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It’s no surprise that health is at the front of nearly everyone’s mind right now, and you may be curious about what your options are when it comes to taking more time off than just a few sick days. While many of us have a vague awareness that medical leave exists, you might not know exactly how it works. (Yes, it can be intimidating; no, it’s not just you.)

To clear up any confusion off the bat: All companies with 50 or more employees, as well as public agencies and public and private schools, are legally required to grant 

 (people who’ve worked for the employer for 12 months and for 1,250 hours within those 12 months) up to 12 weeks of medical leave a year, per the Family and Medical Leave Act. But it’s important to note that this law doesn’t apply to everyone, and leave still may not be simple to take for those it does.

Owen L., a former software engineer for a tech company*, took medical leave from August to December 2021. I emailed him to talk through the highs and lows of making that happen. Read on for his firsthand tips for pursuing it, moving through the process, and, of course, making sure you take care of yourself.

Medical leave is for everyone, not just “exceptional” cases

If your condition is seriously getting in the way of you having a productive work day, then medical leave is for you. The point of this right is that your job will be protected while you take the time you need—within the federal law’s 12-week stipulation. Know that you may not get paid depending on the specifics of your company’s policy, but your healthcare benefits will continue. 

“I don’t remember the exact moment that I learned about taking medical leave, but I think it was during my first few months working at my then-employer,” Owen explains. “I remember thinking ‘Oh, it isn’t just reserved for a very tiny selection of people who are on their literal deathbeds?’”

Medical leave can be for anything from a mental health issue to any kind of physical ailment that gets in the way of your ability to perform your job. A sudden, severe accident or illness, a significant chronic health condition, or recovery from a major surgery (along with an endless range of other situations) would all qualify.

Know your story and be ready to put it to paper

When applying for paid leave, be sure to have documentation from your medical doctor of the issues you’re experiencing (such as a letter and/or redacted medical report)—and have it ready with as much advance notice as possible. Talk to your doctor about what they think, both in terms of the scope of your leave and how to best explain why you qualify for it.

Owen’s psychiatrist, for instance, signed off on the relevant attestations describing his mental-health situation. Still, his first application was denied. After talking to others who’d taken leave from his company (through an anonymous forum for employees), it became clear he’d need to provide a more spelled-out narrative of why this break was necessary.

The lesson: Even if you’re denied, consider reapplying with different or stronger documentation. Review your paperwork for missing info, and check with the party processing it for any clerical errors or feedback. (If it’s really a “no,” you can still pursue unpaid leave, if that’s viable for you.)

If your condition is seriously getting in the way of having a productive work day, then medical leave is for you.

Tell your team as much or as little as you want

You’re legally entitled to medical privacy at work, so talking to your team is up to you. Love your boss? Go ahead and share anything you want to about your leave, but you aren’t obligated to. “I just made a meeting with my manager and was like, ‘I’m going on medical leave for two months, maybe longer,’” says Owen. “I was really vague because I felt kind of self-conscious about it, but I also knew there was no expectation for me to say anything past that.”

Owen adds: “My manager responded by being like, ‘Oh god, I hope you’re okay! Definitely take the time you need.’ Overall, it’s probably the ideal response.” With coworkers, Owen was more open about what he was going through and even asked another coworker who’d also just taken leave for advice about how to approach it. This support made the whole thing seem less like an elephant in the room.

Figure out what you’ll need to return to work successfully

Leave can also be an opportunity to plan out how to prioritize your health when you do go back to work, whether those are support services you need at your job, changes in how you personally approach work, or other measures. Owen spent some of his time away figuring out how to steer his career in a direction that would minimize stress. “That time to rest and reassess everything was so important,” he says.

You can make an action plan for your return to work by thinking about if you need any new accommodations in your role. This might mean proposing or requesting things like switching to remote work, changing your schedule, or requiring more accessible tools and spaces in your workplace. You may even need to switch jobs within your company depending on the nature of your leave, which is also a protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Upon his return, Owen reports, “People were generally understanding that I would need some time to ‘ramp back up,’ which was helpful.” If you’re overwhelmed getting back into things, talk with your manager and team about your plan to ease in and what that timing could look like. Coming back to work shouldn’t be scary; start fresh with a work-life balance that works for you.

