OG Tuesday Issue #240

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I don’t know when it happened exactly, but one day I realized my life had turned into a never-ending game of whack-a-mole—except the moles were email alerts, Teams IMs, Slack messages, calendar reminders, group chats, and dings from apps I forgot I even had.

Every few minutes, a chirp or buzz yanked my attention away, and the worst part? Most of them weren’t even important. Just someone replying “lol” or a “hot new deal” on socks I didn’t ask for.

Meanwhile, my to-do list glared at me with mounting judgment.

So, I did what any modern adult having a tech-induced meltdown would do: I googled “how to stop distractions so I can actually get things done.” Here’s what I’ve figured out so far:

🔕 Turn Off (Almost) All Notifications

“Focus Mode” makes it super easy to silence the mobile chaos with just a few taps—no email or social media bings or buzzes. Only texts from my ‘favorites’ and calendar reminders survived the cut.

🗓️ Set ‘Focus Zones’

I block chunks on my calendar labeled “Focus—DND SELF,” then cue up instrumental jazz, and put my phone in another room. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than living in a digital pinball machine.

📧 Check Email Like It’s 1999

If you remember 1999, we didn’t stay logged on all day—it was dial-up, for crying out loud! So, I’m bringing back the concept. I now check emails twice a day: morning and after lunch. If someone actually needs me, they’ll call or text. And honestly, most things really can wait.

😶 Mute the Group Chats

I love my people, but the nonstop banter was throwing my focus all outta whack. Now, I just mute the chatter and check in when I have time. Turns out, I’m still in the group even if I don’t respond to every meme instantly—imagine that?

🏪 I’m Not a 7-Eleven

Nobody’s paying me to be ‘on’ 24/7, so why do I feel like I need to be? Instead, I now ask myself, ‘Is this urgent? Or am I just avoiding my actual work?’ Nine times out of ten—it’s the latter. Set boundaries and redirect.

As it turns out, multitasking is actually not a badge of honor. While I certainly haven’t mastered the art of being fully tuned in, I am less frazzled, more focused, and finally finishing things.

So, go ahead and hit DND—those socks will still be there in a few hours.

Carri (TA Copywriter)

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A reader recently wrote to us: “I am struggling with getting back to a sort of normal following a surprise cancer diagnosis and a couple of surgeries.”

First and foremost, we at TA are so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Cancer is often blindsiding and can feel like the floor has totally dropped out from under you.

It’s not even just the ‘cancer’ itself—this diagnosis can be a whirlwind of appointments, procedures, medications, lab visits, surgeries, and recovery—all while attempting to manage the emotional weight of it all.

For many, their lives are forever divided between “BC” and “AC”—before cancer and after cancer. And even once the initial crisis seems to be contained, a new challenge surfaces:

How to return to ‘normal’ and what does that even look like now?

This stage—post-treatment or post-surgery—is often overlooked by people outside of those immediately impacted. Your friends and family may assume things are back to ‘normal’ after that final treatment or procedure, but as the person recovering, it’s anything but.

Physically, you may still be healing.

Emotionally, you may be navigating fear, grief, or a sense of disorientation where even simple, everyday tasks can feel overwhelming.

Instead of rushing back to how things were, instead, try making space to create a new version of ‘normal.’

Here are a few gentle strategies to support this transition:

• Start small. Reintegrating into all the usual routines can feel so overwhelming. Start with manageable goals—whether it’s a short walk, a coffee date, or logging back into work for an hour.
• Listen to your body (and your emotions). Fatigue, discomfort, and unexpected feelings are normal. Rest is a big part of healing, not a sign of weakness.
• Ask for help. Whether it’s from a partner, a friend, or a therapist, support matters. You don’t have to carry this alone.
• Redefine ‘productivity.’ Your energy may be different now, and accomplishments might look smaller, but they still count. Celebrate them.
• Give yourself permission to grieve. Even if the prognosis is good, you’ve experienced something life-changing. Grieving what was is part of moving forward.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself. There’s no timeline or perfect roadmap for recovery. Healing— physically and emotionally—isn’t linear, and there’s no one-size-fits-all version of getting back to ‘normal.’

The only requirement is to meet yourself where you are, one day at a time.

There’s a quiet, complicated moment that happens after a loss, a leave of absence, or a rough patch.

They come back. To work. To their inbox. To “normal.”

But everything still feels a little…off. And while we often rush to fill that space with productivity, what people really need is space. Care. Comfort. A moment to breathe without being asked to bounce back.

If someone on your team—or in your life—is returning from something heavy, consider not just saying “welcome back.” Instead, give them tools to actually feel more human again.

Start with softness: A weighted blanket that mimics the feeling of safety and calm. Add a spa head wrap to elevate their nighttime routine (even if they’re still crying in the shower sometimes—we’ve all been there).

Invite stillness: A memory foam neck pillow that says “it’s okay to rest”, and a soy candle to anchor their nervous system through scent and ritual.

Encourage gentle growth: A jewel garden gives them something to tend, slowly. A picnic blanket tote nudges them toward the sun. And a bento box makes the return to desk lunches feel a little more nourishing.

Offer comfort in a box: A recovery kit paired with a 10-piece Belgian chocolate box delivers the essentials—hydration and just enough sweetness to remind them that small joys still matter.

Grief, healing, and transition don’t come with user manuals. But these gifts offer a starting point. They say: You don’t have to be fully okay yet. We’re just glad you’re here.

“Always remember ‘you work to live, you don’t live to work.’ Set your boundaries and stick to them! I still remember sitting with my then manager and hearing him say this to me after I was pulling all-nighters to make sure everything I delivered was perfect. It suddenly set me free and made me realize how badly I’d been neglecting myself and friends and family. I was easily replaceable at work, but not at home. I made the mental switch, and now I often use “we’re working towards progress, not perfection” to keep my team clear on those same boundaries.”

— Trish (Sr. Systems Business Analyst)

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• BGSF is hiring for a Technical Recruiter (Providence, RI).
• LaSalle Network is hiring for a Creative Director (Chicago, IL).
• Optimum is hiring for a Director Business Development & Innovation (Long Island City, NY).
• YCharts is hiring for a Growth Marketing Specialist (Chicago, IL).
• Monday Talent is hiring for an Entertainment PR Account Director (Los Angeles, CA).

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