Morning Brew - ⛷️ It’s downhill from here

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Never be jolted awake again because a book fell on your face during a late-night reading sesh. Instead pick up The Book Seat, which, unlike your face, can handle the heaviest of hardcovers.

Training a new employee how to use the workflow software again? Great for the job market. Exhausting for you. Try Scribehow, a site that turns screen recordings into easy-to-follow, step-by-step how-to guides.

Take your one-on-ones from awkward to productive using these tips from TikToker @carolynzac. You can also grab her meeting template here.

What’s top of mind at the water cooler.

It’s your first year at a new job. Everything is new and exciting! You’re constantly learning new things and feeling pretty proud of yourself! Then, your second year rolls around, and the corporate honeymoon is over. It’s called the “sophomore slump,” though it affects more than just second-year employees.

You most likely didn’t choose the wrong job. Instead, “[The work] is no longer new, but you’re not at mastery. I often call it the ‘messy middle,’” said Darcy Eikenberg, a leadership and career coach (who BTW is coincidentally Morning Brew’s newest leadership accelerator coach!). You often get this feeling when your idea of what a role entails doesn’t mesh with your day-to-day reality. Alas, it can be challenging to distinguish between a slump and worker’s remorse.

The first thing to do is to ask yourself: “Is this role what it was sold to me as, and [is the company] fulfilling the promises made during the interview process?” suggested Chris Abbass, CEO at Talently. From there, take responsibility for your own professional progress.

Eikenberg and Abbass shared these thoughts:

• Visualize what you want. “Sit down, with no distractions, and think about the job you want and the time frame to get there. [Analyze] the things that you’re good at, passionate about, and enjoy. But also think about your weaknesses and the things that you need to get better at to get there. Then write it down,” Abbass said.
• Take control of what you can. “Once you’re clear about the thing [that’s making you unhappy], then you have the chance to say, ‘Well, what’s in my control?’” Eikenberg said. For example, if you’ve determined that you’re not growing enough in the company, you can network internally, ask for more specific feedback, or simply address the way you feel with a manager.
• Be open to feedback and follow up. “Sometimes you might think you’re excellent in an area, but then when you speak to your manager, they might have different ideas. It’s always good to get a second opinion,” Abbass said. Have check-ins and one-on-one meetings with your manager to determine your progress on goals and stay accountable.

Remember to acknowledge your fight-or-flight instinct and work through it. “When something goes wrong, we just want to run away. And in today’s environment, especially in industries where you can get hired pretty quickly, that seems tempting,” Eikenberg said. “But the easy way out isn’t always the best in the long term. So if you’re having a sophomore slump, maybe there’s a way to view it as: ‘What is there for me to learn right now?’”—SS

On Thursday, we announced our upcoming series, Sidekick’s Travel Guide. Get ready to learn all about the best travel-worthy apps, products, and expert advice for your best vacation ever.

If you haven’t taken our travel personality quiz yet, we’re guessing you might be the one who shows up late to the airport and has to be escorted to the top of the line by security. Don’t be that friend! Take the quiz!

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Listen: In two decades, we’ve gone from pay phones (RIP, 1-800-Collect guy, you will be missed) and long-distance bills to DMing each other from across the room. If you’re wondering how we got here, listen to this explainer, “How Email Took Over the World.”

Read: Every spring, Washington, DC, is blanketed in soft pink Japanese Cherry Blossoms. But did you know it took American advocacy and diplomacy to turn the muddy Potomac into a botanical breathtaker?

Eat: Is this the perfect summer snack? Try grilled watermelon with corn, peppers, and whatever else you’ve got a hankering for to create a sweet and savory meal.

Candid convos with industry icons: Hosted by Brew cofounder Alex Lieberman, the Imposters podcast delves deep into the personal and mental challenges some of the biggest names in biz have faced while reaching their most resounding achievements. Listen to the latest episode here, sponsored by Sakara.*

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Pearls of career wisdom.

“When people ask me what the best career advice I’ve been given is, I always say, ‘Go to therapy.’ And I wish I could have told my younger self that before my first boss did because that advice changed the trajectory of my career.”

“So, to the younger me, and to anyone reading this: Figure out who you are, be your authentic self, and be willing to learn, grow, and change. Find mentors who value who you are. Be curious. Embrace feedback about your work and yourself. And find an awesome therapist!”—Elyssa Freed Margolis, VP of creative studio at The Brew