Something to Read

“That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

This summer was beautifully hectic at Point Taken – we completed many exciting projects, met new people, and traveled a great deal all over the beautiful US.

While enjoying the miles of travel and long summer days, our summer reading list included titles from many genres.  

For the kid in you, who also loves mythology:  

Escape from the everyday with a page-turning story:

Fictional stories that draw from historical events:

  • Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 
  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (from a 12th grader’s summer reading list – a classic!) 
  • Horse by Geraldine Brooks 

For some self-reflection and personal development:

We have linked the books above to some of our favorite sustainable bookstore – Thriftbooks.com. Find the hardcopy, digital or audio book from your retailer of choice.

Tell us what was on your summer reading list this year? 

Something to Hear

Get back into a routine.

It is that time of year again – the Fall season is here and “getting back to a routine” seems to be the common thread of conversation. I feel like Fall Resets get far less attention than Spring Cleaning and I’m here to advocate for it being a bigger deal!  

I love a routine and with school starting tomorrow – yes, definitely one of the latest start dates I have heard – I was excited by the HBR Coaching Real Leader’s podcast episode that featured Daniel Pink, titled “how to make the most of your work day.”  

Two big takeaways that stuck with me from this episode:  

  1. “You can’t fight your chronotype…lean into it. Match the type of task you’re doing to the time you’re doing it.”  
  1. “The where of the work may be less important than the when of the work.” Thus, if you are looking to re-energize your team this fall, consider their work time preferences and support any changes that can be made.  
  • Hear tips from @Daniel Pink and real-world applications from @Aaron Levy, CEO and co-founder of Box, during this quick and insightful 21-minute episode from HBR’s Coaching Real Leaders podcast. “How to make the most of your Work Day” is a replayed episode from the Financial Times’ podcast Working It. You can find this August 12th episode at the Coaching Real Leaders’ website or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Something to Do

Plan a 15-minute break to get you through the daily “trough”.  

Check out “Something to Hear” and hear about the peak, trough, and recovery parts of our day. In that podcast, it was recommended that everyone take a break when they hit their “trough” in the day.  

The best breaks are described as:  

  • Outside is better than inside 
  • Movement is better than stationary 
  • With others is better than solo (even for introverts!) 
  • No tech is better than with tech 

Thus, the perfect break is a “15-minute outside walk break with someone you like, leaving your phone behind, talking about something other than work.” – Daniel Pink 

Something to See

New Hampshire Hemlocks at sunset.

The shores of Lake Winnipesaukee call me back every Labor Day…and man do they deliver. A Fall refresh is always achieved in the reflection with trees and nature.