*Owen’s departure from the company didn’t have to do with his taking time away from work.

So You’re Curious About Medical Leave

Athletic superstars may endorse the benefits of breakfast (thanks to the cereal industrial complex), but most of us non-Olympians would rather hit snooze than plan beyond a black coffee and questionably brown banana. The good news is, you don’t need two hours and Serena’s skills to make a breakfast fit for champions. Try one of these under-30 minute breakfast options next time you need to quiet your symphony of stomach growls (yes, we can hear it on the 9am Zoom).

Wishing you were on a warm beach halfway across the world, instead of robotically replying, “Yes, I can see your screen?” Try this for a 5-minute vacation: Find some plantains (check out your bodega or specialty grocery store), or a couple bananas will do. Slice your plantains lengthwise or diagonally, so you end up with pointed ovals. Melt a pat of butter in your pan, toss in the plantains, and cook until everything starts looking golden and syrupy.

If you’re using bananas, be sure to coat them lightly with brown sugar before you cook. Now drop them on top of a bowl of your favorite yogurt, then bless the whole situation with some crunch. We like a handful of toasted nuts or coconut, but do you. (Full recipe 

This one goes out to all the hard-working souls who deal with kids, a dog, or a side gig on top of their commute every morning. (Bonus if too much of your paycheck is going to your daily 

 habit.) The night before, grab a muffin tin and coat the cups generously with cooking spray (asking your kids to smear olive oil on with their fingers totally counts) before filling about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way with your usual scrambled egg mixture.

Top with bacon and shredded cheddar, or play Ina cooking for Jeffrey with some prosciutto and chopped broccoli rabe. Bake until the egg sets and begins to fill each cup, about 20 minutes. Once they’re done to your liking, take them out and let cool for 5 minutes at room temp before you stick them in the fridge. Pop a couple of these one-bite wonders in the middle of drop-off line drama or while being pulled down the street by your Great Dane mix. Not stealing another pack of your kid’s Pop-Tarts sounds like a win to us.

Chinese Fried Soy-Sauce Eggs (With Congee)

Your boss unexpectedly canceled the first meeting of the day, *air fist pump*. Or, you’re in a procrastination spiral for an assignment that’s due by noon. Either way, treat yourself (deadlines are hard!) with some morning umami via this no-brainer fried-egg upgrade. 

Heat a glug or two of oil in a pan and crack in your eggs. Don’t skip heating your pan first; it’s the trick to getting those nice, crispy edges. Once the yolks are about set, pour on a few drops of low-sodium soy sauce so the flavor gets a chance to soak into said crispy edges. Eat plain, or serve over 

. Feeling your Emily Mariko-influenced self? Sprinkle on some chopped scallions and chili crisp, or drizzle on sesame oil to taste.

Waking up at 8:50am for a 9am conference call is one of those moments that helps us appreciate WFH life, even despite the brief emotional crisis upon waking. Once you’ve found your laptop and located the meeting link to click at the ready, pop open a box of pancake mix and make the batter according to the directions on the package. 

Drop the batter in small pancake-sized dollops onto a microwave-safe plate and nuke for 45 seconds to start. Check them; maybe add some chocolate chips or rainbow sprinkles because you deserve it. Continue to microwave for 15-second increments until your tester fork comes out clean. Now turn that camera off, and leave the walk for a $7 croissant to tomorrow.

If it’s only Wednesday but you’ve already woken up twice thinking it’s Friday, go ahead and pretend you’re brunching on a Saturday. This sophisticated, 2.0 toast is a fresh option when avocado toast has started to feel a little plebeian (the horror). This gem, discovered while spelunking through 

, is a smart way to make use of any particularly oily, ready-made pesto, not to mention a great time-saver. 

Simply plop some pesto (slightly less than a dollop, but more than you think) in place of oil when cooking your eggs. You’ll end up with an incredibly herby, eggy topping for your favorite crusty bread. Top it off with red pepper flakes to give things a kick. And if you’re offended by the idea of avocado being played out, go ahead and add it!

