Habits in the workplace

Make of this what you will: James Clear‘s best-seller, “Atomic Habits,” has helped so many people because it seems do-able. That is, you can have powerful results just by making small, daily changes. What if you did that with your workforce? A famous Victorian educator argued as such: The formation of habits is education, and education is the formation of …

Decorative ninjas and the ability to pause

I came into the kitchen to this. My eldest had an idea to give her siblings (and herself) personalized ninja decorations. (Ninjas are a big deal around here. My generation had Storm Shadow and the other G.I. Joe ninjas. Her generation has Lego’s Ninjago. At least ninjas are still popular.) She wanted to represent each sibling’s hair style and to …

Your team needs a story time?

A Wall Street Journal column shared the research behind how reading aloud to students can overcome losses they suffered during pandemic shutdowns.    It’s a practice Victorian teachers, classical education proponents and home schoolers have known for years. (See: Read-Aloud Revival. See also: Mark’s amazing wife.)   Mark thinks it’s a practice you need, too. Listen in for the benefits …

GUEST POST: The Importance of a Classical Education in a Digital Age (With a Dash of Humor)

In today’s world, technology has made it easier than ever to access information and connect with others. However, as convenient as these tools are, they can also create a sense of disconnection and isolation. In order to counterbalance the negative effects of technology, it’s important to focus on the timeless values and principles that have been passed down through the …

Is Work You replacing Real You?

Last week I lamented what we miss when we work remotely and don’t get the chance to work together. The journal First Things approached it from the opposite perspective: How hard it is to prevent “work you” from taking over “personal you.” In a review of the Apple TV+ series Severance, the author states a truth: Severing our work lives …

The Labor Day motto of Clan Ramsay

ORA ET LABORA. “Pray and work.” This ancient phrase of Benedictine monks became the motto of Clan Ramsay. I’ve always liked it. It reminds me that work itself can have a higher purpose. In fact, we were working in the Garden of Eden. We had three jobs–all part of the plan. Work is something worth doing. This article quotes Teddy Roosevelt: Far and away …