Remote Work and Employee Wellbeing

This one habit of yours you do during your walks while cooking or waiting is killing your creativity. Even I am guilty of it Think about it - when was the last time you took a walk without your earphones? Or cooked a meal without a podcast playing? Or simply wait somewhere without scrolling through your phone? We've become allergic to silence. Every moment needs to be filled with some form of media Here's what we don't realize: this constant need for entertainment isn't making us more productive or creative. It's doing the opposite. Your brain needs empty spaces. Those quiet moments of boredom? That's where the magic happens. That's where ideas form, where solutions emerge, where creativity blooms. Last week, I tried something different - left my phone at home during my morning walk. The first few minutes were uncomfortable. My mind kept reaching for that familiar dopamine hit. But then something interesting happened. By the time I got back, I had clarity about a project I'd been stuck on for weeks. The solution had been there all along - I just hadn't given my mind the quiet space to find it. Your best ideas don't come from consuming content. They come from giving your mind space to process. Real creativity happens in the gaps between entertainment. When you allow yourself to sit with that discomfort of having nothing to do, your mind starts solving problems you didn't even know you had. So here's my challenge to you: Create pockets of boredom in your day. Start small - maybe it's a silent coffee break or a device-free walk. Your best ideas are waiting in that silence. When was the last time you embraced boredom? #productivity #creativity #mindfulness #personalgrowth

Rest, Boredom and Creativity. I used to believe that rest is time away from work. My mother used to tell me to take a break and find balance, but I didn’t understand it up until recently, that we need to step away to come back rejuvenated. A well-rested brain is a creative brain. In our hyper-connected world, it's easy to overlook the importance of rest. Without rest, diminished inspiration, and unidimensional perspective stare me in the face. In his TED talk on the impact of creative sabbaticals, graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister talks about how obsession with art can begin to destroy the art itself. It can translate into stagnation or even burnout. Contrary to general perception, artists need to waste time to get work done. We need idleness and we need creative rest. If we think back about our childhood – boredom opened tiny windows of wonder. It made your mind travel to strange places and conjure stories. Boredom is curiosity’s predecessor and rest’s cousin. Our brain is on 24/7. Our brain cells are doing the constant work of communication. Neuroscientists say it’s critical for brain health to allow yourself to be bored from time to time. Filmmaker and actor Greta Gerwig says, “You need to reach a level of boredom to make anything. But I worry that we’ve lost that capacity, which I think maybe erodes creativity.” We also seem to have lost the ability to rest. Relaxing now means a numbing retreat to our phone screens. Sleep specialist Rubin Naiman has come up with an apt word for our exhaustion – ‘T’wired’ – too tired and too wired. Real rest, he says is intentionally cultivating a state of calm. It’s about stepping on the brakes and coming to a full stop. For me, rest goes beyond simply getting a good night's sleep (although that is undeniably crucial). It's about finding balance and incorporating intentional pauses into our daily lives. It could be taking a mindful walk, spending time with loved ones or engaging in a hobby that brings us joy. Two studies published in Scientific Reports recently conclude that birdsong lets us engage in ‘soft fascination’ which captures our attention but also allows us to replenish. Listening to birds is good for our mental well-being. By consciously carving out time for rest, we can replenish our artistic reservoirs. In the quiet interludes, we can listen to the whispers of our inner voices. It allows introspection, and this self-awareness is important for us to iterate and better ourselves in our work. Also, rest is not solely an individual pursuit—it should be championed within our workplaces and communities, for optimized productivity. Let’s strike that balance between focused effort and purposeful rest. Share your favorite ways to unwind and recharge. #RestAndCreativity #BalanceMatters #EmbracingWellBeing #ProductivityRevolution

