I was shocked, kinda, sorta, no not really when I saw that a Microsoft study showed that during business hours we get interrupted every 2 minutes by a message, notification or meeting … and meetings?  The number booked between 8-12mid is up over 16% over the previous year.  One of the biggest interrupters is meetings of which 60% are unscheduled or “as needed”.

It’s shocking – 40% are reading email at 6am, glad I’m a broadcasting night owl.  Let’s not get into how many emails we read each day – you already don’t like that number.

Gloria Mark, a leading expert on attention and digital distraction, and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity (2023) comes to this conclusion:

“We found that people spend an average of 47% of their time on digital devices in a state of attention residue—thinking about something other than what they’re currently doing.”

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France introduced a “right to disconnect” into law in August 2016, which came into effect on January 1, 2017 – I want what they’re having.

Employers can’t punish workers for not responding to emails, calls, or texts outside of agreed working hours.  It’s not an absolute ban, but you can’t be punished for not responding.  We at NYU voluntarily try to email each other during business hours except for emergencies just as part of being considerate.

My friend, the outstanding Editor in Chief of Radio World Paul McLane puts a note at the end of some emails that says in part “while I may email you now, I do not expect a response if it is outside your working hours.”

When the French minister of education advocated for passage of this law, he said “Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic leash — like a dog.” 

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There’s something about ice hockey that is fascinating.  Take the newly-crowned Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, the nastiest team in the sport.  They led the league in penalty minutes.  They intimidate the hell out of competitors and they just won their second cup in a row.

But here’s where it gets interesting – the Captain, Aleksander Barkov took possession of the cup from the commissioner but unlike last year, Barkov told his team the new players who weren’t on that championship squad would get to do the traditional skate-around first. Even (and especially) the teammates who did not get into any playoff game.

To me that is what being a captain or for that matter a leader is – inclusionary, determined, about doing the right thing.  After the newcomers went first, the rest of the team celebrated their second win.

Insisting someone else go ahead of you is the residue of leadership that inspires.

Simon Sinek, author of Leaders Eat Last says “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.”

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Inner Excellence author Jim Murphy was once a baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization where he learned a lot about failure in a career cut short by vision issues:

“…my sense of worth and identity revolved around my performance, mostly my batting average. When I hit well, I walked tall and felt great. When I hit poorly, my shoulders slumped and my outlook was dark. Life was a roller coaster of emotions. I was a slave to results and it stifled my performance. I was afraid of failure and that fear kept putting my mind in the past and future”.

In other words, you perform better when your sense of self isn’t hostage to outcomes.

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Back in 2004 Good Morning America’s Dan Harris was reading a newscast when he had a panic attack on camera – he felt like he was dying in front of millions of viewers.

It may have stemmed from war zone assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan and the self-medicating that followed his depression later learning that drug use was a trigger to his panic attacks.

Today Harris is grateful for the panic attack because it exposed deeper issues he was avoiding and launched his unexpected journey into mindfulness and now like everyone else, he has a podcast – 10% Happier minus psychobabble and loaded with common sense.

He offers tiny wins—like noticing you’re being a jerk before it gets out of control. And that’s the essence of being “10% happier.”

Harris doesn’t sugarcoat his advice:  “The voice in your head is an asshole. If you don’t know that voice, it’s probably running your life.”

These DayStarters are for sharing.

My longtime and dear friend Tom Taylor is a remarkably curious guy – in fact, anything I learn that is not readily available elsewhere, I hear from Tom first.

For example, one of the many publications he scans is called HRDive.com which I ask him to peruse for me looking for just that kind of story.  This week I learned that according to software company Dayforce only 37% of workers taking a vacation in the U.S – and yes, Canada and the U.K. fully shut down from email – a number that has plummeted over the last three years.

Sad to say that is also me – maybe I’m afraid of returning to find a week’s worth of emails in a bloated inbox or maybe it’s just a habit tough to break.

Or as author Anne Lamott chides us “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

These DayStarters are for sharing.

I know I love the radio business when I look back – I was interviewed for a program director’s job by Charles Manson and no, not the infamous cult killer by the same name.

This one hired me on the spot in a face to face interview and then luckily before I moved to Chicago from Philly, I never heard from him again.  Yes, luckily.  He wouldn’t return my calls.  Legend had it that he changed the format of the radio station from progressive rock to oldies without telling his boss, the owner!  Who knew?

That was it for me – I wanted out of programming and after much thought decided to start a trade publication that would use my radio experience and journalism skills.

That sour lemon turned into the best thing that ever happened to me as I now watch so many of my brethren fight incompetent owners who have hijacked their careers and our beloved radio business.

Just when I thought all was lost, my future was found.

Life is sometimes an accident and that can be a good thing and that’s where I am on the same page with the Dalai Lama.

“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.”

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I can tell you the young people I know are running into difficulties finding their first real job post-graduation for all the reasons we all know.

