Research suggests a consistent lack of sleep over the course of a week can cause people to temporarily lose 15 IQ points, writes C.L. Max Nikias, the president of the University of Southern California. "Identifying your most productive time of day and protecting your sleep puts your best, smartest, most resilient self in your office chair each morning," Nikias writes. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (11/28)
Making the Connection
5 ways to end the interruption drain Interruptions at work have been linked to increased errors, loss of productivity and engagement, and health problems, which cost the US an estimated $588 billion annually, writes Petra Neiger, founder of leadership company Red Pantz. Neiger offers five tips to cope with interruptions, including scheduling focus time, setting boundaries on chat platforms, and collecting thoughts and making notes before responding to interruptions. Training magazine (11/20)
The Landscape
More companies showing support for adoption A growing number of employers is offering benefits to adoptive parents, including time off, lump-sum payments and reimbursement for fees, writes Sean Leslie, senior content strategist at PayScale.com. A company that supports adoption improves employee satisfaction and shows it cares about its workers and their families. ERE Media (11/27)
Your Next Challenge
How to recover from interview mistakes If you make errors such as lacking strong knowledge of a company's industry or failing to ask good questions during an interview, try to recover by bringing up recent relevant news or posing follow-up queries. Thoughtful questions can help you appear inquisitive, knowledgeable and willing to learn new skills, writes Sarah Greesonbach. Glassdoor (11/28)
The Water Cooler
Calif. deputy interrupts bears on Taco Bell run A sheriff's deputy surprised three bears scrounging for food outside of a Tahoe City, Calif., Taco Bell restaurant last week. The officer, who captured the encounter on camera, asked the bears what they were doing and they scurried off without incident. Mashable (11/22)
Some fish love to swim upstream. Some people love to overcome challenges.
