😫 Working from home ain’t working

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🌱 Got a green thumb? Why not show it off? Applications for Mayor Michelle Wu’s urban garden contest are open through July 10, with categories from porch gardens, to herb gardens, to large yard gardens. And with two round trip plane tickets as a grand prize, there’s not much to lose.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• How the Karen Read trial could end

• The best of Boston is here

• A cow on the mooo-ve

Up first…

HEALTH & WELLNESS

WFH not working anymore? Blame burnout.

For some, working from home used to be the best thing ever. Now, not so much … 

Burnout is on the rise, and the hybrid workplace is making it worse. Our constant stream of Slacks, emails, and texts are making us too distracted to do our best work.

To help us navigate this brave new workplace, the Globe’s “Say More” podcast recently launched “Beating Burnout,” a four-episode series where host Shirley Leung gets advice from experts and breaks it down for the rest of us. 

Here’s what to know:

😪 The new burnout doesn’t look like the old burnout. So says Dr. Aditi Nerurkar of Harvard Medical School. It’s no longer classic symptoms of apathy and disengagement. Rather it’s our inability to disconnect from work, which makes diagnosis even harder. 

📈 We’re too dang productive. MIT-trained computer scientist Cal Newport thinks technology enables us to do more, and that can be a problem. In his recent book, “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout,” he offers a strategy for doing less and accomplishing more: “Do fewer things. Work at a natural pace. Obsess over quality.”

🤝 WFH, meet WFNH. Do you find the laundry and dirty dishes in the kitchen sink too distracting to get any work done? Newport offers a simple, yet effective, piece of advice: Work from near home. What’s that?!? Suburban co-working spaces are popping up all over (see: Regus, Industrious, Workbar), or, you can always consider setting up shop at your local library. Then comes the hard part: Set a rule of NOT answering texts, Slacks, or emails while you’re in your WFNH sanctuary so you can focus.

🤫 Quiet, please. The opposite of constant connectivity? Silence. Krista Tippett — the host of the modern spirituality podcast, “On Being” — calls silence an endangered species that we need to do more to preserve. “This work of just getting quiet inside, it is work, right?” said Tippett. “It’s not something that automatically comes to us.” Instead of turning on the radio in the car, enjoy the quiet. Keep your phone out of reach or even in a different room while you’re working. We need the headspace to think.  

👀 There’s a lot more advice where that came from. To learn more about fighting burnout, you can listen to the series at globe.com/saymore and wherever you find your podcasts.

— Written by Shirley Leung

QUICK QUESTION

🤔 We want to know: Is working from home still working for you? 

TOGETHER WITH CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION

Offshore wind: Is it 👍or 👎?

🌊🌎 Tons of (fake) rumors have been floating around about offshore wind projects in New England lately, but here are the facts: Offshore wind is a game-changer for our planet. It cuts carbon emissions, which is good for our ocean, and gives our local economy a major boost. But (of course) big oil and gas companies don’t want you to know that. Help shut down the spread of disinformation and join the clean energy revolution by backing organizations like Conservation Law Foundation, who fight against climate change in New England every single day. Every action counts! 

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🔍 We’re in the home stretch of the Karen Read trial. The jury began deliberations to determine if Read is guilty of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and/or leaving the scene of a collision causing injury and death. And while it could take jurors two weeks or two days, there are a few ways things could go down: Conviction or acquittal on any one charge has to be unanimous — though if Read is found guilty, she could appeal the verdict. And in the unlikely event jurors can’t agree, the judge could declare a mistrial and restart with a new jury.

🚗 Shocker: Boston traffic still stinks. According to a new report by INRIX, Boston’s 2023 traffic has been ranked the fourth worst traffic in the nation, and the eighth worst in the world, beat out only by NYC, Chicago, and LA in the U.S. In numbers, that means our traffic lost drivers an average of 3.6 days, and $1,543 in 2023. But before you have a total meltdown over those stats, we should say that they’re actually (somehow) an improvement from 2022, when drivers lost five days to traffic. Baby steps!

🏒 The Bruins are shaking things up. After a(nother) subpar postseason run this year, the B’s have opted to trade Linus Ullmark, one half of their ace goalie duo, to the Ottawa Senators after three seasons. The payout? They’ll get a key first round pick (25th overall) in this weekend’s NHL Draft, plus forward Mark Kastelic, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. Given that Ullmark only started in one of thirteen playoff games this season, the trade isn’t that surprising. But the choice to take Korpisalo, one of the worst goalies in the NHL, is raising some eyebrows, to say the least.

🍩 These businesses are Boston’s best. Boston magazine’s iconic “Best of Boston” list for 2024 just dropped, and from restaurants to services, shopping, arts, and even … political stunts, there’s an award for that. A few of our favorite big winners include: Somerville’s Sarma taking the W for restaurant general excellence, Beacon Hill Books & Cafe nabbing best bookstore, the Coolidge winning best indie cinema, and Davis Clarke winning best finance bro (seriously). You can check out all of the winners here.

MEDIA SPONSORSHIP

Want to help shape Boston’s future for young people? This is your sign.

B-Side is a proud supporter of SPARK Boston Council, the leadership and civic engagement force that’s giving 20 to 35-year-olds a seat at Mayor Wu’s table — meaning you have a huge opportunity to advocate for your demographic (Boston’s largest demographic at 39% of the city!) and make a noticeable impact. Apply here by July 5 at 11:59 p.m.

GIVEAWAY

Together with Brave Daughters 

Enter to win two complimentary solid 14k gold Forever Bracelets from Brave Daughters! If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below* To enter, just refer a friend and have them accept your invite by the end of the day on June 27, 2024. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

ONE LAST THING

A cow on the moo-ve

There’s a cow on the loose … in Boston. Yes, you read that right.

According to Boston Animal Control, a brown and white cow has been on the loose in the city since Sunday after escaping from its home and evading officials for days. 

And if you’re wondering how a cow made its way into the city … he’s actually a Boston native.

Apparently the missing cow’s owner “was unaware that farm animals, with the exception of permitted chickens, are not allowed within the City of Boston,” according to animal control.

Although we don’t know where exactly the cow came from, he was last seen in Roslindale on Sunday. And if you happen to see him, animal control asks that you not try to catch him yourself (as if), and stick to calling their hotline.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🐮 Thanks for reading! I wonder how many other illicit cows are living in Boston right now …

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Conservation Law Foundation, for supporting local journalism and keeping the public informed about environmental issues that matter. 

🏃 The results are in: 59% of readers are not down to join a running club to find love. One reader said: “I would rather eat a wet denim jacket than run for any reason other than last call at the bar.” Heard.

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].