News for Professionals: Career Advice and Ideas

Looking for ways to do your job better — or for the latest trends in the world of work? Here’s a roundup of career-related stories selected by the editors of Convene.

Do You Really Need a Big Career Change?

Much of the time, it’s something in their jobs or in themselves — like skills — that professionals need to change before jumping ship. An executive coach shares in a Harvard Business Review article her three recommendations: 1) understand your context so that you avoid making big impulsive decisions, 2) stay flexible, because ambivalence may actually be the key to better decision making, and 3) be sure to collect enough information about that shiny new profession so that you can make an informed decision.

Are You at Risk of ‘Boreout’? Here’s How to Spot the Signs

‘Boreout’ — when workers experience consistent boredom and lack of purpose in their career — can cause stress, depression, insomnia, and higher turnover. It is a psychological malaise that has become far too common in an era of endless meetings, pointless emails, and bureaucratic BS. The boreout epidemic is a wake-up call for leaders to care about their employees’ work purpose, says Fast Company.

Here’s What That ‘Little Treat’ Can — and Can’t — Do For You

In addition to a mood boost, giving yourself an occasional reward for completing a task can help “reinforce” productive behaviors, David Spiegel, M.D., director of the Center on Stress and Health at Stanford University, tells SELF.

RIP, OOO. Hello, PTO: Your Email Autoresponder Is Quiet Quitting, One Message at a Time

HR-speak has quietly infiltrated our inboxes, marking a new turn in the quest for work-life balance. Vanity Fair has the full story.