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 In August 2024, Australia introduced the Right to Disconnect law, giving employees the freedom to unplug after work hours. This isn’t just a rule; it’s a signal that productivity isn’t about staying connected 24/7. It’s about working smarter, not harder. When I came across this law, it reminded me of a blog I wrote about temporary disengagement a few months ago. The idea goes beyond long weekends or vacations. It’s a daily practice of stepping away to recalibrate and come back sharper, stronger, and more creative. A lack of disengagement does more harm than we realize. A Harvard Business Review study revealed that constant connectivity increases burnout risk by 60%. The WHO even classified burnout as an occupational hazard, highlighting its damaging effects on productivity, creativity, and mental health. Here’s why temporary disengagement works: 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: A rested prefrontal cortex, your brain’s decision-making hub, leads to quicker and better decisions. 𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺: Rest helps the brain process information efficiently, allowing you to complete tasks faster without errors. Boosted Creativity: The Default Mode Network (DMN) in your brain activates during downtime, sparking fresh ideas and solutions. 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: Breaks lower cortisol levels, helping you stay calm under pressure. 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴: Pauses help your brain’s attention filter prioritize what matters most. 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬-𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴: Clear work hours ensure harmony between personal and professional life, leaving you more fulfilled. 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: Structured work hours help you prioritize better and stay on top of your action items. The best part? You don’t need a law to make this change. Temporary disengagement is a habit you can practice daily. Switch off your laptop at a defined hour, step away from your phone, or take a 15-minute break to refresh during the day. The results speak for themselves: a sharper, more organized version of yourself, ready to tackle work with renewed energy. On the flip side, staying constantly connected leads to decision fatigue, poor task management, and a constant feeling of being stuck. Temporary disengagement isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing better. A simple pause, like closing your laptop or stepping away during a hectic day, can transform your productivity and well-being. While laws like ”Right to Disconnect” push companies to protect employees’ time, the responsibility lies with us. Let’s make a habit of disengaging to reconnect with what truly matters. What’s your take? Should the Right to Disconnect law be global? Or do you already practice temporary disengagement daily? #TemporaryDisengagement #MentalHealth #Productivity

Creators are facing a mental health crisis, and now there’s data to prove it. As a member of the Creator Advisory Board at Creators 4 Mental Health, I’ve been closely following their recent benchmark study on creator mental well-being. The findings paint a clear picture of an industry under pressure: ✨ 62% of creators experience burnout ✨ 69% face financial insecurity ✨ 58% say their self-worth declines when content underperforms This is a workforce that powers a 300 billion dollar economy yet operates without many of the protections or benefits of traditional employment. Many creators function as small businesses, often managing teams, deadlines, and income instability without the resources that support long-term sustainability. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 1️⃣ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 REACH. Having a trusted group of peers who understand the pressures of this work can make a huge difference. Surrounding yourself with others who share knowledge, experiences, and support helps reduce isolation and sustain creativity over time. 2️⃣ 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞. Depending solely on one platform or one income stream increases financial and emotional stress. Expanding to multiple forms of monetization (brand deals, products, subscriptions, events) creates flexibility and long-term security. 3️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. Constant connectivity is not the same as productivity. Schedule breaks, take days off social media, and give yourself permission to recharge. True creativity comes from rest, not exhaustion. 4️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞. Remember why you started creating in the first place. Success metrics will always change, but your purpose is the anchor that keeps you grounded when algorithms and trends shift. That’s also why James Petrossi, Manasi Patil, and I wrote LEAVE THE FEED: to remind creators that stepping back isn’t failure. It’s how you build something sustainable.

Great ideas rarely arrive when you’re staring at the screen. Creativity grows in space. In the pauses between tasks, the quiet walks, the moments when your mind can wander. Psychologists call this incubation. When you step away from a problem, your subconscious keeps working on it. That’s why insights often appear in the shower, on a walk, or just before sleep. If every gap is filled with noise - emails, scrolling, meetings - you lose the space where creativity takes root. Three ways to give creativity room to grow: ✨ Protect white space in your calendar, even ten minutes. ✨ Shift your environment to spark new connections. ✨ Let silence stay silent instead of reaching for distraction. Performance and wellbeing both benefit when you allow space. Creativity doesn’t need to be forced, it needs room to emerge. Where do your best ideas come to you? ————————————————————————————— 🔔 Follow for science-backed insights to help you achieve high performance while protecting your wellbeing.

