Morning Brew - 🔬Under the microscope

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

Working in the office, one can get…restless. Take a break and stimulate your mind with an adult Lego build. It’s a super detailed mini replica of The Office, and it even got Kevin’s hair right.

Dated reviews and lack of pricing info online make finding a good beauty service a Herculean feat. Enter Readyhubb, an app that aggregates info on nail techs, estheticians, and other beauty magic makers in your neighborhood.

When you take PTO, do not respond to “urgent” matters. We already told you this, but we’ll say it again: Make sure everything is squared away before you leave and then log out of your email!

So, you say your boss is a micromanager. Do you feel your confidence wavering? Has your productivity plummeted? Are you anxious and angry and unmotivated? If you answered yes, then yup, there’s a big chance you’re being micromanaged. So why is your boss doing this to you? No, really. Why?!

Micromanagement is usually the result of a manager who 1) feels insecure in their role, 2) needs to be constantly kept in the loop at every second, or 3) has a profound fear of failure. If you want to help your manager go macro, consider the following strategies:

• Get them involved at the right level. If you have a good rapport with your boss, let them know you appreciate their involvement but clearly state what you feel the limit of that involvement should be. This can help your boss recalibrate their energy and feel reassured that they are valuable to a project’s success (because we all like to feel needed).
• Make a communication plan. If you suspect your boss is being left out of the loop, build a communication plan together. Whether formal or informal, a plan keeps your manager informed throughout the project. If they seek involvement outside of the plan, gently remind them of your next scheduled (and agreed upon) check-in.
• Build in contingencies. If your supervisor is worried about the success of a project or initiative, build a schedule that includes enough buffer time to course correct as needed and make those moments clear in the plan. Wherever possible, make two-way door decisions. These are separate paths you can follow if things don’t go as planned.

These strategies all require you to deploy emotional intelligence. Will they stop the most pesky of micromanagers? If they micromanage to exercise their “power” or to make up for their own lack of skills, then no, even these won’t work. But if your manager is open to taking a step back, this list is a good starting place to building a more productive, high-performing relationship.—Karen Hebert-Maccaro, Morning Brew’s Queen of the Eduverse

Tech tips and tricks.

Organize your #braindumps using tags and Smart Folders on the Apple Notes app. When you open the app on your iPhone, click the New Folder icon down at the bottom. Select On My iPhone or iCloud, then tap Smart Folder and name your file. Now just create tags to filter your notes into the right Smart Folder. The next time you wake up at 4 a.m. and jot down a brilliant idea, add the hashtag at the end of your note to make sure you’ll be able to find it in the morning.

P.S. Create them on your Mac, too. Just go to File > Smart Folder and set your tags.—SS

Burning questions of our time.

The résumé gap:

Résumés don’t look like they did back in the day. From job hopping and career pivots to mass layoffs, most people will need to explain a gap (or two) in their career.

But is there a *right* way to explain those blank spaces? Should it be up front and in your cover letter, or should it only be addressed during an interview? Or should you scrub it completely and hope the hiring manager isn’t good at math? Give us your hot takes by Replying to this email!—MW

And now, your thoughts on taking time off to do nothing:

“I have unlimited PTO, and I work remotely from home 90% of the time. I love seeing the world, so it would be hard to take PTO just to stay in town. But I did take a staycation for two weeks between this job and my last, and it was great to see something new without having to drive or fly.”—Chelsea

“I try to get personal, fun projects done during the week or during brief moments of motivation on the weekends. My PTO is almost exclusively reserved for vacations. Staycations absolutely feel like a waste to me. I’m not taking less than a week of PTO when the time comes. If I’m actively doing nothing on vacation, it’ll at least be on the beaches of southern Spain.”—Joshua

Read: Pink sauce has it all: dragon fruit, garlic, vinegar, milk… Bon Appetit’s on-the-ground reporting reveals the sauce’s journey from kitchen science project to internet sensation that turned our social media feeds upside down.

Listen: Steve Lacy’s Gemini Rights is a contender for Album of the Year! Check out his TikTok hit “Bad Habit” and then press shuffle to get lost in his funky, Prince-inspired project.

Follow: If you’re looking for some motivation to finish that 30-day challenge, give @k_ayleysart a follow. She’s currently doing a 100-day Pantone painting challenge. (The dedication!)

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