The Holiday Hump Day
Why It's Not Such a Bad Thing
With Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, the entire workweek lands in a no-man’s-land. It’s a week suspended in midair.
Some companies may pretend this week functions like any other. It doesn’t. It’s the most politely unproductive stretch of the year. People show up, answer a few emails, and keep the lights on, but no one is grinding.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. This week has a different purpose.
Instead of forcing momentum, it can be the perfect window for the things that always get pushed aside:
· cleaning up administrative clutter
· closing out loose ends that clog the system
· paying vendors before year-end (wink wink)
· tightening plans and priorities for 2025
· taking a breath long enough to see the larger picture again
It’s a natural reset button. January tends to hit fast. Leaders who use this quiet week to reflect, recalibrate, and outline what actually matters next year arrive with a level of clarity that others won’t.
A dislocated holiday week isn’t a productivity challenge. It’s an opportunity.
“Scrolling will be viewed as a vice, in the same impropriety quadrant as vaping. In an attempt to mitigate brainrot, which has already become the norm, expect an appetite for more satisfying, longer forms of consumption as we move away from shortform video and AI slop: longform narratives, books, and other media that make our smooth brains work a little harder.”
US jobless claim applications fell by 13,000 last week as layoffs remain low
Shaky data, though.
Trump ordered 2 new federal holidays. What does it mean for Americans?
It really only impacts federal worklers. The private sector has been taking these off for years.
Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025
“Roughly 1 in 5 U.S. teens say they are on TikTok and YouTube almost constantly. At the same time, 64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about 3 in 10 who do so daily”
A $600 Suckling Pig? Wagyu for All? On Menus, It’s a New Gilded Age
“In Manhattan and across the country, restaurants are trotting out ever-pricier dishes and luxury upgrades to meet the demand from affluent diners.”
The esteemed graphic designer shares an essay and drawings from his legendary 100 Day Project, showing what vital roles routine, practice, observation and dedication play in the creative process.
Why Video Podcasts Multiplied Beyond the Man Cave
“Whether you’re a pundit, a politician, or an A-list comedian, the best media strategy these days is a D.I.Y. stage set and a microphone.”
Glamour, thrill and alien-core: Pinterest predicts 2026 trends
A big year for cabbage in on the way!
Where people moved to (and from) in 2025
SpeedStudio Podcast:
Ep. 119 – Out of Retirement, Knitting, Marathon Fakes, and the Holidays
On this one-on-one episode, Nikki and Chad discuss the podcast unicorns, athletes coming out of retirement, new hobbies, Super-Halves, people faking their marathon time and the IG account calling them out, holiday lists, Kipchoge possibly moving to Saudi Arabia, and experiences over gifts.



