Creating a consistent and predictable working environment can "help people know exactly what's expected, so everyone feels like they're treated fairly," says Jaclynn Robinson, a senior learning and development consultant, who notes leaders must also be ready to create new structures as conditions change. "Leaders and employees can rely on this leader to remain cool, calm and collect. Because this person is going to be working to establish a new structure in the workplace that creates stability, fairness and predictability once again," Robinson says.

Players of World of Warcraft are developing collaboration and communication capacity that will help them stand out in the work world, writes Ben Williams, noting the strategic decision-making and planning players must undertake in group settings. Online multiplayer video games also foster 10 other qualities valued at work and in life, such as effective time management and problem-solving, Williams writes.

Conventional wisdom advises women to stop using "weak language" -- such as hedges or disclaimers -- so they can achieve their professional goals, but research paints a more nuanced picture, writes Wharton organizational psychologist Adam Grant. This kind of language is "a way to convey interpersonal sensitivity -- interest in other people's perspectives -- and that's why it's powerful," Grant notes. In addition, women may use tentative language to avoid the unjust repercussions that they sometimes experience if they are perceived as forceful, Grant notes.

Workers who become business owners often enjoy the freedom, but need to learn how to think like an entrepreneur, writes Martin Zwilling, CEO and founder of Startup Professionals. In his classic book “The A Player,” Rick Crossland describes eight ways to develop entrepreneurial skills.

You are more likely to be satisfied with the direction of your life if you seek integration rather than balance, writes leadership coach James Kerr, who says aiming for balance can lead to stress and disappointment. Taking the time to reflect and incorporate elements of integration, such as defining what is most important, being flexible and focusing on being present will "support your overall happiness and fulfillment in both work and the rest of your life," Kerr writes.

Many people say that financial stress is affecting them on a personal and professional level, but it's possible to manage this kind of stress with a four-step plan that starts with developing a budget and working to bring debt under control.

A 5,000-pound peanut made of sheet metal was rededicated in Ashburn, Ga., last week to replace a previous giant peanut that was popular among motorists on Interstate 75 before being destroyed by a 2018 hurricane. The Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce pitched in $80,000, along with contributions from county residents and the state agriculture department; plans for the giant replacement peanut include a bigger social media presence and a spot for taking selfies.