There are many things that humans fundamentally need. The obvious ones are food and water but our need to connect is another.  Studies have shown that we are not only profoundly shaped by our social environments, but we suffer greatly if those bonds are impacted in any negative ways. 

Here at Manual Labor, we rather impart joy in the lives of others as opposed to pain. This is why we created our new monthly series, Connect the Dots with ML. 

Every month, one member of our team or #GoodPeople Network will answer three questions: what are you reading, watching, and listening to, as well as share a hot take about something they’ve had on their minds. By asking questions, you get to know others better, create new connections, or strengthen old bonds. 

‍Last month, you got to know our marketing associate, Giovany Vasquez. Now, it’s time to meet our VP of Strategy & Operations, Nadia Basil! 

What Are You Reading? 📚

Forbes article “How To Get Out of the Bad Habit of Multitasking”  

I’ve been on a mission to learn how to slow down and focus on a single item at a time instead of trying to handle multiple items simultaneously (e.g.: coming from the person who accidentally poured liquid egg whites into her coffee instead of creamer.) 

Sure, this would be an obvious time to say “Don’t buy liquid egg whites,” but Forbes has some more…. tactful takeaways: 

• Know when to close the proverbial door + shut out distractions. Turn off email notifications, turn off your phone when you’re not using it
• Create a to do list — organized by “Musts” (has to happen that day) + Everything Else
• Carve out a 5-10 minute break every hour 

• …and reconsider what you’re doing on a “Break”. Screen time -- whether it’s TikTok videos, personal email, Instagram scrolling --  may not be work related, but still involve screen time. A true cognitive break (like cleaning up that coffee mugs) will help you get out of the work zone

What Are You Watching? 🎥‍

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Survivor (currently in its 43 season.)

The obsession with Survivor started as a casual conversation with my husband (“remember this show?”) during the first stage of the pandemic, then quickly evolved/devolved to binge watching the growth of production from standard to High definition over the course of 40 seasons. No reason to add up the hours here, we can just say it’s been a lot. 

My grassroots effort to get the Manual Labor team to watch the CBS-classic hasn’t been totally fruitless - while GIFs related to “The Tribe Has Spoken” have started and ended with my slacks, (1) no one has left the channel yet and (2) our CEO Sam Choi is now onboard binge watching with me, so I’d consider it a win. 

What Are You Listening to? 🎧

ESPN’s Jock Jams volumes 1-5 

Jock Jams is a mix of 90s dance music and sports phrases I listen to on Spotify. While I may not be releasing my inner jock or preparing for a cheerleading routine, the mix of dance music, 90s hip hop, and general nostalgia is easy to listen to and helps power through a workout. Because there is only so much intrinsic motivation on the elliptical.  Plus, nothing says uplifting like the timeless lyrics “I like to move it move it… you like to….move it” by Reel 2 Real. Titled, “Move It.”

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‍Hot Take 🧯

Just send that email. Stop trying to perfect the message, do as much replying as you can off a phone - and don't feel guilty about items you’re unclear about/are hoping will just disappear from your inbox. The email is either (1) something you’re going to handle (keep the item there and determine the action items to move it forward), (2) something you need to hand off to someone else (go ahead and copy that person in), or (3) something you’re not going to move forward with (delete or unsubscribe). 

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And, Low brow: As we approach colder weather in the northeast, there is nothing more constant than my rotation of Uniqlo HEATTECH tops. The “Hot Take” here is: stop wasting time shopping for things you hope will fit the way you like, and buy more of what you know you like. I love the black crew necks. I started with one, and now I have eight of them. Check out here.* 

*Not sponsored by Uniqlo

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If you find yourself in a slump and need a quick pick me up, go ahead and ask someone some questions! By sharing your thoughts on current affairs or some of your favorite things, you start to create ties that bind us all to each other.

Stay tuned to next month’s edition to learn more about the #GoodPeople of ML.