Improved performance

In 2011, Sean Duffy and Adrian James were sitting in San Francisco’s Dolores Park debating what to call some workers at the company they founded, Omada Health. Omada , which launched that year, provides virtual treatment for chronic conditions. The company addresses the conditions through a team of employees — some traditional clinicians and others meant to give encouragement to patients as they manage the day-to-day of hypertension, prediabetes, and other conditions. This second group was crucial, they thought. The founders ended up asking patients what title to use. Was this person a “concierge”? Patients thought that sounded like someone who helped with their bills. A “guide”? To what destination? The founders settled on “coach.” Patients liked the term: It suggested someone who could give support and make them “feel less alone,” Duffy said, as they dealt with their health challenges. This decision was an early marker in an eventual tech company trend. Since then, dozens … [Read more...] about Health care startups turn to ‘coaches’ to improve patient treatment

If you’re an investor (and I hope you are), it’s probably time for a mental check-in. How are you today? How do you feel about everything going on in the world? There are many reasons to be fearful or upset: Stocks are in a “bear market,” including well-known blue-chip companies. Bonds are getting pummeled. Inflation is at a 40-year high. Interest rates are rising. There’s a war in Ukraine. There are legitimate fears we are heading for a recession. Have these catalysts caused you to question your investments? Your financial plan? During times of stress, investors tend to fall back on emotion and a herd mentality. We default to behavior that seems “safe” but rarely serves us well. As a result, under even mild pressure, people generally make worse decisions. One study found something as innocuous as poor weather impacts investor behavior. On cloudy days there is an increase in the perceived overvaluation of the markets for both individual stocks and the market. This … [Read more...] about Improving Investor Behavior: Mindsets during volatile times

(BPT) - Consider this — for the same amount of time and energy required to strip, sand and stain a wood deck, you could replace those boards with composite decking and never again have to worry about upkeep. Designed for maximum durability and minimal maintenance, wood-alternative decking, like Trex , is resistant to fading, staining, scratching and mold, and just an occasional soap-and-water cleaning is all it takes to retain a “like-new” appearance for decades. Resurfacing a deck is a doable DIY project that can be completed in a weekend or two with just a little know-how and the help of a few friends. Simply follow these steps from the experts at Trex Academy to give your old wood deck a makeover with high-performance, hassle-free composite decking. 1. Remove old deck boards Start by removing any railing and prying up the existing deck boards. Leave the substructure and framing in place. 2. Clean the frame Ensure that all fasteners and hardware have been … [Read more...] about Take your deck from wood to wow with a composite decking makeover

If you’ve ever become lost in an activity—playing video games, running, or making art—you’ve noticed that you become completely immersed in the present moment, rising to the challenge of the experience without becoming bored, frustrated, or tired. Thoughts about the past, future, and even the self melt away. Time seems to fly by. You’re in the zone. This is the flow state, first described by late Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in the 1970s. Researchers have been chasing the concept ever since, trying to figure out how and why we enter the flow state and how we can get more of this inherently rewarding experience in our everyday lives, in both work and play. Flow is not only an enjoyable state, it is also seen as personally meaningful. “When the self loses itself in a transcendent purpose—whether to write great poetry, craft beautiful furniture, understand the motions of galaxies, or help children be happier—the self becomes largely invulnerable to the fears … [Read more...] about How the Flow State Keeps Us Creative, Focused, and Happy

0 Traffic & Transit Motorists will be directed to follow the posted detours south to Tamarack Road or north to 10th Street. William Bornhoft , Patch Staff Posted Reply WOODBURY, MN — Motorists on Interstate 94 in Woodbury and St. Paul will encounter detours and could experience delays this coming weekend due to road and ramp closures on the interstate. I-94 in Washington County Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, July 24, both directions of I-94 at the I-94/I-494/I-694 interchange in Woodbury will close to all traffic for demolition of a temporary bridge. All four loop ramps in the interchange also will close. Motorists will be directed to follow the posted detours south to Tamarack Road or north to 10th Street. The interstate and the interchange will reopen to traffic by 5 a.m. Monday, July 27. I-94 in St. Paul In addition to full closures at I-94/I-494/I-694 this weekend, Ramsey County will close both … [Read more...] about Prepare For I-94 Closures In Woodbury

0 Traffic & Transit The ramp had been reopened earlier this summer however, crews need more space to work in order to complete the project. William Bornhoft , Patch Staff Posted Reply WOODBURY, MN — Motorists in the Woodbury and Oakdale area will encounter a closure of the westbound Interstate 94 to northbound I-694 loop ramp. Drivers are asked to follow the posted detour using the interchange loops in order to bypass the closure. The ramp had been reopened earlier this summer however, crews need more space to work in order to complete the project. Crews expect to reopen the ramp by mid-Sept, according to a news release. The Interstate 94/494/694 interchange and bridge reconstruction project is being done to provide a smoother, safer, long-lasting road with updated bridges and some mobility improvements. Performing periodic pavement repairs at the appropriate times can greatly increase a road’s lifespan, … [Read more...] about Westbound I-94 Ramp To I-694 Closes In Woodbury