Quick summary: Many of us feel pressured to constantly stay productive, perhaps driven by our own insecurities. And we've all likely experienced burnout because of it. In this newsletter, we focus on one antidote: the art of doing nothing. Drawing on the Dutch concept of Niksen, along with insights from Tricia Hersey's Nap Ministry, we explore how rest and stillness are essential for well-being. This newsletter features stories from India Currents, Black Girl Times, Sahan Journal and more.

Credit: Vecteezy

Put down your do-list and pick up rest instead…

Hey fam,

To-do lists. We all have them. Actually, many of us in the U.S. (about 75%) can’t seem to part ways with lists. When pre-planning a busy weekend or day my default is to create a new note in my Android (don’t judge) and list a series of items that need to be checked off to complete (insert task). Grocery shopping? ✔. Hot yoga? ✔. Questions I want to raise during our next team huddle? I’ve likely written them down shortly after the Zoom invite lands in my inbox. And don’t even get me started on the countless lists I have stored in my Google Maps (under various activities and city names).I’ve gone through several transformations in the past ten years, and this continual habit has supported me in designing a life I’m proud of. Also, like much of the world, having to-do lists reflects a constant pressure for efficiency and organization. But what may happen if I decide to ditch my need to document everything? What then will I make of my trips to Safeway, running errands and team meetings? (You want to know the real? Without lists, I feel less prepared and that lack of preparedness makes me feel like a failure.)Herein lies the issue. Our internalized pressure of being efficient and organized all the time can have us on the metaphorical cogwheel of life, resulting in burnout after seasons of overperforming, which we all know can have adverse impacts on our physical and mental well-being. Instead, Mukund Acharyaur provides this antidote in his latest column for India Currents: Let’s do nothing.Sound familiar? This isn’t a new concept.

Featured Stories

  • You’ve probably seen chatter on your feed or headlines in the news about Black voters, particularly about the supposed mass defection of Black men from the Democratic Party. But here’s what the headlines are missing about Black men’s support for Harris, writes Brandon Tensley. “If history holds, Black men will be the second most pro-Kamala Harris voting bloc — after Black women.”More from Capital B →

  • As temperatures drop, it’s important for renters to know their rights. Epicenter NYCreshares this guide from the Department of Housing and Preservation and Development on the ABCs of housing →

  • Covid-19 is still very much here, as the recent Covid death rate across Southern states show. The virus remains enough of a threat for the federal government to continue distributing free at-home test kits. Black Girl Times offerssix tips to navigate this season healthily and with care →  

  • A high school substitute teacher who reenacted the police actions that resulted in the death of George Floyd, including placing a student on the ground, has been banned from teaching and is now under investigation. The teacher mimicked holding up a gun at students and told them police brutality is not real. Sahan Journal has more →   

  • palabra., in partnership with MindSite News, spotlights a common story of many immigrants who flee violence and war in their home countries and struggle to cope with their mental health in their new environments. Hear their stories and learn about the organizations working to address their material andpsychological needs in sanctuary cities like Chicago →

 URL Original: Let's Talk About The Green Party

 

In this week's edition of URL Weekly, Senior Video Producer Shreen Khan discusses the Green Party, with reporting by TANTV Studios and AsAmNews. Will Jill Stein and Butch Ware attract a critical mass on November 5 — or is it a wasted vote as some claim?

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