Now that your #fitfam coworker has finally convinced you to try keto, give this healthy (masochistic?) take on an everything bagel with cream cheese a shot. It tastes kind of like a Philadelphia sushi roll without the rice, and with way more pepper crunch. 

Slice open a bell pepper lengthwise, clean out the insides, and spread on your cream cheese. The vegan kind works fine, if you want to talk about it incessantly later. (Just kidding, we’re actually deeply invested in the tofu vs. other subs debate.) Top with everything bagel seasoning and your cured meat of choice, like soppressata. As with a lot of things, the spicier, the better.

6 Non-Boring Breakfasts You Can Make in Under 30 Minutes 

We could reasonably be accused of spinning the content wheel and landing on “horoscopes” this week (SEO is a harsh mistress). But it’s also nice to let go of any illusion that we’re really in control of what’s going on in the universe, let alone the factors determining our daily lives toiling at dual monitors. Cosmos take the wheel, baby!

One thing we do know is what it feels like to tell ourselves, with the best intentions, that we just need to make it through this week. But refilling our tanks doesn’t just magically happen in our precious off-hours. To that end, when you’re down to 5% charge physically, mentally, and emotionally, try these celestially aligned ways to decompress, recalibrate your work-life balance, and refuel your snap-crackle-pop. To be clear, we’re not certified astrologists—just extra.


The literal goats of the zodiac rule the house of career, achievement, and public image, which explains why you’re always getting a shoutout on the all-hands. But rapid firing emails before the bodega’s even open takes its toll. 

Recognition is your love language, so take the time to be your 

 hype person: Write a fake award speech for your wins this week (guarantee the jokes will hit). Your sign craves structure and boundaries too, so set hard cut-off times to prioritize quality time with the S.O., on Fridays, and before that big bach weekend.


The sauntering water bearer, you bring healing, life-giving vibes while irrigating groovy, progressive ideas. Between creative directing your org’s “sick” sustainability campaign and strategizing its social-impact investments, you’re pretty much a professional do-gooder. But don’t forget to water your own seeds, literally. 

 Hit up the community garden function or river-cleanup hoedown to honor your ruling house of networking. Fill your cup with gossip from the mutual-aid cronies and neighborhood eccentrics; the revolution can wait ’til tomorrow.


 you. You’re the Meryl Streep of work experience, with the emotional intelligence, the intuition, and the range. But your tendency to slip between fantasy—you’re just doing this while building up your travel-influencer TikTok—and the fluorescent-lit reality of corporate life can be exhausting. 

Feed your sensitive soul with an emo, arty moment. Scribble out a poem about the beauty of direct deposit, craft a bitching “boss energy” playlist, or write a spicy love letter to a hot coworker. (A plea from HR: 

 terrified of you, Aries. You stay crushing sales goals, you won the holiday pie bake-off, and you relegated us to alternates on the softball team (okay, fair on that one). Your borderline-unsettling ambition is why you’re on the fast track to the C-suite...and burnout. 

To serve your ruling house of self after a punishing week of pitches, race to be first in line for whatever shiny new thing you’re dying to flex: a selfie at the next Chapel Bar, rare tickets to that Bushwick designer’s interactive show, or a freshly minted cartoon-wallaby NFT.


Taurus lords over income, money, and self-esteem, so it makes sense you’re lined up for a big fat bonus and know you’re worth it. Whether you’re a finance guru, seven-figure entrepreneur, or in-demand life coach, you’re all about self-investment. You’re probably reading this from your weekly wine-and-romance novel bath, but don’t forget to serve your senses through nature too. 

 Taurus bulls bliss out in serene landscapes, so plan an indulgent picnic or trip upstate. Splay out in the grass, devour a $15 hunk of Manchego, and be bullish on staying a little longer.

In the busy-ness Olympics, you’re a gold medalist, Gemini. Your celestial motif is twins, because you’re so interested in everything and everyone you need a clone to get to it all. At work, you’re a comms queen/king/royal who’s quick to share what you think, making you a talented multi-hyphenate in fields like marketing, publishing, and politics. 

