Tuesday 11th April Newsletter

We’re back! 🙌 Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• Getting paid to sleep: Yes, it’s a real job.

• Using data to improve your résumé: Our top tips.

• Essential oil diffusers for a calm workspace.

THE BIG IDEA

Turning 💤s into 💲s

Heard of the phrase “you snooze, you lose”? Well, it’s true — unless you’re a professional sleeper. Though it sounds like a made-up job, professional snoozers are very much real.

But what does someone who sleeps for a living actually do? Or, more accurately, how do they find someone to financially reward them for snoozing?

Professional sleepers are mostly hired to test the comfort and quality of mattresses, blankets and pillows. They’re also hired to sleep as part of living art installations or during studies on sleep or dreams. (And yet here we are, still doing this whole work thing awake.)

If this sounds like your dream job, all you need to do is search for opportunities online. Mattress brands such as Casper have been known to seek “exceptional sleepers” to test their products. Just bear in mind that you have to meet some requirements, like:

🛌 Good bedtime habits

💤 The ability to nap any time

🐻 The ability to sleep deeply

Do you meet these criteria? You may have just discovered your true calling! You're welcome.

OPINION

More empathic leadership, please

The world’s got an awful lot of challenges to overcome. In the past few years alone, we’ve been up against a pandemic, global layoffs, climate disasters, and a looming recession... On top of all the regular stuff. Naturally, surveys have shown us to be at our most stressed ever.

At a time like this, work should be anything but another source of misery. So, how can we collectively achieve that? The answer lies in empathetic leadership.

Leading with empathy makes employees feel a lot more valued and a lot less tense. It has been shown to boost productivity, engagement and retention rates at once. When bosses put their human side forward, their teams can do the same, communicating concerns and honoring their work-life balance.

That’s the best anti-burnout recipe out there.

TODAY’S ADVICE

Numbers + Résumé = Success 🏆

Show, don’t just tell. That’s the first rule you need to remember when writing your résumé.

Saying that you saved your company funding and that you increased monthly sales are both impressive feats. But you need a little more oomph there.

A good way to do that? Use numbers to quantify your achievements.

1. Figure out which metrics matter the most. You might have increased sales by 24 per cent, but your target company might be more interested in customer satisfaction ratings. Read the job description to get a better idea of which metrics to prioritize.

2. Show the results. Don’t just say that you saved the company USD1 M. Tell readers what the results of your efforts were, too. For example, that extra USD1 M might have led to zero budget overruns and the on-time completion of all projects.

3. Include numbers wherever you can. These shouldn’t be reserved for your experience section only. Try to incorporate them in your summary section too, as well as achievements and career highlights sections.

Tips for results-oriented résumés

DON’T MISS

🎓 These countries offer low-cost university education.

🪑 Wuuut? You can make money by doing virtually nothing!

🏛️ Become a real-life Indiana Jones — minus the murderous villains.

📄 Stand out with a creative 3D résumé like these ones.

STUFF WE LOVE

The best essential oil diffusers for a zen desk 🧘

The InnoGear Essential Oil Diffuser is an affordable option to keep you calm without taking up too much desk space. Grab the diffuser ➜

The Capri Blue Plant Diffuser is the ultimate two-in-one. It not only looks enticing but also lets off your favorite scent. Grab the diffuser ➜

WATERCOOLER CHAT

Best music genres for focus

Science tells us that music can have a profound effect on our mood. Not only that, it’s been shown to boost cognitive performance. And we all want to be cheerful and focused at work, don’t we?

Here are our top 3 genres for the workplace:

🎼 Classical music. Not everyone’s cup of tea, and yet classical music has been shown to increase focus. Thankfully, there are enough subgenres for everyone to find a few tracks they can enjoy.

⭐ Lo-Fi. Low-fidelity music is mostly instrumental. The tracks often include some form of background noise, low hum, or subtle nature sounds, which make it perfect for concentration.

🎮 Video game soundtracks. Yes, video game music is designed specifically to help gamers concentrate. If you’re not a gamer yourself, ask a friend or someone in the family to recommend a playlist to you!

So, what’s your go-to music genre when working?

MEME IT

Like what you read? Reply and let us know your thoughts.

Created with care by Chris Leitch, Joanna Zambas, and Electra Michaelidou

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