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Disagree with your performance review? Fast Company Deputy Editor Kathleen Davis recommends regrouping before having a conversation about it with your manager. Davis says writing talking points and sticking to facts over feelings will help the discussion. Use data to drive your counterpoints. And should you still disagree with the assessment when it is time to sign it, Davis suggests adding a disclaimer. Flatly refusing to sign the review may be viewed as insubordination. Instead, adding a disclaimer can finish the process while relaying your disagreement. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ePTSfyU5 Summary ?: Todd Dybas

The Wall Street Journal's Rachel Feintzeig wrote about work and life for over a decade. She's moving on from that job but leaves with lessons learned from talking to hundreds of people about managing their careers. Feintzeig says having a Plan B before making a big ask at work is crucial. It allows you more power in negotiation if you're prepared for a "no" and can shift to an alternative. She also notes if your career is a straight line of ascension without bumps and bruises, you may not be thinking big enough. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e3gmEcB6 Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Lawmakers are debating whether employees need a reprieve from answering messages outside of working hours. Business Insider reports that 17 countries already have some kind of "right to disconnect" law. The rules allow workers to ignore calls, texts, or emails outside traditional business hours. An Australian law passed in August lets workers to disregard work emails after 5 p.m. A handful of U.S. states – including New York and California – have considered similar laws. Supporters say the laws fight burnout. However, some experts argue the rules should focus on managers who contact employees after hours, putting the onus on bosses to let it wait until the morning instead of on workers to ignore a ping or new mail. Read more: https://lnkd.in/enGkjsHx Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Psychologists tell Fast Company that too much tech is scattering our attention, leading us to lose focus. They point to the dings and pings throughout a workday from personal and job-related devices. To counter the splicing of your attention span, a productivity expert says to start by identifying what is derailing your concentration. From there, find simple solutions, like physically relocating your phone (try a drawer) or taking mini-breaks from work. Stepping away allows a tired – and more easily distracted – brain to recuperate. Just don't bring your phone. ?? What do you do to try to regain focus? Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2sPSQQM Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Swap "destinational" thinking for a directional approach. That's the advice of career coach Megan Hellerer. She writes in Fast Company that long-term plans stifle progress instead of helping it. Hellerer says that a 10-year plan is almost impossible to complete because so many uncontrollable variables exist — which is why she recommends moving directionally, in smaller increments. Instead of asking yourself where your career will end up, ask if you are taking a step in the right direction. Do that repeatedly to reach a better place. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUHXwHX6 Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Time management coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders says there's a correlation between emotional exhaustion and procrastination. Overthinking can keep you from acting, creating a loop and allowing unaddressed tasks to pile up. Saunders calls this the "emotional weight of work." To manage it, she recommends not rushing yourself though the more emotional job tasks. Also, intersperse low-emotion work with the duties that stress you out. And don't be afraid of taking even brief breaks. Breathing exercises, or taking a few minutes away from the computer, can help break the cycle of angst. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d4EDrUw5 Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Work conflict is inevitable. To better manage it, workplace expert Amy Gallo suggests taking a breath and then considering the other person's point of view. When doing so, let a first – often negative – thought float through. Then reconsider. Gallo says this approach offers the best chance for a productive discussion. Next, determine what drives the conflict: It could be a task, a process, a status or a relationship. Gallo writes in Harvard Business Review that those four categories are the most common homes for disagreement – and often mix. Finally, Gallo says to determine what you want out of the situation. It's not a delineation of who is right or wrong. Instead, be clear on whether you're trying to improve a process or meet a deadline, for example. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dAnfm2XN Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Senior product manager Ana?s Felt spent 10 years climbing the corporate ladder. After that, she was just holding on. She told Business Insider she was burned out from a cycle of working, collapsing on the couch, going to sleep and repeating the process the next day. To recover, she took a "micro-retirement." She spent a year planning a yearlong break from work. She curbed spending and resolved common medical needs before her resigning. Felt told Insider she plans to take a "micro-retirement" every five to 10 years going forward. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eusTQZjY Summary ?: Todd Dybas

Normalizing asking for a raise is the first step toward getting one, The Cut's workplace columnist Alison Green says. Green notes that many workers – particularly women – wait for their employer to bring up the topic. She argues that workers should understand that a raise is not a "favor or gift." Instead, it's an important part of worker satisfaction. Green says to be savvy about when you ask — If your manager is swarmed with work and stressed, that may not be the best time to bring up a raise. When you do ask, use collaborative language, mention why you think the time is right, then ask to engage in a conversation instead of simply demanding more money. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gauUHDH Summary ?: Todd Dybas

The boss is stalling your great idea to maintain the status quo. Why, and what do you do about it? When it comes to risk-averse management choices, leadership consultant Karen Walker says it's crucial to understand your manager's position. Ask them about their decision – where it came from and what drives it. Handle the interaction with honesty and a collaborative approach, experts recommend, even if your manager is difficult to manage. You may learn why your boss prefers to move in increments instead of leaps, which can help inform future conversations. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dByHS3AR Summary ?: Todd Dybas