Nothing quickens your pulse like being in the thick of things, so why not start an anonymous, tell-all industry Instagram account? Or gift yourself a deep dive into some niche celeb drama—it’s the little things.


Work from home was made for nesting-forward Cancers. Remote or not, you’re a pie-in-the-sky ideas machine with the follow through to actually get things done—you’ll happily go big 

 go home. But when roadblocks thwart your labors of love or your boss takes your shine for granted, the pincers jump out. 

 Put your work phone on airplane mode and retreat to your “shell” to ride out a mood. Burrito-wrap yourself in a weighted blanket, light a seance's worth of scented candles, and assemble the ultimate treat-yourself snack spread.

Presenting in themed costume when absolutely no one asked for it. Making an unscheduled toast at the Friday bagel breakfast. It takes a lot of steam to be the most passionate person in the room, and let’s be real, being the team cheerleader can be an uphill battle right now. 

 Take a break from the role of wildly optimistic, gives-it-all leader and revel in the spotlight on your own terms. Steal the mic at karaoke all night, or do a “challenge” (think: ice bucket, milk crate) and post the living daylights out of it.

Your meetings are tighter than your pre-pandemic jeans, and your decks could sell Google Docs to Microsoft. Perfectionism is your fight song, Virgo, and the devil really can be in the details. 

Step away from the spreadsheet (yes, stop over-analyzing the thing in your head too), and work something just-for-fun into your laminated daily routine. Maybe it’s channeling Virgo sister Padma and cooking a weird new recipe, or getting into funky rug tufting. The messier the project, the more you'll get out of your silly little head. 

 like a toxic trait, Libra. Balance and symmetry are the key to your final form; just check the color-coded budget sheet you made. You’re all about connecting with anyone and everyone, which makes you the go-to project mediator, happy-hour organizer, and everyone’s favorite Slack buddy. 

Dominated by the house of partnership, you’re a softie at heart. For a power boost, pour some TLC into a one-on-one relationship—throw your bestie an impromptu party for dumping their ex, or surprise your kid with a “yes to everything” day.

No one at work’s quite cracked your code yet, wise and mysterious Scorpio. But thanks to your intense magnetism, you probably could’ve gotten their buy-in on an instant blood-test machine or a $47 billion coworking-startup valuation. Maybe you’re a trend forecaster, a hot-shot investor, or a firebrand CEO; even if you ran a high-stakes Animal Crossing ring, we’d follow your ballsy, prophetic lead. 

Intimacy and emotional energy are your oxygen, so seek out meaningful bonds. Join a support group for recovering mansplainers, gather your people for the cookout/hot pot/carne asada, or call up the friend who makes you go, "damn, that's real." 


Okay Katniss, we see you firing off new initiatives like arrows to your work-nemesis’ heart. These symbolic archers are info junkies and insatiable adventure heads. Major giveaway: Your bio includes "digital nomad on the thought leadership circuit." Your free-thinker vibes might not be for everyone, but living out loud is your primary M.O. 

When the board doesn’t see the genius in your latest breakthrough, finally start that truth bomb-packed podcast/vlog. Or there’s always the next swami-led, biohacking surf retreat, man. 

How to Reset Your Work-Life Balance, According to Your Sign

This much we know: Despite the pseudo-serotonin of “breaking” headlines, glossy images, and insanely cute animal clips, social media causes FOMO, turns us into “likes” monsters, and can make us feel inadequate in general. Plus, it exacerbates mental health issues like anxiety and depression. But for most of us with a pulse and a phone, social media is part of our daily routine. (Cue me tapping into my third cousin’s ex-girlfriend’s 2018 vacation “highlight.”)

Logging off at the end of the day—and disconnecting mentally—can be tough, but there are ways to reclaim your headspace and stop the endless scrolling. And who better to advise than a few social media pros who make their living online.

“For me, the balance that has helped has been removing Twitter from my phone and only using it on my desktop,” says Addy Baird, a political reporter who uses social media to follow trending topics and communicate with sources. This, she says, keeps her interaction with the platform “more purposeful and limited, rather than just habitual use.”

