Morning Brew - 🧑‍💻 Doing double duty

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

We know you don’t want to think about the…stuff…in your earbuds *shivers* and that’s why this earbud cleaning kit is essential. It comes with cleaning solution, brushes, and anti-static wipes: aka everything you’ll need to keep your earbuds sanitary.

Want to stretch your brain through reading or listening to thought leaders, but don’t have the time? Download Uptime for 5-minute summaries of popular books, courses, documentaries, and podcasts. Then deploy those nuggets of information as needed.

Reaching the end of the workday without taking a few breaks is NOT worthy of a trophy. Read Shondaland’s article for tips on how to break from your desk, like taking a micro walk, stretching, and giving yourself permission to zone out.

What’s top of mind at the watercooler.

If you spend some time scrolling through the “Overemployed” Reddit page or website, you’ll come across a number of posts by people boasting about the obscene amounts of money they make from juggling multiple full- and part-time jobs.

While the Great Resignation and “quiet quitting” have dominated the conversation over the last two years, another group has adopted a different strategy. The “overemployed” take on multiple virtual jobs (often without their employers’ consent), and in doing so they’ve created an alternative subculture that rejects the traditional ideas of loyalty to any one particular company.

“Overemployed” is a group founded by Isaac P. that connects in a Discord server and other virtual spaces to share tips on optimizing, automating, and hacking employment. Isaac even has a book coming out for like-minded people who want in on the trend, and the site offers practical advice for skirting the system. The goal is to double their salaries and keep up with inflation.

(BTW, when contacted for comment, Isaac attempted to charge for an interview. Sidekick does not pay for interviews, but we appreciate the hustle.)

Success stories shared on the “Overemployed” social media accounts include paying off student loans, leaving behind toxic work environments, and eliminating the ever-present threat of unexpected layoffs. If you have 3 jobs, it doesn’t really matter if you lose one, right?—SS

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Listen: The days are getting shorter and a little cooler, and before you know it, you’ll need to break out your hoodies. So channel summer vibes and keep the August Blues at bay with Superlove by Whethan and Oh Wonder.

Read: What’s scary about a trip to an isolated, woodsy little town where…multiple people have gone missing? (Everything). The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda takes all your cabin-in-the-woods fears and brings them to life. And if you need more book recommendations, sign up for Slow Your Scroll.

Eat: Next time you plop down to watch a movie, spice up the snack palette with Tex Mex Popcorn. While extra butter is great, everybody needs a little more seasoning.

Your daily vitamin D reminder: The Morning Brew team knows the benefits of work-life balance. Get some inspo to step away from work for a bit in this video, sponsored by HOKA.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}

Hannah Montana, the great sage of our time, said it best: “Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days.” Let’s face it—nobody’s perfect. That's why Sidekick is bringing you Fuckup Fables—a series that will include practical career wisdom for handling mistakes gracefully, some recommendations for what to do about the f*cked up time in which we live, and some thoughts on how everything got so messed up.

To start, we're including the wild (and hilarious) work mistakes our readers shared. So pull up a chair—this tea is hot:

The accidental website crasher…

“I took my organization's entire website down for 48 hours while we were in the running to receive national recognition for our....website.”—Jordan

Accidental tax fraud…

“I was helping my boss submit his taxes one year and I accidentally switched the checks in the state/federal envelopes...even after telling myself 100x to double triple check everything. I of course didn't know this mixup happened until later, when he was fined [by the IRS]. PALM TO FACE! I was never asked to help with his taxes again—so maybe we both learned our lessons.”—Whitney

Pearls of career wisdom.

“My advice for young entrepreneurs is to build a community of people around you and show that community how much you value their support. A business needs many people to survive and thrive—employees, customers, investors, advisors—and it’s important to show all stakeholders how much they matter.

“It’s all too easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of starting a business. Take care to set the right pace; moving fast and breaking things is not the only way. Accelerate with purpose and build a super strong, caring, and creative team of problem solvers around you.”—Jonathan Legge, cofounder and CEO of &Open