There are billions of cool, chill people in the world, and yet somehow all the tough personalities ended up in your group for that end-of-semester project.

• And as you well know, the group projects don’t end once you’ve graduated.
• They follow you throughout your career, just with fewer dive bar celebrations.

While no one’s figured out how to fully fix group projects, there are still ways to improve communication between project members—without having to snitch to your boss. Here are a few scenarios your team might encounter and some example language to ease the tension.

When someone isn’t pulling their weight: “Hey [Person X], I’ve noticed a few of your portions of the deliverable haven’t been ready at the agreed-upon dates. Want to talk quickly about those expectations and timelines we came up with as a group? That way we can also figure out how to best support you for your sections.”

When someone needs to delegate more of the work: “Hey [Person X], it looks like you’ve taken on a few more portions of the deliverable. Since this project hinges on cross-functional collab, do you see a few areas you could delegate to our teammates? Want to make sure everyone gets a chance to share their expertise here.”

When the timeline gets pushed up: “Hey team. Run for the hills—the project just got pushed up to this Friday. Let’s sync for 15 this afternoon to work out an adjusted game plan and see what will need to be cut this go-round.”

When things are actually going well: “Hey guys, I know we’re in the middle of the project, so don’t want to jinx anything, but I wanted to point out how well we’re doing on [x, y, & z]. Great job getting this done. Celebratory drinks never looked so good.”

The next time you’re roped into a group project at work, keep a few of these phrases in your back pocket—and thank your lucky stars team deliverables don’t involve report cards.—CS

Gone are the days of brushing shoulders with Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon at the 4am afters. For years, DJ D-Sol had been spending his nights spinning for high-profile events, all while running one of the world’s most prestigious investment banks by day. But after increased scrutiny over his leadership performance (and an uneasy board), Solomon has unplugged the aux cord.

But not all CEOs get too distracted by their hobbies.

• Some pastimes naturally come with the job, like Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard being a mountaineer—or a tech founder trying to stay young forever.

Other leaders stretch further afield:

• Warren Buffett plays the ukulele.
• Bill Gates and Anna Wintour play tennis.
• Adena Friedman, CEO of Nasdaq, has a black belt in tae kwon do.

We all know how to have a hobby in theory, but in practice it’s a lot more challenging to fit it into our schedules. Here are a few reminders:

Block time. Putting an hour on your calendar isn’t bad advice, but locking in time weeks in advance minimizes the chances that your boss will double-book you during your afternoon pottery class.

Pull in a coworker. Hitting the tennis courts with a teammate feeds two birds with one scone: You’re developing your work relationships while also giving yourself permission to take time off for your hobby.

🫵 Commit. It’s tempting to bail “just this once,” whether it’s for an important work deadline or to veg out on the couch after a long day. But sticking to your hobby takes consistency—otherwise how will you write the next great American novel or perfect your chocolate chip pancakes?

The time may have come for DJ D-Sol to put down the records, but the sun never sets on pickleball and baking. Bonus: Signing off at 4pm twice a week actually makes you (and your CEO) better at work.

Out: saying a little prayer before putting your debit card down at a group dinner.

In: knowing exactly what you’ve got in the bank and how you’re tracking toward your big life goals.

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When it’s 3pm and coffee has done all it can do for you, take another stab at your productivity by buying your way out of the problem.

Here are a few items that cost less than parking and lunch, to at least give off the illusion you’re cranking through work.

Pomodoro in person: Stop ignoring the timers you’re setting on your phone. Put this cube on your desk and actually get through 25 minutes’ worth of emails.

Desk organization: Don't use this giant monthly calendar for meetings—use it to note the top tasks you need to get through each day.

Sound reduction: When you make the mistake of hot-desking near someone who hums, avoid the further distraction of finding the perfect playlist by putting in earplugs and just going with silence.

Neat and tidy: If you’re like us, you may choose to adjust and re-coil all your chargers as a way to put off big tasks. Line up all the cords on the edge of your desk, and then get to work.

Slow burn: Sometimes you need to get cozy with an alchemy candle to get the focus vibes just right.