High performers often stick to a daily routine, including waking at the same time, having a morning ritual such as reading the news or scripting the day in 15-minute increments to make sure tasks get accomplished. They also push through instead of procrastinate because "doing your best when you 'feel like it' is a guaranteed path to failure," writes investor Zak Mustapha.

Looking your best for a webcam presentation starts with the proper lighting, with the source directly in front of you and not too bright, writes Scott Brennan, CEO of Lexicon. Among Brennan's other tips: Don't multitask, because "others can see your eyes dart to the side to look at a notification or your fingers work the keyboard to dash off an email."

Managing remote employees requires more than X's and O's, as leaders need to help people tap into their emotions, be honest about mistakes and empathize with their colleagues, writes Marie Rosecrans of Salesforce. "When you are emotionally intelligent and work to tap into the particular strengths (and minimize the weaknesses) of a team, co-workers feel empowered and the company reaps the rewards," she writes.

Managers should be alert for signs of loneliness among employees as remote work continues due to the pandemic, said Gabriella Rosen Kellerman of BetterUp, which did a study that found lonely workers were less satisfied with their jobs and more likely to quit within six months. Steve Pemberton of Workhuman said the longer-term impact of being alone or lonely on mental health is beginning to show and can affect productivity and efficiency.

The Trump administration released new rules that will make it more difficult for US companies to use H-1B skilled worker visas to hire foreign-born college graduates. The new rule which takes effect on Thursday requires US employers to pay H-1B holders higher wages to remove any incentive to lay off American workers to cut costs.

More than 200,000 IT jobs were posted in September, about one third of them for software and application developers, per CompTIA. The top US states for increased job postings were Massachusetts, Indiana and Georgia, while the top metropolitan area was Washington, D.C.

Registered dietitian Wendy Sterling and certified eating disorders specialist Signe Darpinian say emotional or anxiety-based eating can be curbed by taking a pause and gauging one's hunger level with the "hunger meter." Using this tool, people can decide whether they need a snack or a full meal, and begin to examine the true reasons behind some of their eating habits, they say.

A survey found that after initially craving books about isolation and pandemics, readers shifted to topics that could take their minds away from the headlines, and some re-read works -- either because their options were limited or they wanted the comfort that comes with familiarity. Also, some people spent more time reading and seeking escape, but distraction prevented them from getting very far, the data show.