EDITION 829
3 AUGUST 2020

As another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. This newsletter is sent to 50,000+ subscribers each Monday at 10am. Please share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can subscribe, learn and engage. I'd be very grateful if you did.

1. How to fake the confidence you need. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and in over your head, the best way to power through is to pretend you’ve got the confidence you need to get something done. These strategies can help you fake it until you make it: READ MORE

2. Johnson threatens national lockdown as he pauses reopening. Boris Johnson has threatened a new national lockdown as he slammed the breaks on new freedoms due this past weekend amid fears of a full-blown resurgence of Covid-19. People shielding against coronavirus can now leave their home and return to work but a further easing of lockdown restrictions in England is postponed. England's chief medical officer warned the UK may have reached the limit on lifting lockdown as cases rise. BBC

3. Female executives boost profits. The nation's top companies are more profitable when more than one in three executive roles are held by women. That's according to new research from diversity and inclusion specialists The Pipeline, which suggests profit margins are more than 10 times greater at firms where at least a third of bosses are female. Currently, just 14 of FTSE 350 companies are led by women, while 15% have no female executives at all. The Times

4. Sun, sea and Skegness. Some 14 million adults in Britain intend to take a holiday in the country before the end of September as hopes rise for a new lease of life in England’s seaside resorts. Tourist board VisitBritain reports rising interest in domestic travel from families with young children, who - prior to the pandemic - would have gone abroad. In the first half of July, a leading booking site reported that Skegness had an 800% increase in bookings on its site year-on-year. Last week, Tui extended its cancelation of trips to Spain and its islands in response to government quarantine measures. Daily Mail

5. Changes in lifestyle could delay or even prevent dementia, according to a new report. Experts say that excessive drinking, exposure to air pollution and head injuries all increase a person’s risk of dementia, adding that up to 40% of dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by addressing 12 lifestyle practices. Dementia is potentially preventable, and we reveal how in the wellbeing lesson of 10/10. LEARN MORE

6. Study finds men are performing more domestic tasks. Men are performing more domestic duties than ever, according to new research. The study found that men are spending an extra five-and-a-half hours a week on childcare and housework compared to 40 years ago, while women do nearly three hours less of domestic work. However, women still do 80% more cooking, cleaning and caring than men. Daily Express

7. Leisure time has dropped since 1970s. UK workers have less leisure time compared to 40 years ago, though average working hours have fallen, reports The Resolution Foundation. The thinktank found that the amount of time spent socialising has fallen due to a rise in unpaid work and active childcare. Men do more unpaid work than 40 years ago and less paid, while women do more paid, though still do more unpaid work than men on average. The report also warned of a disparity between income brackets, with paid work falling for those in lower income-households, who were also more likely to say they wanted more work. Daily Mail

8. Study finds Dominic Cummings scandal hit national unity. The scandal over Dominic Cummings’ trip to Durham damaged trust and caused the breakdown of national unity during lockdown, according to new research. The report from the thinktank British Future found that a new community spirit dissipated as the Cummings scandal emerged. It says the Cummings scandal was “a highly salient issue that appeared to damage trust in politicians”. The Telegraph

9. What the paper say today. Game-changing" is how the Daily Mail describes new coronavirus tests that can give results in 90 minutes. For the Times, they are a "significant boost" to control the virus as winter approaches, while the i says the quicker analysis should help schools reopening in September. Meanwhile, the Daily Express focuses on anger at the government for considering what campaigners call an "ageist" policy that could see people aged over 50 being asked to stay at home in order to prevent a second wave of the virus. Other potential "nuclear" options include London being sealed off, with the M25 ring road used as a "border", the Metro says. BBC

10. The bottom line. A poll has found that 42% of Brits fear their work-life balance has worsened because working from home means they find it difficult to switch off and they miss talking to their colleagues. The pandemic has left one-fifth longing for their commute as it gave them a chance to unwind before arriving at home in the evening. Metro