Lots of social platforms still exist on desktop, but they’re often clunkier, so it’s harder to get sucked into an endless scroll hole.

If you can't bear to fully delete an overused app from your phone—whether it’s Tinder or Slack—the next best option is to hide it from yourself. Peter Slattery, a social editor for Morning Brew, puts his social apps into random folders on his phone when he’s off the clock. Often, he says, “I find myself tapping on apps by reflex outside of work hours, so hiding it counteracts the impulse. You get used to which folder it’s in, but it works for a little bit.”

Hypothesis: If you tell enough people that you’re logging off, it will eventually become true.

To help you snap out of impulsively tapping into a given app, try installing a barrier to the sweet, sweet adrenaline rush of seeing how many people commented on your homemade five-layer cake. Enter screen time limits: When you’ve hit your self-restricted time allotment on an app, a bouncer-like screen stops you from going any further. (On an iPhone, just go to Settings, then Screen Time.)

“Around the holidays last year, I set one-minute screen time limits on my email and Slack,” says Addy. “I noticed I was compulsively using them even while not working. I have to override it on work days, but when I’m off, that little barrier to entry definitely helps keep me offline.” If you’re not ready to press the “one more minute” button 30 times a day, set yours to 10 minutes or half an hour and hope the disruption is annoying enough to prevent a longer binge.

Hypothesis: If you tell enough people that you’re logging off, it will eventually become true. Peter says, “I set pretty clear boundaries with my boss about when I’m on and offline.” Not everyone can log off exactly at 5 pm, but you can be honest with your manager around when you’re quieting notifications after reasonable work hours.

With friends who expect you to reply to their Snap upon delivery, try just saying something like, “I probably won’t look at messages or DMs during work or when I’m spending time with other people. I like to stay present with what I’m doing, but I promise to answer later if not immediately.” If an app match sends you a late-night message, set expectations by being consistent in responding the next day.

Another tip from Peter: “I keep my work computer in one room and personal computer in another. I’m not logged into work accounts on my personal phone nor on my personal computer.” The philosophical question here is, naturally,

 If someone Slacks me and I have no way to see it, is it really an emergency?

While you may not have two computers, we can all practice a little physical distance from our devices. Run to the bodega without your phone or challenge yourself to keep it across the room for a few hours—let your dog sit on it, lose it while you make your bed, or hide it in a bookshelf if it helps. Realize that actually, it’s fine to “miss” whatever latest update.

When you’re feeling drained with a social media hangover, remind yourself that what you’re seeing on these apps isn’t “real.” That flawless influencer used three different filtering apps to look that good, that stunning dinner-party spread was cold by the time it was photographed, and that scene queen is a sweet, anxious introvert in reality.

“I have a mental boundary around social media,” says Emerson Obus, who manages social media for musical artists through a marketing agency. “I’m hyper-aware of how far it is from real life because I post on other people’s behalf.”

When you’re feeling something over a high school friend’s post, call them to catch up. Always favoriting a friend of a friend’s tweets? See if they want to hang out. Instead of giving in to the simulacrum of a social life, partake in yours for real. At the very least, you’ll end up on your phones…together.


6 Tips for Taking a Break From Social Media 

Office life isn’t usually synonymous with “oddly satisfying,” but stay with me! Yes, the traditional workplace experience has been known to include liminal space aesthetics, awkward cubicle silences, and a lot of uncomfortable plastic chairs, but the past few years have been 

. And lots of us have learned to appreciate life in new, earnest ways. Dare we say, finding beauty and fulfillment in the smallest, simplest moments is a real thing?

So next time you’re in the zone—calls, emails, deadlines, deliverables—or cut off from the world by the blinders of screens and earbuds, remind yourself to pause, look up, and tune in. Take a deep breath and bask in the unexpectedly soothing sights, sounds, and rhythms of the workplace. Some of the pleasant stimuli happening all around you (even on a dread-filled Tuesday):

 of heels along tiled floors, announcing the PR team’s arrival (most likely).

Belabored grinding noises from the coffee machine, followed by that delicious-smelling drip. Mmmm.

