing the very first seeds of an idea to getting through challenging moments. With more than 900 programs available from federal agencies alone, however, the search process can be a little overwhelming.

We’ve got you covered with some lesser-known options to get your juices (and hopefully your funds) flowing in the new year:

• The National Association of the Self-Employed gets top marks for consistency – they dole out one $4,000 grant every month, every year.
• FedEx’s Small Business Grant Contest offers decent odds with about 1 in every 780 applicants receiving up to $30,000, plus networking opportunities and feedback sessions with top execs.
• Focusing squarely on growth in historically underutilized business areas, the HUBZone program provides cash awards and 10% price evaluation preference in open contract competitions.
• The Minority Business Development Agency provides roughly $500 billion in annual grants to growing businesses that are minority-owned.
• The Microenterprise Development Program offers up to $15,000 for refugees in the U.S. to develop business plans, totaling roughly $4.5 million yearly.
• Amber Grants awards three $10,000 grants on a monthly basis exclusively to women in small business. 

Still Hungover From NYE? These Brunch Spots Charge a ‘Vomit Fee’

For decades, restaurants have attracted brunch customers with the promise of unlimited mimosas, but the juice is no longer worth the squeeze.

First, half of all states banned unlimited drinks for a fixed price. Now individual restaurants — including trendy San Francisco Bay destinations like Home Plate and Kitchen Story — have instituted a $50 “vomit fee” for any customer who can’t hold their booze. They’ve also shortened the drinking window from two hours to 75 minutes.

“It’s better, but every other week we get somebody throwing up or vomiting,” one restaurateur told reporters. “Now they go outside.”

Turns out bottomless brunch might have found the bottom after all.

3D Cocoa Printer Is a Sweet Deal for Loaded Chocoholics 

Need a chocolate fix? You could buy M&M’s or a Hershey bar at the grocery store for a couple bucks, but that would be so … uncreative.

Fortunately, Cocoa Press is here to “turn your chocolate ideas into reality” by 3D-printing custom shapes of pure choccy goodness.

Read more here.

We Meme Business

What’s Upcoming?: How to Fast-Track Productivity for New Hires

No matter how great your new hires are, it takes time to get them up to speed. But every moment they’re on your payroll and not fully adding value, you’re losing money.

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