I don’t get my best ideas in forced ideation meetings. I get them during my 45-minute disconnect sessions. Most people think innovation comes from working non-stop. But real breakthroughs don't come from grinding harder - they come when you step away from: - Work - Screens - Constant hustle Research from UC Berkeley shows a striking finding: taking regular breaks from technology boosts creativity by 60%. Bill Gates does this through an annual think week - where he lives in an off-grid cabin in the woods just to disconnect and think. But that’s not an option for you and me, so here are my easier alternatives that consistently lead to breakthrough ideas: 1. Tech-free nature walks ↳ Nature walks without my phone force me to notice things I'd usually miss. The fresh air clears mental clutter, and new environments spark unexpected connections. ↳ Moving outdoors boosts my energy, making me feel more refreshed and open to new ideas. 2. Doodling and mind mapping ↳ It allows me to visually explore ideas and connect dots I'd normally overlook. ↳ The freeform process helps me think without constraints while giving my brain a productive break. 3. Zero-pressure brainstorming ↳ I ask “What if?” questions when there’s no need to do so, and welcome every idea without any judgment. ↳ It leads to bold, unexpected solutions because no idea is off-limits. ↳ By exploring all possibilities, I find more innovative answers. Following this routine fuels the kind of creativity that sets you apart. This intentional disconnection creates space for breakthrough ideas that others miss while stuck in their daily grind. What's your favorite way to disconnect? Has it ever led to an unexpected breakthrough? #breaksessions #productivityhack #personalgrowth

Unplug to Recharge: Why Disconnection is the Secret Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life (and Career!) ✨ In today's hyper-connected world, it's easy to feel like we're always "on." Emails pinging, notifications buzzing – it can be tough to truly switch off. But what if I told you that disconnecting is not just beneficial for your well-being, but can actually boost your productivity and creativity too? And let's be honest, who doesn't want more quality time with loved ones? 👨👩👧👦 Disconnecting isn't about being lazy or unproductive; it's about intentionally creating space for rest and rejuvenation. Think of it like recharging your phone – you can't expect it to function optimally if it's constantly running on low battery. The same applies to us! When we're constantly connected, we risk burnout, increased stress, and decreased focus. By stepping away from work, we allow our minds and bodies to recover, leading to: 😌 Improved mental health: Disconnecting reduces stress and anxiety, allowing you to feel more present and engaged in your life outside of work. 💡 Enhanced creativity and focus: When you give your mind a break, you create space for new ideas and perspectives to emerge. ❤️ Stronger relationships: Being fully present with loved ones fosters deeper connections and creates lasting memories. 💪 Increased productivity: It might seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks can actually boost your productivity when you return to work feeling refreshed and energized. So, how can we practically incorporate disconnection into our daily lives? Here are a few tips: 🚫📱 Set boundaries: This could mean setting specific hours for checking emails or turning off notifications outside of work hours. 🧘♀️🌳 Schedule downtime: Just as you schedule meetings and appointments, schedule time for relaxation and leisure activities. 🗣️ Communicate your availability: Let your colleagues and clients know when you'll be unavailable and when they can expect a response. This helps manage expectations and reduces the pressure to be constantly connected. ✈️🏖️ Take real vacations: Resist the urge to check emails or work on projects. Instead, focus on relaxing and recharging. At L'Oréal, we have implemented "Golden Rules of Disconnection" to support our employees in prioritizing their well-being: 😴 Avoid sending emails on weekends: Activate delayed delivery to respect colleagues' downtime. 🌴 Decline meetings during holidays: Just because you can join remotely doesn't mean you should. Vacations are for recharging! ⏰ Respect meeting schedules: Start and end meetings on time, and respect the "45 is the new 60" rule, promoting shorter, more focused meetings. 📵 Respect colleagues' time outside of work: Avoid contacting colleagues outside of working hours to allow them to disconnect and recharge. What are your thoughts on disconnection? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below! 👇 Don't forget to like and share this post if you found it helpful! 👍

