Tech and Tea

Tech and Tea delves into the intersection of technology, leadership, and personal life, dealing with themes such as work culture, parenting, self-expression, and the challenge of blending a technical career with personal interests. It offers insights on navigating life's complexities, fostering creativity, and balancing professional and personal pursuits.

Work Culture Parenting Career Development Personal Well-being Creativity Time Management Leadership Teamwork Self-expression Food Hacks

The hottest Substack posts of Tech and Tea

And their main takeaways

What would you do if you had pizza money?

263 implied HN points • 20 Feb 25
💰 Finance Personal Finance Financial Independence Investing Wealth Management
  1. The pizza money scenario encourages people to think about their relationship with money and what they're willing to sacrifice for financial independence. It reveals whether people prioritize financial gain or their daily comfort.
  2. Responses to the pizza question vary widely, showing that some people are focused on maximizing wealth while others prefer to maintain their lifestyle. This highlights how different priorities shape our choices.
  3. The absurdity of the situation helps clarify what truly matters in life. It encourages introspection and helps people identify their values, leading to better alignment between life choices and personal goals.

Under the Old Ginkgo

476 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Nature Personal Growth Family Culinary Tradition
  1. The ginkgo tree in the backyard, despite being a nuisance with its smelly fruit, holds deep meaning and connection for the family. It represents the changing seasons and has special memories tied to it.
  2. Being 'useless' can actually mean thriving on your own terms. Instead of chasing traditional success, it's okay to embrace your unique path and focus on what really matters to you.
  3. You don’t have to scale and fit into conventional molds. Finding a small, appreciative audience for your personal gifts can be just as fulfilling as chasing big success.

Leaving my full-time job

772 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Life Changes Personal Growth Work-life balance Celebration Mindfulness
  1. Celebrating big changes doesn't always mean throwing a party. Sometimes, just having time to relax and think is the best way to celebrate.
  2. It's okay to do things that seem unimportant. These little joys can make us happy and should be valued too.
  3. We often push ourselves to be productive all the time. It's nice to take breaks and enjoy simple pleasures without the pressure to always be working.

On gentle personal growth in 2024

345 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth Self-care Mental health Work-life balance Introspection
  1. Personal growth doesn't have to be extreme. It's okay to take a gentle approach, like a relaxed hike instead of climbing a mountain.
  2. Being okay with uncertainty is important. It's better to embrace not knowing what comes next and trust that clarity will come in time.
  3. Taking care of yourself should be a priority. It's good to step back from the pressure of doing everything and focus on what really matters to you.

Leaning into joy and community

213 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Community Joy Reflection Well-being
  1. Finding joy in small things, like spending time with babies or pets, can really lift your spirits. Their happiness is often infectious and helps bring comfort during tough times.
  2. Enjoying comfort food can be a great source of solace. Sharing meals that remind you of home or trying simple snacks can help create a cozy atmosphere.
  3. Being part of a community, like the Buy Nothing group, can offer support and connection. Exchanging items without the pressure of conversation can foster a sense of belonging.
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Reader Mailbag: Architect having a hard time letting go

82 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Team Management Project management Collaboration
  1. Building a good relationship with your architect is important. Showing that you appreciate his work can help create a positive atmosphere.
  2. Understanding why the architect is holding on too tightly to tasks can help you address his concerns. It might be about trust, feeling needed, or being overwhelmed.
  3. Start with small projects to help him delegate tasks. This can build trust and reduce his workload, allowing him to focus on more strategic aspects.

Ask vs guess culture

946 HN points • 12 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Social norms Work dynamics Generational differences
  1. Ask culture involves being direct in requesting what you want, even if it seems unreasonable.
  2. Guess culture involves asking for something only if you're fairly sure the other person will say yes, and reading indirect cues to gauge appropriateness.
  3. Navigating between ask and guess culture can be challenging, especially in personal relationships and work environments.

All About Career History Interviews

295 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
💼 Business Career development Interviewing Communication Skills Workplace dynamics Recruitment
  1. Career history interviews provide valuable insights into a candidate's learning capacity, adaptability, and mindset over time, beyond just current abilities.
  2. In a career history interview, ask structured questions for each job/project to understand achievements, challenges faced, relationships, and reasons for leaving.
  3. Look for communication style and red flags like poor communication, lack of awareness, and negativity during career history interviews to assess candidate suitability.

Reader Mailbag: Struggling to do it all

246 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Career development Work-life balance Personal Growth Technical Skills
  1. Struggling with work-life balance, technical up-skilling, and finding identity outside of work is common among many engineers and professionals. It's important to prioritize what aligns with personal values and well-being.
  2. Careers in the tech industry can take diverse paths, and it's okay to explore different roles or take breaks to pursue other interests. Embracing change and personal growth is a natural part of a long career.
  3. Building expertise, whether technical or in other areas, is valuable and transferable across different domains. Prioritizing personal growth and balancing work with other life aspects is essential in navigating career challenges.

This world was not built for working parents

361 implied HN points • 02 Dec 23
  1. The world was not designed for working parents, leading to challenges in balancing work and family life.
  2. Remote work has provided flexibility for some parents, allowing for a better balance between work and personal life.
  3. Societal norms and expectations often do not support the realities of modern working parents, causing feelings of guilt and inadequacy.

Small steps, Big dreams

361 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Tech Life Parenting Writing Self-Expression
  1. Tech and Tea newsletter focuses on navigating life in tech and real topics, not just technical ones.
  2. The author shares her dream of writing full-time and the journey towards it.
  3. Subscribing to Tech and Tea will provide biweekly posts and potentially members-only content and chats.

Space to do whatever, Part II

230 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care Creativity Parenting Habits Well-being
  1. Creating space for creativity involves addressing foundational needs like rest, joy, and time for creation.
  2. Setting explicit schedules and boundaries can help carve out space for creativity, even within busy lifestyles.
  3. Understanding personal preferences for time of day for creativity, habits, and motivation is key to fostering a creative environment.