The musical clatter of your fingers dancing across a keyboard. (Never forget the deep clack of an old-school mechanical one, swoon.)

Crunching into your overpriced, “premiums”-topped salad after surviving the peak-time line at the fast casual spot. (Devour, critique, do it all again tomorrow.)

Heroically pushing the kitchen microwave open at 0:01. Yep, give your number to the bomb squad.

 of the elevator as it hits every floor during the morning rush. Worth the wait, honestly.

 of the AC blasting in July, as you juggle between your short-sleeved shirt and designated office sweater.

The comforting hug of that office-chair sweater—and the satisfaction of being prepared for summer’s AC freeze.

Warm printer paper. Snap up those reports to give them a quick caress, who’s watching?

The scratch of a 0.05 ink pen through your latest to-do. (If using a real notebook seems impractical, know there are 

The break in atmospheric silence when a conference room lets out in a burst of movement and chatter. “Oh yeah, I 

When the slight resistance of your mouse’s scroll wheel is exactly right.

, pens lined up to the right, cell phone aligned to the left, sticky notes stacked, cords rolled and wrapped; these are what deskscape dreams are made of.

Stapling anything. That’s it, that’s the oddly satisfying office thing.

Finding the new WiFi password (Au937XYZ927p27$&@#$&^$#%@#, naturally) printed and posted for all to see.

When the organizing system actually works: the perfectly labeled Google Drive folders, the alphabetized filing cabinets, the Excel sheet that just. makes. sense.

A lighthearted sigh at the top or end of a video call. We’ve all had a day :)

Popping a can of pamplemousse seltzer when you’re jonesing for a fizz. Insert your favorite flavor (except coconut, never coconut).

Gently closing the top of your laptop at the end of the day. 

20 Oddly Satisfying Sights and Sounds of the Office

Focus can be hard in the digital age. When you log into work in the morning, the notifications can feel overwhelming. As Lady Gaga would say, “Every night. No sleep! Bus, club, 'nother club, 'nother club, plane, next place.” But more like, “Email, Twitter notification, Slack message, another Slack message, lunch at your desk, next meeting.” Getting into deep work can be difficult.

But then I look at Willow, my tiny cat. Every day she sits by the windowsill for hours, body tense and alert, watching the birds come to my fire escape. While she has never been an outdoor cat, there’s something in her brain that tells her to be on high alert, high focus for hours a day. It’s inspiring! I wish I could do it. But instead of giving in to jealousy, I’ve decided to learn from her.

My cat’s prime time for bird watching is when I’m working at my desk quietly a few feet away. The quiet is key. It’s way too hard for her to focus when I’m on a call or I need to make my bed so my meeting background isn’t dirty sheets. In general, finding a space to stay still and be quiet is key to really focusing.

2. Willow doesn’t need the internet all the time, do you?

My cat hates computers. If I leave my laptop near her she’ll sit on the keyboard until it overheats and turns off. Maybe she’s a Ludditte, but (as we know) Luddittes were kind of right. Maybe try a pad of paper and a pen if you really need some time to think. I promise, the real world can just be as engaging as the internet—especially if you’re hunting birds.

3. Set goals and dedicate yourself to them

While my cat will probably never meet her goal of catching a bird on my fire escape because I do have a window and a screen, her daily dedication is inspiring.

When the sun starts to set upsettingly early and it’s almost feeding hour, Willow knows it’s time to take a break. She’ll be back tomorrow, but you can’t force focus. Have a snack, take a nap, run around the house at a terrifying speed with your claws out. Then come back the next day with your energy replenished.

How to Focus on Work as Well as My Cat Focuses on Watching Birds 

By now we all at least vaguely know that sitting for long hours (aka all day, every day), repetitive motions like keyboard clacking, and bad posture are a way to slowly turn your body into an achy hellscape. Scientists say stretching multiple times a day is helpful in a 

, from increasing blood flow to helping with conditions like depression. So we rounded up a few common stretches to try next time we catch ourselves in one of these compromising work-chair positions.

You know your body best, so don’t try anything that doesn’t feel good to you. Check with someone with legit credentials on performing any and all stretches correctly and safely.

