#ThirstyThursday Issue #250

The Assist Newsletter
August 27, 2026
A bright blue graphic features palm trees, tropical drinks, and a beach umbrella around a centered joke that asks, “Why did the rubber band take stress leave?”

Click the image for the punchline ☝️.

😂 See all August 2026 Thirsty Thursday jokes here.

✅ Today’s Checklist:

  • The 5 daily wins to plan your day around
  • Learn the leadership phrases that build trust
  • Are you looking at work-life balance wrong?
  • 8 ideas for girls night this August

🔔 TODAY 8/27 @ 9AM PT: Spend one hour this morning at our AI Workflow Map workshop and leave with the task eating your week already mapped for automation. RSVP free here.

QUICK LINKS

🐾 Around half of Lemonade’s pet claims settle on the spot, straight from the app.

⚡ How to actually use Microsoft Copilot in your daily workflow, no fluff.

🎁 Make corporate gifting easier with ideas people will actually love.

🤝 The introvert’s guide to networking, for everyone who finds it genuinely exhausting.

DAILY WINS

An illustrated nighttime scene shows three women in separate areas of a home, with one working at a desk, one reading, and another meditating. Text across the image outlines five daily wins, including personal, mental, spiritual, and social wins.

The Five Wins That Make a Day Feel Complete

 

Takeaways:

  • Start each day with one personal win by planning your priorities and following through. A clear plan helps you stay focused instead of reacting to everything that comes your way.
  • Make time for your mind, body, and inner well-being. Read or learn something new, move your body, and create space for reflection through meditation, prayer, or gratitude.
  • Don’t overlook your social health. A meaningful conversation, checking in with a friend, or sharing a genuine laugh can boost your mood, strengthen relationships, and improve your overall well-being.

See all 5 on LinkedIn.

GUT HEALTH

A banner shows a woman holding a white capsule near her face with a blurred seaside background behind her. White text on the left reads, “YOUR GUT KNOWS SOMETHING YOU DON’T,” followed by a line about a probiotic recommended by more than 29,000 medical professionals.

What If Your 3pm Crash Isn’t a Willpower Problem?

 

You know the feeling — you’re sharp all morning, then somewhere after lunch your brain just… checks out. Before you blame your calendar (or your coffee), here’s something most people don’t know: that afternoon fog often starts in your gut.

Scientists cracked the gut-GLP-1 connection and turned it into a probiotic called Metabolic Daily—it helps curb cravings and reduce appetite, without changing your diet overnight.

Users report:

  • 91% reported fewer food cravings*
  • 88% saw reduced sugar cravings*
  • 72% felt less fatigue**

29,000+ medical professionals recommend Pendulum’s Metabolic Daily to their patients—that’s saying something.

👉 Try it today (use your HSA/FSA funds) and get up to 48% off your first order!

*based on a consumer survey of 274 participants using a product containing three strains found in Pendulum Metabolic Daily for 6 weeks.

**based on a consumer survey of 50 participants using a product containing three strains found in Pendulum Metabolic Daily for 8 weeks.

TRUST BUILDERS

A grayscale illustration shows a woman in a blazer standing at a podium and reading from a sheet of paper. Large text beside her reads, “How great leaders always say the right thing,” with selected words highlighted in red.

The Phrases Great Leaders Use Instead of Blame

 

Takeaways:

  • Great leaders replace blame with curiosity. Instead of asking, “Who dropped the ball?” or saying, “That’s a bad idea,” they ask questions like, “Walk me through what happened,” or “What problem are you trying to solve?” to encourage learning and better solutions.
  • The best feedback is specific, supportive, and future-focused. Rather than saying, “You should have…” or “I’m disappointed in you,” they explain the gap, suggest what to try next time, and ask what support is needed to succeed.
  • Leadership is proactive, not reactive. Instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” or “I don’t have time right now,” they schedule follow-ups, explain their thinking, and create an environment where people feel supported, trusted, and heard.

Read the phrases on LinkedIn.

BALANCE CHECK

A work-life balance graphic places yellow buttons on the “think” side and blue buttons on the “works” side around the central title. The buttons list ideas such as leaving at 5 p.m., switching off entirely, distraction-free work, clear priorities, and accepting seasons of imbalance.

The Most Productive People Manage Energy Before Time

 

Takeaways:

  • Balance is rarely about the clock. Protecting focused blocks, real recovery, clear priorities, and boundaries you actually hold does more for a week than a hard 5 p.m. stop ever will.
  • Expect seasons. Some stretches ask for intensity and some are for recovery, and the people who last name which one they are in instead of grading every week against the same standard.
  • Manage energy first and time second. That means saying no early, taking breaks that restore something, and going all in when it counts so you can fully unplug afterward.

See the post on LinkedIn.

FULL PICTURE

A Ground News graphic promotes its app for comparing how multiple news sources cover the same story, with examples showing differing headlines about forest protections and logging. A “Try Ground News” button appears at the bottom alongside download and App of the Day badges.

See Every Angle Before You Decide What You Think

 

You read one headline about a major story, then scroll past a completely different version of it an hour later. Both are accurate, and neither is the whole picture.

Ground News lines up coverage of the same story across 50,000+ outlets, left to right, with ownership and bias ratings attached to each one. You can see which stories one side is burying entirely, catch the framing that got past you, and stop letting a feed decide what you know about the week.

It has more than 10,000 five-star reviews, and the full Vantage plan runs $8.33 a month billed annually.

👉 See all sides of today’s news.

GIRLS NIGHT

A photo shows a group of women wearing sunglasses and smiling together outdoors. Text over the image reads, “8 things to do with your girlfriends this August,” with a note about activities beyond dinner and drinks.

Eight Girls Night Ideas That Beat Another Dinner Reservation

 

Takeaways:

  • Host a themed get-together instead of your usual dinner. Think high tea where everyone dresses up just because, or a flower exchange where each person brings a small bouquet and creates their own arrangement to take home.
  • Make food the main event. Plan a casual “girl dinner” with burgers, fries, charcuterie, desserts, or all the random snacks you’d never normally serve, because the best meals are often the least serious.
  • Stop waiting for a special occasion to get together. Pick one fun idea, send it to the group chat, and make a date. The memories usually come from the simplest plans, not the fanciest ones.

Find more inspo on IG.

STAFF PICKS

Stuff We’re Loving This Week

 

🧩 DONUT Games delivers a fast daily dose of puzzles, trivia, and debates that keep your mind in motion.

👉 Scott Galloway and AI leaders share how to to make your AI spend defensible. Free on 9/17. RSVP now.

💪 SPANX’s sculpting boyshort is high-waisted and actually does what it promises.

🌈 Thania’s second strapless rec: different colorway, same great fit, because when a strapless top works, you buy more than one.

JUST FOR FUN

A woman in an office holds a corded telephone receiver above her head while sticking out her tongue. Large white text at the top reads, “Corporate life,” and a laptop is visible in front of her.

COMMUNITY

🗓️ Upcoming Events


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