Work and vocation
![A woman in an orange sweater is practising her golf swing in a narrow, cobblestone alleyway lined with bicycles, adjacent to a building with large windows.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/23f917bf-359d-4e79-9646-547621ba54da/rt-nn11618100.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Play
idea
The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play
This is about more than a self-help switch – it will take structural changes to reject capitalism’s productivity obsession
by Alec Stubbs
![Man at an office desk with multiple monitors, working on spreadsheets, a large mountain mural on the wall in front of him.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6161745e-20c8-47d3-b9d0-73e046183fb8/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Work and vocation
idea
Why do so many people think they are in a bullshit job?
Researchers continue to debate whether some jobs are inherently useless – but all agree it’s harmful to see your job this way
by Shayla Love
![Silhouette of a person standing behind a frosted glass partition next to a wooden door with a round window.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ba065932-2c52-4de5-afcd-18f790379d49/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Conflict and conflict resolution
guide
How to deal with being bullied at work
You might understandably feel trapped and powerless, but there is a range of steps you can take to improve your situation
by Pat Ferris
![Puppets with monkey faces in office attire, performing a synchronised dance in a cubicle-filled office setting, with computers and office supplies visible.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/cb8357ac-cc20-4c6c-a262-94653c69cf15/the-burden-landscape-6.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Happiness
film
Humanoid animals sing through their existential angst in this madcap short
Directed by Niki Lindroth Von Bahr
![A train arrives at a busy subway station. Many different people on the platform wait to get on the train. Some are blurred as they are caught by the camera mid-motion.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/3807c9bb-eac6-4a67-a506-86acacebed80/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Neurodiversity
idea
Adapting to the neurotypical world is not the same as conforming
As an autistic person, this is how I draw the line between adapting in a way that’s good for me and simple conformity
by Jack Ori
![A tabby cat sleeps upon a home office desk next to a laptop and various desk items](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/a687d9e0-5d39-452f-a193-714328fca38e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Goals and motivation
idea
Facing a tedious to-do list? This trick could make it easier
The ‘easy addendum effect’: how careful timing of your easier tasks could help you feel better at the end of the day
by Shayla Love
![Commuters rush past a stationary commuter train. In the train window is reflected the Sydney Harbour Bridge](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/8906f346-e0b0-4d66-8002-bf2466c36e93/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Worry and rumination
guide
How to thrive amid ‘imposter syndrome’
Worries that you’re incompetent and undeserving could be holding you back. Try these steps to move toward the life you want
by Jill Stoddard
![A woman runs down a dimly lit street at night wearing a headlamp. She is in a long-sleeved top and shorts, and the scene appears slightly blurred.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/b7466262-734f-4027-a085-f9266a73ea1e/harriet-baker-landscape-1-v3.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Habits and routines
film
As a bread baker, Harriet thrives in the day’s liminal hours
Directed by David Grabias
![A painting of a man with long hair wearing a black outfit and hat, holding a lit cigarette, and sitting in a café with a glass of green liquid.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ef969e66-73c0-4e75-92e0-efd6533aec39/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinkers and theories
idea
Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing
For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning
by Costica Bradatan
![Silhouette of a lorry driver drinking from a bottle inside the cabin at dusk.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6cf4c80e-b717-48e6-b5d7-97a1baf2b8d3/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Work and vocation
idea
Why AI surveillance at work leads to perverse outcomes
In the name of efficiency, workplace AI technologies shift burdens long-assumed by employers onto workers
by Karen Levy
![Person’s legs visible sticking out of the boot of a yellow car parked near a green car. Vehicles are in a parking area with other cars nearby.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/96c699f5-0af0-48a1-9904-68e7187020c1/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Sleep and dreams
guide
How to nap
Whether it’s to recover after a late night or to boost your learning abilities, there’s a science to napping effectively
by Ruth Leong & Michael Chee
![A cluttered room filled with stacks of books and papers, with a ginger cat lounging on a yellow chair in the centre.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/24ddb05a-00c0-4ad1-ae14-cd7f219aa20c/adeus-aos-livros-goodbye-to-books-landscape-5.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Place
film
The clutter of a used bookshop forms an evocative metaphor for memory
Directed by Diego Quinderé de Carvalho