A simple move to start with is a nice hip stretch to loosen up your lower body. To start, sit with your feet flat on the floor. Then bring your right foot to your left knee and lift your upper body to stretch. Hold for a few seconds and then switch. Doesn’t that feel a little better?

If your hands are stuck in a claw position

It’s time to stretch those wrists and paws. Stretch both hands out in front of you with clenched fists, then make circles with each hand in the air for a few seconds. Change your rotation direction after 10 seconds. Now get back to furiously typing up that memo for your boss, or that tweet you’ve been wordsmithing for 20 minutes.

It’s hard to keep good posture while sitting down, but there are stretches to help. Elongate the muscles in your neck with a cervical lateral bend. It’s easier than it sounds: Sit up straight and flex your neck to bring your ear towards your shoulder. Hold it there for a few seconds and then switch.

Some of the best stretches are the ones where it feels like you’re folding in on yourself. Try a seated forward fold if you simply need a moment to collapse. Sit with your feet flat on the floor and knees together. As you exhale, round your shoulder and bend towards your legs. Let your head and arms drop naturally.

If you can’t turn your head when the barista calls out your coffee order

As Chubby Checker would attest, sometimes you have to just twist it out. Keep your feet flat on the floor, facing forward. Rest one hand on the back of your chair. Twist your body in the direction of the arm resting on the back of your chair. Hold the pose for 10 to 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.


5 Simple Stretches for Your Biggest Work Posture Problems 

The world isn’t made for people who stay up all night. Sure, the 9 am to 5 pm work day was a revolutionary step forward for labor protections… when it was invented in 1938… for factory workers. But now most of us are at desks staring at blue light all day. We know now that some people, about 20% of the population according to popular sources, are just wired to work better at night.

We asked a few chronic late-to-bed, late-to-rise types how they make it through their early-start (yes, early to them!) day jobs and deal with coworkers who keep scheduling meetings before their first cup of coffee.

One of the keys to being a night owl seems to be just accepting that you’re a night owl. Instead of forcing yourself into a sleep schedule that doesn’t work for you, just lean into the chaos if you can. Make use of the time you’re most productive and schedule your life around it.

“I am trying to accept and shift my schedule accordingly,” says Miranda H., a copy editor in the Pacific Northwest. “Waking up at 10 am doesn’t affect my work so there's no need to beat myself up just because I think I ‘should’ start work at 9 am.”

Use your 9-to-5 for meetings and “musts”

Focus “standard” hours on collaborative work rather than creative or solo work. While you should probably avoid scheduling early morning meetings, we’re going to assume you’re at least up by noon. That still leaves five solid conventional hours you can work with others, and no one has to know you were up until 4 am last night “doing work” or “watching Vine compilations on Youtube.”

Miranda uses time at night to set herself up for the next day, reading and journaling before bed so she can skip a long morning routine and get straight into work. Similarly, Anikè, a model in New York City, shares, “If there’s something I can get done at night, then I’ll do it then. I wake up at 10 am regardless of what time I go to bed, so anything that can’t get done in the nighttime, like meetings or phone calls, I just do it during normal hours.”

Consider a weird sleep schedule, on purpose

Not everyone needs to—or wants to!—sleep eight hours straight-through during the night. If you’re willing to try, play around with what a DIY, nontraditional sleep schedule could look like for you. 

“For a while I had to wake up at 4:30 every morning,” says Zach, a nutrition student and former chef. “My strategy at that time was to go to sleep around 1 am and get three-ish hours of sleep, then work, and then take a three-ish hour nap after work. I actually felt pretty good doing that as long as I was pretty disciplined about doing it.”

The world isn’t made for you, you beautiful freak of nature. Take a nap in the middle of the day; sleep for only a few hours; revel in the fact that you simply weren’t built for the (thankfully starting to evolve) systems supporting traditional labor. Some of the best artists and creatives of our time had unorthodox sleep schedules. (Kafka’s insomnia is well-documented, for one.) So while we can’t say what’s right for you health-wise, it’s worth experimenting outside of prescribed norms if they don’t actually work for you in the first place.