MIND CONTROL

Stress and worry have the potential to overrun our thoughts and cripple productivity if given the opportunity, but a new app is set to put them in their place for good. Based on a scientific strategy called “worry time”, Contain Your Brain helps train your brain to worry only during set times, compartmentalizing stress and freeing you up to get things done.

“Research shows that while telling yourself to stop worrying doesn’t work, telling yourself to postpone worry does,” says Dr Lillian Nejad, clinical psychologist and creator of Contain Your Brain. “So instead of letting worries take over your life, you set aside a specific time and place to worry. Soon you’ll be worrying less than 30 minutes a day.”

During your set worry time, the app allows you to organize and address your worry effectively with tips from an experienced clinical psychologist. If you’re after a workplace wellbeing strategy to help your team worry less, sleep better and improve focus and performance at work, Contain Your Brain is a great start.

“It’s been a real pleasure to develop an effective tool to help people spend less time worrying and more time living,” Nejad says.

Contain Your Brain is available at the App Store and Google Play.

Can’t Buy Happiness

If your bank statement is a regular cause for concern, don’t worry. New data from Open Study College in the United Kingdom found that those with the highest earning potential are considerably unhappier than those on smaller wages.

The nationwide survey found that those on a salary of between £50,000–£60,000 (US$54,000–$65,000) found the least enjoyment in their roles, while people earning between £30,000–£40,000 (US$32,000–$43,000) were more than twice as happy. The study also found that the happiest industries included social care and pharmaceuticals, while law, leisure and hospitality provided the least satisfaction.

Glad All Over

Thinking of pulling up stumps and moving? It could be time to head north. The World Happiness Report has named Finland as the happiest country in the world for the sixth consecutive year.

Factors that keep the Finns smiling include societal stability, a well-functioning democracy, free press and elections, low corruption and a significant degree of equality. Finland is also in the top 10 most innovative countries and boasts a highly skilled workforce, making it one of the world’s most active and successful business environments.

Shining Through

The threat of recession has followed closely behind the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the worst of the latter seems to be behind us, recession fears have grown, but not in every industry.

Forbes Advisor has gone through data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics and found that booksellers, PR agencies and interior design services are the businesses most likely to be recession-proof in 2023, while PR agencies, marketing consultancy services and food trucks have performed consistently well since 2008.

On the other end of the scale, restaurants, women’s fashion boutiques and vacation rentals are likely to be hardest hit by a recession.

Top 10 Countries for Women in Management

While the endeavor for gender equality in the workforce continues around the world, some countries have proven to be more progressive than others. The latest findings by Catalyst and TollFreeForwarding has determined the top 10 countries where female leadership has grown fastest since 2011 and how likely you are to have a woman in management.

1. Togo – 70.1%
2. Nigeria – 64.4%
3. Cook Islands – 59.8%
4. Laos – 59%
5. Burkina Faso – 58.1%
6. Jordan – 57.2%
7. Botswana – 56.7%
8. Jamaica – 56.7 %
9. Saint Lucia – 55.6%
10. Philippines – 53.4%