Anthony Scaramucci weighed in on Katie Zacharia's departure as White House press secretary Friday, noting her tenure was less than his as communications director at just five days in the role.

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia's first week was all about Katie Zacharia, when the role should have been about the president and his agenda.

White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is reportedly "transitioning out" of her role after receiving criticism regarding her legal background, Fox News reporter Aishah Hasnie shared.

Kara Cartwright had always been fiercely protective of her online privacy. The writer used a pen name, carefully concealed her face and identity, and maintained her anonymity even in tight-knit writing groups where many of the women knew one another in real life. She had certainly never announced her birthday on social media. But with the November 2026 election approaching, Cartwright decided to make an exception. For the first time, she publicly acknowledged her birthday—not because she wanted attention, gifts, or well wishes, but because she had a request. “Will you pledge to vote?” she asked her followers. “If so, what’s your plan? Mail? Early? On Election Day? Do you have a voting outfit? Tell me everything.” Then, in keeping with her trademark humor, she added one final request. “Also, please try not to vote for dirtbags. Happy birthday to me!!!” For Cartwright, breaking her own rules about privacy was worth it if she could convince even a few people to show up at the polls. Exercising the right to vote sounds like a simple request, but getting Americans to follow through is another matter entirely. According to the Environmental Voter Project, an estimated 11.2 million registered Americans identified as environmentalists did not cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. That’s 11.2 million people—a number bigger than the entire population of Michigan—whose concern for the environment didn’t translate into a vote. The staggering voting gap inspired outdoor apparel company Patagonia’s 11.2 Million Vote Project, an initiative aimed at closing the divide between caring about the environment and participating in the democratic process. And Patagonia was willing to put its money where its mouth was. View this post on Instagram The company committed $11.2 million to the project, offering participants a $100 Patagonia shopping credit for helping three friends or family members make a plan to vote. Participants could also choose to have Patagonia donate $100 to the League of Conservation Voters instead. The response was so overwhelming that Patagonia’s website briefly crashed, leaving the company scrambling to keep up with demand. Within four days, the entire $11.2 million incentive budget was exhausted, but the platform remains open. Participants sign up, identify three friends or family members who could use a nudge to get to the polls, and send them personalized links with everything they need to make a voting plan—from where to cast their ballot to when early voting begins. It’s a modern take on an old-fashioned concept: Sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement from someone you trust. If the response is any indication, Patagonia may be onto something. “We’re excited and quite frankly shocked at how quickly our community responded to our midterms initiative,” said Corley Kenna, Patagonia’s chief communications and impact officer in an Oct. 1 press release. “Our community understands the connection between a healthy democracy and a healthy planet, and in just four days, they helped almost half a million people make a plan to vote.” Although the $100 incentives are no longer available, Patagonia is keeping the Rally platform open through Election Day, encouraging people to continue reaching out to friends and family to help them make voting plans. After all, the project’s central idea doesn’t require a financial incentive to work, because it was never about the money. It was about the power of personal relationships. Cartwright didn’t need sophisticated technology or a multimillion-dollar campaign to ask her friends to make a plan to vote. All she needed was a birthday wish and a social media account. What followed were 26 enthusiastic comments from friends and family, sharing their voting plans and encouraging others to do the same. Patagonia is betting that the same kind of personal encouragement, multiplied across thousands of relationships, can make a difference. And Cartwright’s birthday wish is a reminder that sometimes, getting people to show up starts with something as simple as asking. The post Your group chat might be more powerful than you think appeared first on Upworthy.

The hours “9 to 5” make a great movie and an even better Dolly Parton song. But for plenty of people, those set-in-stone banker’s hours are a lousy fit. From congesting roads with rush-hour traffic to burdening working families, especially those with small children, it’s not ideal.  For most workers, it’s simply something they have to accept because of corporate culture. But what if your brain fires on all cylinders at 5 a.m.? Or perhaps you do your best creative thinking at 7 p.m.? If that sounds familiar, the standard workday may be holding you back from doing your best. Enter chronoworking: building your workday around your body clock instead of the other way around. If regular hours leave you feeling completely irregular, chronoworking might be just what you need.  A woman working the night shift. Credit: Canva What is chronoworking, exactly? It all revolves around circadian rhythm. It’s the internal clock that governs your body’s sleep-wake schedule. But it’s not the same for everyone. Some people are sharp at dawn and fading by mid-afternoon. Others aren’t really firing on all cylinders until noon. The driving force of chronoworking is that people should do their most demanding work during their own peak hours.  When companies force workers to sit at a desk staring blankly into space during their low-energy slumps, productivity plummets and stress skyrockets. Chronoworking throws out the one-size-fits-all rulebook. By aligning tasks with natural alertness peaks, employees report feeling happier, healthier, and far more fulfilled. It turns out that respecting our inner biology isn’t lazy—it can benefit both the individual and the company they work for.  According to a survey by Canadian employment firm Robert Walters, 87% of the 1700 professionals questioned said they’d like to try it. The same survey found that nearly half of the participants believe their “mental health would improve if they worked according to their natural sleeping pattern.” Another 33% reported that chronoworking would let them be “more focused and productive in the workplace.”  How companies are making the shift work Of course, letting everyone work whenever they please sounds like a logistical puzzle for modern companies. How do you hold a team meeting if half the staff is asleep and the other half is deep in a pre-dawn flow state? Forward-thinking businesses are solving this obstacle by establishing “core collaboration windows.” These time blocks are reserved for real-time chats and meetings. Outside those slots, workers can complete their responsibilities on a schedule that works for them. This allows a firm to focus on actual output rather than traditional clock-in times—and to work toward a corporate culture rooted in trust and responsibility. If pilot programs keep succeeding, the rigid 9-to-5 might soon become a relic of the past, replaced by a kinder, smarter way to earn a living. @robertleebarber Leading a remote team spread across different time zones can be challenging but also rewarding. To foster collaboration and ensure productivity, consider the following key strategies: 1. **Core Overlap Hours**: Establish specific hours during the day when all team members are available, regardless of their time zone. This dedicated window allows for real-time communication, decision-making, and team building, ensuring everyone stays connected. 2. **Utilize Sync Tools**: Leverage digital tools that promote collaboration and streamline communication. Platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana facilitate seamless updates and discussions, allowing team members to stay engaged, track progress, and share insights in an organized manner. 3. **Document Everything**: Keep detailed records of discussions, decisions, and tasks through scoreboards and decision logs. This documentation serves as a centralized reference that team members can consult at any time, creating transparency and fostering accountability across diverse schedules. By implementing these strategies, you can create a sense of synchronicity among your team, ensuring that everyone remains aligned and motivated, regardless of when they choose to work. #RemoteLeadership #TeamCollaboration #WorkFromAnywhere ♬ original sound – Robert Lee Barber So, should you send out that email announcing your new 11 a.m. start time tomorrow? Perhaps you should check in with HR first. But if your job allows it, ask for a modest shift and some agreed-upon overlap hours. Your company gets a sharper employee, and you get to stop fighting your own body clock. Now that’s a win-win. The post New ‘chronoworkers’ trend lets employees choose their hours based on when they’re sharpest appeared first on Upworthy.