EDITION 994
6 NOVEMBER 2023

There is no escaping it: too much news is bad for you. It should come with a government health warning: “This intellectual diet is fine taken in small doses, and preferably in weekly instalments, via a well-balanced newsletter, such as 10 things from William Montgomery."

So, as another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. Please feel free to share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can also subscribe, learn and engage. I would be very grateful if you did.

William Montgomery
Editor and CEO of TEN

1. How to voice your complaint. For any organisation to thrive, employees need to be able to question how things are done and express dissent. But no one wants to hear grievances. If you have an opinion to share, do it carefully. READ MORE

2. Recession risk next year. The Bank of England has warned Britain risks falling into recession next year. In a "bleak assessment" for 2024, Threadneedle Street policymakers "slashed forecasts for UK growth to zero". Although the Bank's central forecast is no growth next year, there is a 50% chance of a recession by the middle of 2024. This means that "even in a best-case scenario", Rishi Sunak will preparing for a general election battle "against the backdrop of a stagnant economy" and an “extended period” of higher borrowing costs. Daily Telegraph

3. How unwell is unwell at work? When illness strikes, do you power through work no matter what or take the day off? New research from UK consultancy Robertson Cooper prescribes something in between. The study identifies three modes of working while unwell. "Pragmatic presence" tackles critical tasks at near total productivity, while "therapeutic presence" involves lighter duties that still provide social benefits. But unhealthy "presenteeism" – dragging yourself in just to show everyone you are around – helps no one. The ideal is for managers to prescribe the first two approaches and discourage presenteeism as it could help cut absence rates and boost well-being. Financial Times

4. The magic of a 22-minute exercise. Sitting for long periods, we are often told, is bad for our health; indeed, a new study has found that sitting for more than 12 hours a day - easily done if you have an office job and a long commute - increases the chances of an early death. But there is good news: it takes just 22 minutes of exercise to undo the damage done by the sedentary lifestyle. The likelihood of an early death is reduced by every minute of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) - and eliminated altogether by 22 minutes a day. Mowing the lawn, brisk walking, or gardening all count as MVPA. British Journal of Sports Medicine

5. The easy way to keep your heart healthy? Climbing stairs. Scientists have found that climbing 50 stairs a day, or just five flights, could slash your risk of heart disease by  20%. They analysed data from 450,000 UK adults, looking at their family history or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [ASCVD] and how often they climbed stairs. After 13 years, those who climbed stairs more had a lower chance of heart disease. The effect was largest in people at low risk. But for those at higher risk it still showed a benefit. ASCVD is cause by the build-up of cholesterol plaque in arteries. Cardiovascular diseases such as ASCVD are the planet’s leading cause of death, taking 17.9 million lives a year; a third of them under 70. Stairs could therefore be an easy way of keeping fit, since they’re public and freely available. World Economic Forum

6. Dementia on the rise. There could be 1.7 million people with dementia in England and Wales by 2040, a new study has warned. This is 42% higher than an earlier prediction, of 1.2 million cases. The research, based on data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and published in The Lancet Public Health, notes that incidence of the condition fell from 2002 to 2008, but rose from 2008 to 2016. If this trend continues, there will be roughly twice as many with dementia in 2040 as there are today. Guardian

7. X [formerly Twitter] one year on. It is a year since Elon Musk took control of Twitter, promising to “supercharge” the struggling social media platform. What’s actually been achieved? Twitter, now X, is certainly leaner: 80% of employees have been laid off. It has also “drastically eased restrictions on content”, in line with Musk’s commitment to “free speech absolutism”, and introduced subscription services. The downside is a drop in ad revenues and daily active users (down 16%) - plus $13bn of debt taken on during the takeover. Musk still reckons he can turn X into a “super-app”. But right now, the numbers look bad. By Musk’s own estimate, Twitter’s value has fallen from $44bn to $19bn. Daily Telegraph

8. What's your word of 2023? Dictionary publisher Collins has named "AI" as the most notable word of the year ahead of "nepo baby", "debanking" and "greedflation". Lexicographers put AI, which stands for artificial intelligence, at the top of the list after looking at a range of sources including social content and realising that use of the term has quadrupled over the past year. The Collins announcement comes as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosts an AI Safety Summit for 100 world leaders, tech CEOs, academics and AI researchers to evaluate how best to maximise the benefits of the technology, while ensuring it remains safe. BBC

9. How festive habits are changing. Are you among the third of Brits who celebrate Christmas intending to purchase a second "show tree" this year? And when do you plan on buying it? New research from John Lewis sheds light on changing Christmas habits, including a longer lead-time between putting up decorations and the big day itself. The extension of festivities only applies to the pre-Christmas build up, with many now opting to dispense with paraphernalia before New Year’s Day. Among the retailer’s other findings was that Christmas Day is becoming a more casual affair for younger Britons, with more opting for comfy clothes and pyjamas than “sparkles, bright colours and bold clothing”. Guardian

10. The bottom line. In the UK there are some 3.8 million people in this country who lack the means to pay for at least two life essentials, such as shelter, heating, lighting, clothing or more than one meal a day. Joseph Rowntree Foundation