Being willing to self-identify as a leader can bolster a person's career, but research suggests that reputational risk can discourage people from doing so. "Organizations must demonstrate through both words and actions that anyone can be a leader, and that taking on leadership roles will be viewed positively," write researchers Julia Lee Cunningham, Laura Sonday and Susan Ashford.

Minimize defensiveness during difficult conversations by being intentional about trying to understand the situation, focusing on behaviors instead of perceptions and giving "honest feedback without being hurtful," writes author and consultant Marlene Chism. "If you find yourself defending your stance or arguing about a different topic it means you lost your leadership clarity," Chism writes.

Long COVID may be keeping millions of Americans from returning to the workforce, say labor and public health observers, who suggest the US should collect more data related to persistent COVID-19 symptoms. "We don't know what proportion of people are having very debilitating symptoms with a lot of certainty," says Julia Raifman, assistant professor at Boston University's School of Public Health.

The pandemic was a huge boost for the digital nomad trend. Professionals in search of adventure, relaxation and an internet connection spread out far and wide to embrace the freedom of remote work. Some countries even shifted their visa standards to cater to this wandering workforce. But as time goes by, locals are starting to rethink the welcome they might have once rolled out for such workers.

Burnout has physical ramifications as well as mental ones including muscle strain, gut issues and negative reactions to high-intensity exercise. "When I found that [burnout is] actual brain damage, I was really horrified. Your prefrontal cortex actually shrinks, and it takes time to build back up again," says one worker who had to take a month off from work to recover.

As readers come out of the long Labor Day weekend, this 2019 film feels like a fitting recommendation. Five friends from Australia who are big fans of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" climb on bikes and retrace the path the Joad family traveled in the book from the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma to California. Inexperienced as bikers and working with a budget similar to the Joads (adjusting for inflation), the Aussies encounter numerous hardships and develop new friendships.

I am Janet Connor Kahler, editor of Your Career. I have been with SmartBrief for 13 years in a variety of jobs, including my current job as content production manager. I have experience in hiring, training and managing workers and have taught college courses that include resume writing and job interviewing. Although the early pandemic didn't cause stress for me, this summer I definitely hit the burnout wall. It happened when my co-workers were finally able to take vacation and I was left to cover for them.