💌Feb 20: caffeinated secret to happiness, credit score for dating, cozy socks

TODAY IS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

WHAT TO EXPECT
• stories — Sweden’s secret to happiness at work, dating? have your credit score ready, where to invest right now, the $50k scam
• quote of the day
• extra stories
• this week's read — the book of lost names
• tools to try — clockify
• on social
• weekly favorites — socks

WORK LIFE — SWEDEN HAS A CAFFEINATED SECRET SECRET TO HAPPINESS AT WORK
Fika is a part of the Swedish work life culture where colleagues take part in 1 or 2 coffee breaks together — no phones, no work, just bonding. This tradition helps with innovation and productivity among the staff. Companies in London and New York have started doing it as well.

LIFESTYLE — DATING? HAVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE READY FOR DISPLAY
A new dating app “Score” feeds into the current world of online dating where a healthy credit score is a significant factor. It’s pretty much matchmaking based on numbers and requires users to pass an Equifax credit check (acceptance score is 675). Although a high credit score doesn’t necessary indicate someone’s wealth, it does show responsibility and diligence, so this intersection of finance and romance is interesting to people.

INVESTING — WHERE TO INVEST $10,000 RIGHT NOW
One portfolio manager believes that stocks will return to pre-pandemic levels and be more predictable with their growth. Considering funds is another option such as the XLK fund which has grown by 11% since November. Another investment strategist recommends looking into corporate bonds.

FINANCE — THE $50K SCAM IS TAKING OVER
People have been receiving phone calls where the caller poses to be an investigator from the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and later a CIA agent. The script of these calls follow along the lines of the recipients’ identity being linked to serious crimes. This woman was coerced into withdrawing $50,000 in cash out of fear for herself & her family.

🇯🇵 Japan slipped into a recession and lost its place as the world’s 3rd largest economy. It now falls behind Germany and is ranked 4th when ranking countries’ economies, worldwide.

🪴 The 2024 Met Gala theme was announced: the garden of time. Is this giving Alice in Wonderland vibes to anyone? Whimsical florals and multicolor outfits seem to be coming our way.

🪕 Beyonce’s new single Texas Hold’em has been a hit for the BeyHive because it’s different in comparison to her normal tunes. The musician behind the song, Rhiannon Gidden, had a purpose for the country sound of it!

The Book of Lost Names is a page-turner that you’ll want to read through in one sitting. Inspired by a true story during World War II, a young woman is a talented forger and with their talents, she is able to help many Jewish children escape the evils. The story takes place in France during German occupation and follows the journey of Eva who does whatever it takes to survive and also help others.

CLOCKIFY
If you can’t seem to keep track of how long tasks are taking you, do any freelance work that requires self-tracking & reporting, or simply want a visual of how long something takes…this is for you. You can add tasks into a calendar, create projects to compartmentalize, and analyze where to allocate more/less time.