The Supreme Court has heard arguments related to the Biden administration's vaccine rules for large employers and health care workers. Chief Justice John Roberts says it is hard to argue Congress had granted authority to issue the rule for employers, while Justice Elena Kagan says officials have demonstrated no other policy would be as effective.

NFL teams tend to hire coaches and general managers through networking, nepotism and unscientific fads, with many teams randomly changing strategy every few years rather than developing more sustainable processes. "Hiring people with outside perspectives and who have different experiences would probably lead to a change in the way a team is set up -- if you brought a non-football lifer into the fold, they'd probably have different ideas than the current coach-GM setup that has existed for decades," writes Kevin Clark.

Many people aim to prioritize their physical and mental health in the new year but may not end up realizing their goals. Expressing self-compassion and focusing on small achievements rather than major aspirations can make reaching goals more manageable, says licensed clinical social worker Elizabeth Woike-Ganga.

Some companies plan to give raises and cash bonuses to retain workers, research shows. Grant Thornton has found that 51% of companies are planning merit pay increases in excess of 5%, and The Conference Board has forecast a 3.9% increase in wage costs this year, the highest figure since 2008.

Many employees would have more to give at work, if only they felt they had sufficient opportunity and if leaders were curious enough to ask, writes Root Inc. Chairman Jim Haudan. "Simply having these discussions and then translating the information into action will ensure that people feel valued and that they can contribute to the best of their abilities," Haudan writes.

The visiting team came in like thunder. Music pulsated from the speakers. The players hit the court, shouting as they began running through their warm-ups. The coaches nodded and clapped as they settled on the bench. Off to the side, the two star shooters stretched and helped pump up the hype. “Let’s go, let’s GOOOOO!”

The home team? Absent. That side of the court was empty. I looked at the bench and saw the three coaches sitting behind it, watching the other team and looking like they just lost their dog.

Up in the stands, I adjusted my tripod and camera and wondered where the boys were. I looked up a few seconds later and saw the boys had finally arrived. I hadn’t heard them come in. They were quietly running through warm-ups and sneaking glances at their opponents. No hype, no energy.

I shook my head and sighed. I knew this game was a long shot for us, but I was disgusted by what I saw. They lost before they even tipped off. That attitude poisoned the game. They turned over the ball, couldn’t find their shot and got mad at each other’s mistakes. They quickly fell behind by double digits. Things improved a bit as they got into the second quarter, but they never caught up.

I thought of that game as I started the workweek today. One editor is sick. Another one wants a private chat. A project needs my review. I need to chase an intern that’s ghosting me. And my calendar shows a full day of meetings.

“How are you going to walk into Monday, Namahoe?” I heard the question echo in my head. I thought of that court Saturday. I took a deep breath and stretched my arms back. Twist right, twist left. Breathe again. I felt my blood get warm.

“With a thunder,” I said aloud. “Let’s go!”

How are you walking into this week? Are you charging into it with energy and organization? Or limping into it hoping that Friday comes fast? Tell me how you get yourself ready to tackle a tough week. And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.