Bees, puppies and owls, oh my! They can boost your career

Fridays have always had a different flavor at work with "casual Fridays" before the pandemic, but as hybrid work remains an option, many are working at home on Fridays or practicing "gentle Friday" if they're in the office, says Bruce Daisley, host of the award-winning podcast "Eat Sleep Work Repeat." "When I chat to people about Fridays, they describe a way of working on Fridays that feels easy after the relentlessness of the rest of the week," says Daisley, who believes such a practice will ultimately lower employee burnout rates.

Put it into practice: Some bosses aren't on board with "gentle Fridays," and a few companies are forbidding employees from taking both Friday and Monday as remote workdays, but Daisley says such policies could cost them employees. "We're broadly in the zone where it's hard to believe that we will end up back in the office on a Friday. So Friday's got a new pattern, full stop."

Thinking about a "career spirit animal" may help you define where you are now in your career and where you might like to be, such as a monkey who is agile and adaptable, a puppy who is curious and energetic or an owl who is wise and continuously learning, write Julie Winkle Giulioni. "Throughout your career, you'll likely find yourself morphing among them, taking advantage of their unique qualities and advantages during various seasons of your working life," Winkle Giulioni notes.

Put it into practice: You can move between "career spirit animals" anytime you want, Winkle Giulioni writes, offering an action guide for each animal's characteristics. For example, if you're currently a diligent and persistent woodpecker, you can become a spider that weaves a web of connections by branching out and meeting new people both in your industry and beyond to build a support network.

Let your team -- and others in your life -- know you care by dropping the word "just," such as, "It was just an email," when that particular message may have highlighted one of their accomplishments or meant more to them than you may have known, writes Kristin Hendrix. "When we receive gratitude, we can focus on the person and the caring we have for them," Hendrix writes.

Put it into practice: Carry that practice of dropping the "just" from your speech home with you, and instead of saying, "It's just groceries," tell your family, "It makes me feel good having things in the house you like when we plan a meal," Hendrix suggests. The word "just" can diminish another person's "appreciation and joy they feel for that action because their gratitude can feel brushed aside."

Research published in BMJ Open suggests that engaging in at least an hour of exercise per week may help people sleep better. Survey respondents who exercised at least that much weekly over a 10-year period were far less likely to report trouble sleeping than those who said they were inactive or less active.

Maps provide the backdrop for portraits drawn by UK-based artist Ed Fairburn, who uses hatching and crosshatching techniques to draw recognizable faces around roads, rivers and other map features. Fairburn uses road, city and topographic maps from the US, Europe and Canada and posts the finished portraits, including one of John Lennon drawn over a map of his hometown of Liverpool, England, on his Instagram account.

I am fascinated by Julie Winkle Giulioni's description of "career spirit animals." I can see myself in several of those she describes. When I was first in radio, I was definitely a puppy, asking a lot of questions, following the more experienced staff around and enthusiastically throwing myself into the job.

When I worked at CNN, I was definitely a bee, working collaboratively with my team to produce newscasts, interview newsmakers and write up stories. These days, I am more of an owl, soaking up knowledge wherever I can find it and learning from the wisdom of others.

I've met a few spiders, those who are really good at forming connections and networking with and among people and groups, and I'm drawn to that kind of spirit animal at this moment.

What's your career spirit animal? Take the poll below and let us know!

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