The correlation between excessive screentime and lower psychological well-being is probably not news to you, but two new RCTs offer *causal* evidence that reducing smartphone engagement can improve mental health and attention. Noah Castelo et al. (PNAS) took aim at what makes smartphones “smart,” their constant internet connectivity. Participants blocked all mobile internet access for two weeks (calls and texts still worked), and the effects were impressive: better mental health, greater well-being, and stronger sustained attention, driven in part by better time spent offline, improved sleep, and a stronger sense of self-control. Pieh et al. (in BMC Medicine) asked students to limit overall screentime to ≤ 2 hours/day for three weeks. This led to improvements in depressive symptoms, stress, sleep quality, and well-being. Interestingly, despite these very different interventions — one blocking internet access, the other limiting overall use — participants in both studies ended up averaging around 2 hours/day on their phones. (Believe it or not, that’s half the time most of us usually spend 😳) But after the interventions ended, the effects diverged. In Pieh et al., screen time quickly rebounded and the benefits faded. But in Castelo et al. where just internet was blocked, the positive effects lingered — even after the internet came back on. Why the difference? A likely reason: blocking the internet doesn’t just reduce time spent. It reshapes what your phone is for. Without infinite scroll and recommender systems designed to capture your soul, your phone becomes a simple tool for texting or calling — not a 24/7 dopamine buffet. That structural shift may make it easier to build (and keep) better habits. Time limits, on the other hand, demand willpower moment to moment—tough to sustain once external constraints disappear. If you’re curious, try it out: put your phone on airplane mode for a couple hours a day. Just for fun. See what you notice. Together, these studies remind us that small, intentional disruptions to our digital defaults can have outsized effects — and that how we structure those changes matters. This post is part of a new series I call *Friday Findings* — curated research at the intersection of minds and machines. --- Castelo, N., Kushlev, K., Ward, A. F., Esterman, M., & Reiner, P. B. (2025). Blocking mobile internet on smartphones improves sustained attention, mental health, and subjective well-being. PNAS Nexus, 4(2), pgaf017. - Special shout-out to Kostadin Kushlev PhD, my dear friend from Reed College and former research collaborator on batching notifications! Pieh, C., Humer, E., Hoenigl, A., Schwab, J., Mayerhofer, D., Dale, R., & Haider, K. (2025). Smartphone screen time reduction improves mental health: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Medicine, 23, 107. FYI Tristan Harris Pat Pataranutaporn Pattie Maes

The Cognitive Cost of Constant Connection View My Portfolio In an era where every interaction is mediated by screens, alerts, and data loops, connectivity has become both empowerment and exhaustion. Neuroscience now confirms what intuition has long suggested—constant connection carries a measurable cognitive cost. Research from Harvard Medical School and UC Irvine’s Center for Cognitive Neuroscience shows that frequent digital interruptions can reduce working memory capacity by up to 20% and increase cortisol levels associated with chronic stress. The result is emotional fatigue, decreased intimacy, and reduced creative focus—an issue that extends far beyond productivity. Three insights define this growing challenge: • Cognitive depletion: The brain’s attentional bandwidth is finite; overstimulation fragments focus and reduces emotional presence, even in personal relationships. • Emotional blunting: Continuous exposure to digital stimuli dampens physiological arousal and empathy response, affecting both libido and connection. • Design opportunity: There is rising demand for technologies that protect focus and emotional recovery, using data to promote stillness instead of stimulation. This is not a rejection of technology—it is a call for restorative design. Digital health and sexual wellness brands that acknowledge this paradox can build deeper trust and long-term loyalty by giving users back what they value most: clarity, calm, and cognitive freedom. At V For Vibes, we design for equilibrium. Our philosophy centers on creating experiences that enhance connection without overloading the mind—because in a hyperconnected world, focus itself has become a form of luxury. #DigitalWellness #Neuroscience #HumanPerformance #SexTech #VForVibes

✨ Put Down Your Phone and Embrace Boredom. I recently watched a powerful HBR video by Professor Dr. Arthur Brooks where he makes a counterintuitive argument:boredom isn’t a problem — it’s a feature of a well-functioning mind. What is the problem? Our constant addiction to stimulation and digital distraction. His message is a timely reminder for leaders, creators, and knowledge workers: 🔹 Boredom is the gateway to creativity. When we stop numbing every idle moment with our phones, we create space for insight, imagination, and innovation. 🔹 Phones erode our capacity for deep focus. Every micro-distraction trains the brain to avoid discomfort — and depth. 🔹 Rest isn’t passive; it’s productive. White space in the mind is where ideas incubate, patterns emerge, and clarity forms. 🔹 Choosing boredom is choosing presence. It enables better conversations, sharper thinking, and more intentional decision-making. 🔹 Your brain needs stillness to reset. Without it, we operate in a constant state of cognitive “noise” that blocks higher-order thinking. As Professor Brooks puts it, boredom is not something to eliminate — it’s something to embrace. 📵 Your next breakthrough won’t come from your feed. It will come from the moments you allow your mind to wander. In an age of overstimulation, maybe the most radical act is… doing nothing. https://lnkd.in/e47NVqrP