Duck Soup For The Soul

How To Pretend You’re Busy In A Zoom Room Let’s clear the air. Zoom meetings are not about productivity. They are about performance . They are modern office theatre—part Shakespeare, part surveillance, part low-resolution hostage situation. And if you’ve been working long enough, you already know the truth: looking busy often matters more than being busy. So here it is—a professional, motivational guide to surviving the Zoom Room with your dignity intact. First rule: master the face . Your expression should say, “I am deeply engaged,” not “I regret every life choice that led here.” Slight nodding is key. Not too enthusiastic—that’s suspicious. Not too still—that’s alarming. The perfect nod says, “Yes, I understand,” even when you’re mentally planning dinner. Glasses help. They add instant credibility. If you already wear them, congratulations—you’re halfway to management. Second rule: the strategic mute . Mute is power. Mute is control. Mute is how you chew, sigh, ...

The Stoic Guide To Screwing Up Gracefully Let’s be honest: nobody wakes up thinking, “Today feels like a great day to mess everything up.” And yet—here we are. Again. Missed deadlines. Bad decisions. Awkward conversations that replay in your head at 3 a.m. like a Netflix series you never asked to stream. Welcome to being human. Stoicism, despite what Instagram quotes might suggest, isn’t about being calm, emotionless, marble-statue people who glide through life untouched by disaster. Real Stoicism is far more practical—and far more useful—especially when things go sideways. It’s not about avoiding failure. It’s about failing without embarrassing yourself spiritually . Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: you will screw up. Repeatedly. Spectacularly. Sometimes in public. The Stoics saw this coming. That’s why they never promised success—only dignity. First rule of screwing up gracefully: drop the melodrama . You missed the opportunity. You said the wrong thing. Yo...