There is compelling research indicating that some individuals not only survive but thrive in their careers during recessions. While economic downturns often pose challenges, they can also present unique opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and long-term career growth.

Greater long-term success.

During the Great Recession of 2008, the rate of new business formation increased significantly.

A Wall Street Journal study emphasized tech startups founded during the 2007–09 recession were more likely to survive and be innovative compared to those established in more stable economic times.

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School found that employees reported higher job satisfaction during recessions suggesting that in times of economic uncertainty, individuals may value job security more and focus on the positives of their current roles, leading to increased contentment.

Uncertainty may rattle the world, but for some, it quietly sparks the grit and ingenuity that fuel lasting careers and unexpected success.

Atomic Habits author James Clear says the same thing in interviews and talks — A lot of people hit rock bottom during uncertain times. But that’s also where they find the solid ground to build something better. 

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So, imagine your daughter was sensitive to gluten at an early age and you’re a mom – at the very least you are going to do all you can do to help her adapt to a restrictive diet for her own health.

One person started fooling with recipes for treats so her daughter could feel that she could enjoy what others never have to think about in their diets.

Then, turning the skill of making gluten free cakes, cupcakes, cookies and other goodies into a business.

I met this amazing person and bought a ton of gluten-free desserts to sample this week (some without dairy that I personally appreciate).  Her other customers give this gluten-free pastry chef 5 stars (not even one lowly 4.9!) and I’m about ready to write my 5-star review.

This is an example of turning adversity into success – her daughter eats like everyone else, mom runs a business to put food on the table.

Or as another chef Gluten-Free Girl, Shauna James Ahern says “Necessity is not only the mother of invention — sometimes, she’s also a baker.”

Someone might appreciate you forwarding this

I used to work at Sears in West Philadelphia when I was 16 – sporting goods.

One day unbeknownst to me, I was “shopped” by a Sears manager who was an older person with white hair who said she was looking to buy a tent to take her grandson camping.  She kept moving toward the more expensive tents and I kept trying to save her money with the economy model (it was, after all, their first outing).

She turned me in and I wound up behind the hot dog snack bar as my punishment.  Once I served my penance, I was returned to sporting goods whereas Britney Spears would say, “Oops… I did it again”.  Back to the snack bar.

You would think I’d learn my lesson and get out of sales, but after a career on the air in radio and TV I was interviewed by a TV news consulting firm that liked my programming talent but hired someone else who could sell.  He quit after six months and they offered it to the runner up – me!  I said no.

In business I learned to sell by being persistent and authentic – it worked and I often wonder what would have happened if I had let any of these unfortunate experiences do me in.

So, I’m writing to say the game is not over until you say it is.

NFL iconic coach Vince Lombardi was right “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” 

Maybe sharing this would make someone’s day.

 In college, students get to grade their teachers after each semester.  Do you want to know what they like in increasing numbers about my classes (you’ll note, I’m not including what they don’t like).  Still …

That no digital devices are allowed in class – no phones, pads or laptops (yes, I resist the plea “but I’m taking notes”).  This is such a big deal that I’m writing about it after the just-concluded spring semester – thanks for not letting us get distracted.

Their phones are off and out of sight because research shows even if a phone is close by and off, we will keep checking it as if it’s still on.

This begs the question what if we set new rules and stuck by them when it comes to digital distraction – I’m betting that others will also appreciate it.

One of their biggest complaints is with mom and dad – “they’re always on their phones” is something I hear a lot.

But it’s one thing to silence digital devices and quite another to replace it with the number one thing that always wins – time focused on you.

Sherry Turkle is an MIT professor who sounds like she agrees:  “When you remove the screen, you uncover the person.” 

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It used to be that when we said we were worried to death we meant we were working ourselves to death.

Now the meaning is becoming broader – we’re still getting tired but more from adding worry on top of worry.

The facts are that what we are actually worried about will never happen and on the chance that it does, it doesn’t happen the way we fear.  Still, you can’t negotiate with worry.  It simply breeds more.

One of the best ways is to schedule a worry appointment for a half an hour a week – you pick the day and time.  Every worry that comes up at another time is pushed off until then.  Refuse to get anxious about it.  Tuesday from 8:30-9pm sounds good.

The reason it works so well is because often delaying our anxiety helps provide clarity and even when it doesn’t, it adds discipline to put a stop/loss on worry.

One of the leading experts in cognitive therapy Dr. Robert Leahy says:  “Schedule your worry time. Don’t let it schedule you.”

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Real human connection is migrating from Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms to WhatsApp, Discord and group chats. These are the cool, quiet corners of the internet where there’s no algorithm, no brand-building, no pressure to perform.

It’s not so much a tech obituary as it is a cultural reckoning — a retreat from public performance toward private connection.  Users are burning out.  There’s a pushback from curating personas, chasing engagement, and pretending everything is fine.  Authentic expression has been replaced by algorithmic survival.

