Here, there, everywhere! And that means the Holiday season is about to pounce. Did you know there are only SEVEN full work weeks left in 2017? The rest are sprinkled with holidays and time off to celebrate. But of course we’re not as naive as to think that the remaining weeks will be a walk in the park. As most of us know, this is by far the busiest time of year for us. If ever there were a time to kick hustle into full gear, it would be for the remainder of the year.

That being said, it’s important to keep burnout well at bay during this time of year. I thought I’d take this opportunity to draw attention back to the 10-minute break. Though for Ops it’s semi-mandatory and even scheduled into daily itineraries, a lot of us over here on the office side of things often forget or skip this break. Here are 3* reasons why you should recommit to the 10 minute break:

1. In very simple terms, the brain has two “modes.” The “focus mode” and the “diffuse mode,” and in short, they’re not supposed to stay in the focus mode for extended periods of time. Our brains were wired to be vigilant to ensure our survival, and can easily become unfocused and inefficient if forced to be in “focus mode” for too long. Good news is that it just takes a short break to reset the mode and refocus.
2. The “diffuse mode,” is also known as the daydreaming mode. Studies have actually shown that during daydreaming, more parts of the brain “wake up” and becomes active as your mind wanders, sparking creativity and fresh ideas. In contrast, keeping your brain in focus mode limits your inventiveness and originality.
3. And lastly, taking a quick break here and there throughout the day helps us to refocus as we come out of the weeds of the project and reevaluate priorities.
4. *Bonus Reason in one word: LOVESAC

I always thought my dad was the reason that I fell in love with basketball at a young age, learned to throw a football and swing a golf club by the time I was 8, and why I willingly chose SportsCenter over cartoons by the time I was 10. But after my grandma passed away Friday morning, I did a lot of thinking and reflecting this weekend on the things she meant to our family and everything I got from her.

While my dad played an incredibly influential role and was certainly an amazing vessel for all the sports knowledge and abilities I have, I realized it was really my grandma who gave those gifts to me through my dad.

In high school, she was a member of the first ever female basketball team at her high school in Kansas. These were the days when women wore skirts as part of the uniform and not all players were even allowed to cross half court, but she was an incredible trailblazer of the sport and a huge part of the reason why I was able to play basketball - in shorts and a jersey and across half court - starting in elementary school.

She graduated from Kansas and her Jayhawk pride ran deep - up until the end, she was still engaging in verbal trash talk with me every year that Kentucky and Kansas played (and when we beat Kansas to win the national championship in 2012, you can bet that I never stopped rubbing it in). Having spent her adult life in LA, she was a big Lakers fan and never hesitated to remind me of the championships the Lakers stole from my Kings (which effectively ruined my childhood). And, never one to miss a good game, the last time I got to see her two Sundays ago, she was watching the morning Raiders game - true to form.

There are so many things that I appreciate her for, but the ways that she both directly and indirectly influenced my love of sports and the ways that she quite literally trailblazed a path for me to fall in love with basketball is something I'll never be able to thank her enough for. Take time this week to identify and acknowledge and appreciate those in your life who are directly responsible for making you who you are.

Hey, SlideBelts fam!

Does anybody else feel scared today for no reason other than it's Friday the 13th? There's a chance that you may have friggatriskaidekaphobia. A word deriving from the combination of the words Frigg, the Norse goddess from whom Friday is named in English, and triskaidekaphobia which is the fear of the number 13.

Experts say that friggatriskaidekaphobia affects millions of people.

Triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13, is even more widespread. Most hospitals and highrise buildings skip the 13th floor. As well as most airports, not having the 13th gate. It is also believed in some parts of the world that having 13 people at the dinner table is bad luck. 

Have a great weekend and stay safe everybody!