Uttering these phrases can hobble your career

Ernest Hemingway's advice to stop writing at an engaging point to boost productivity aligns with psychological insights from the Zeigarnik and Ovsiankina effects, which show that unfinished tasks create mental tension and drive completion, writes Kevin Dickinson. However, when you return to the task, Dickinson recommends taking "structured breaks that leave you feeling closer to finishing the project, build your confidence through progress, and present a clear path about what to do next."

Put it into practice: There's always one more task to complete on our to-do list, but Hemingway knew the value of rest. Hemingway wrote: "My health is the main capital I have, and I want to administer it intelligently."

An empowerment culture built on open communication, support and autonomy is essential for organizational success, enabling employees to feel valued and trusted, writes executive coach Naphtali Hoff. Leaders can build such a culture by delegating important tasks, providing continuous feedback and encouraging risk-taking by recognizing "that mistakes are a natural part of growth and innovation."

Put it into practice: Don't let achievements by your team go unnoticed, but celebrate contributions and successes, Hoff advises. "Public recognition reinforces the value of empowerment and encourages others to take initiative."

Effective communication with your boss is critical to career development, writes Jessica Miller-Merrell, the founder of Workology, who offers ten phrases to avoid, like "I don't know" without a follow-up plan or "It's not fair," which can seem unprofessional, or "that's impossible," that can earn you a reputation as a pessimist. "Demonstrating a proactive, solution-oriented mindset will impress your boss far more than negativity," Miller-Merrell notes.

Put it into practice: Telling your boss that something isn't your job or that you're overqualified for a project they want you to do conveys a sense of entitlement and paints you as someone who isn't a team player, Miller-Merrell observes. "Flexibility and a willingness to learn new things can go a long way toward showing your value to the organization."

Leaders should be approachable and authentic by developing a leadership style that embraces positive vulnerability without compromising authority, says Daniel Vasella, the former CEO of Novartis. "People like to see that bosses admit when they're wrong, that they are comfortable asking questions so they can learn, and that they are grateful for good answers from the people around them, who may in fact know more than they do about a particular issue," says Vasella.

Scientists have devised a fluid that can stick to and lift objects more than 80 times its own weight when extruded through narrow bore needles into a web-like string, which solidifies when exposed to air if it has certain additives. Authors of the Advanced Functional Materials study acknowledge similiarities to Spider-Man's comic book web-shooting, but their material starts with silk moth cocoons, and the resulting fibers have lifted a steel bolt and a wood block and could lead to uses in biomaterials or drug delivery.