Social media platforms have strayed from their original promise of connection, community, and authenticity with the good news being real people are rediscovering ways to connect.

Jaron Lanier is an early critic of social media and his take is “We cannot have a society in which, if two people wish to communicate, the only way that can happen is if it’s financed by a third person who wishes to manipulate them.”

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Here’s what former general manager Bob Myers says about Golden State NBA basketball great Stephen Curry:

“I always told him I was so jealous of him.  Not the money, not the fame, but how happy he approaches each day.  That’s a skill, and that’s also leadership”.

The thing about happiness is you can’t think yourself into joy – you have to act it out even when you don’t feel like it.

My students sometimes ask why are you always in a good mood and I answer because I know I am going to be with you.  Sometimes we can overcome the pitfalls that come our way and affect our good nature.  But all that doesn’t take place in the mind alone – we have to act happy to be happy.

So starting the traditional beginning of summer with determination to lift the mood of others using enthusiasm and gratitude is something we can do by hitting the start button and not trying to overthink our way into it.

“The more you give to others, the more you get back — not just in success, but in joy. I’ve learned that bringing happiness to people around you brings purpose to everything you do.” – Steph Curry

Anyone can exceed the expectations of others.  It makes you a better friend, person and colleague.

People who somehow do a bit more, a bit sooner than others have that special sauce that makes them look and feel successful.  If you’ve ever wondered why few people meet their deadlines with a slew of excuses and even fewer exceed them, I’m with you.  Under promise, over deliver.

It’s not just college professors who hear excuses – this year’s most popular in my view is food poisoning.  It seems eating off those trucks on Manhattan streets is not conducive to stomach health.

We’re always looking for a way to distinguish ourselves from others in a busy, over-connected world and the answer is right there in front – exceed expectations and win the day.

Or as Atomic Habits author James Clear puts it:  “The best way to stand out is to quietly do more than anyone expects.”

I thought you would be interested in a college classroom discussion I had recently asking students to estimate how much time they spend on screens – four hours was the consensus.

But, upon afterthought, they started revising it – upward.

Then I came across a Statista figure from 2023 –– the average daily time spent with digital media in the United States was approximately 7 hours and 5 minutes and this includes activities such as using smartphones, computers, and other digital devices for various purposes like browsing the internet, using apps, and streaming content.

That’s 7 hours a day not being present — a figure that surprises nearly everyone.

As a result some students decided to shave back their social media time, some deleted Instagram or TikTok but most did not do anything about their constant texting.

We are addicted to screens but to what extent is it up to us and that thought is empowering.

Or as Anne Lamott says “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”

In the final class of our NYU semester some seniors were rightfully concerned about finding a job in this economy but they were worrying about worry – they could name all the anxieties that were plaguing them.

In our stress-free living class, we emphasize gratitude as a cure for a lot of the psychological things that ail us.  It’s a different way of looking at things.  Your worries may not be as bad as someone else’s.

At the start of the semester, I asked each person to anonymously write down their three biggest worries – when the cards are shuffled and redistributed to someone else, everyone wants their own worries back (I have never had a time when anyone wanted to do a trade).

This doesn’t mean we like our problems, but it indicates we like them better than someone else’s.  It’s a reality check with benefits.

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Last week while visiting Phoenix I met a delightful Mayo Clinic technician who was so cheerful I had to do this — I asked her why she was so bubbly.  Her response:  I was diagnosed with colon cancer at 36 with three children, a single mom.

The process of facing her treatment and the uncertainty around it turned out to be a freeing thing for her – she says she never worries about a recurrence — she lives each day as if it was going to be her last day.

One benefit that she shared is that she works hard to balance her job as a tech with her role as a mom and her other interests.

It took something bad to bring so much good – just randomly meeting her reminded me that you don’t have to wait for a dire diagnosis to free yourself to live the life you really want.

As broadcaster and journalist John Diamond observed during his battle with throat cancer:

“Cancer is a word, not a sentence. Surviving it doesn’t just let you live — it teaches you how.”

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It takes 6 to 12 weeks of intentional effort to change the way you think and do things – a surprisingly quick time to refresh your attitude.

For anxiety, results can be seen in 4 to 8 weeks and meaningful improvement in 3-6 months.

This is a process not a quick fix.

One way is to schedule worry time – a short, specific day and time each week when fears and worry are dealt with – every other day, every hour other than that time is free and clear of the anxiety producing issues.

We often worry about worry – anxiety that we think about and then worry about and then enhance with another problem all without feeling better.

Writing it down, making a note on your phone and stashing it away until your scheduled worry day and time can relieve the pressure.

Schedule your worry, don’t let it schedule you.

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Ed Sheeran often talks about rejection early in his career and the need for resilience.

He reminds artists that talent matters, but perseverance and self-belief are what carry you through the long, uncertain climb.

He quoted a Japanese proverb that says  “Persistence is key. Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”

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