How to answer the age-old question: Could this meeting have been an email?

This map shows the states where COVID-19 cases are spiking–and that's bad news for all of America ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

If you’ve ever worked in an office, you can likely think of a time—or 3,000—where you’ve found yourself stuck in a boring meeting wondering why the organizer couldn’t have just written an email instead. The problem is especially acute in many hybrid or remote workplaces where meetings have increased in frequency and duration. But there are also times when a meeting is a good use of attendees’ time. "From an efficiency perspective, meetings to discuss a challenging issue or to make a decision are a good investment of time," says Kate Christie, CEO of time management consultants Time Stylers. So when does scheduling a meeting makes sense? Read on to find out. —Julia Herbst   work life How to answer the age-old question: Could this meeting have been an email? We’ve all attended meetings that could have been skipped entirely. Before you schedule another one, do us all a favor and consider these four factors. Read more.   co.design It’s not just bad behavior. Social media was designed to infuriate people We studied how online disagreements unfold on YouTube, Facebook, and WhatsApp—and found design flaws in each platform. Read more.   tech For the music industry, cryptocurrency will be as disruptive as MTV A former MTV exec reflects on how crypto is shaking up the music industry in ways reminiscent of a certain game-changing video network born in 1981. Read more.

3 productivity lessons you should remember when returning to the office Now is the time to take what you learned during the pandemic and apply it to in-person office life. Read more.   tech GitHub’s new tool uses AI to craft code. Some developers are furious Some developers are frustrated over the way the time-saving tool for coders was built. Others are excited about its potential. Read more.   co.design Trump weaponized the American flag. Will it ever be a unifying symbol again? The American flag has always meant different things to different people, but in our increasingly polarized era, it’s become a symbol of division. Read more.   impact Your favorite childhood book perpetuates the meritocracy myth. ‘Three Little Engines’ sets the record straight In a new children’s book, a little engine learns that an “I-think-I-can” attitude isn’t always enough to get past different obstacles in life. Read more.   tech 5 terrific weather apps you may have overlooked Whether weather is a passion of yours or you’re just trying to figure out if you’ll need an umbrella, each of these apps are worthy alternatives to the high-profile weather apps out there. Read more.   recommender Lioness cofounders are aiming to close the orgasm gap Lioness’s first generation vibrator collected biometric data for users to analyze and monitor their sexual experiences. Read more.   NEWS COVID rising (again): What you need to know​​​​​​ America has come a long way in its battle against COVID-19 since January. Much of the country has come out of lockdown and economic activity is looking up, thanks in large part to the rapid vaccine rollout.  However, in recent weeks, it’s beginning to become clear the country’s progress is starting to reverse as the more contagious Delta variant spreads. Newly updated data from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reveals where things are getting bad again, showing pockets where the seven-day case average has increased.  The data corresponds with findings from Georgetown University, showing clusters of rising cases across eight states that are due to low vaccination rates.  These include areas of Georgia, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Read more here.     FREE SPONSORED E-BOOK OF THE DAY The Blueprint: 6 Practical Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights ($17.00 Value) FREE for a Limited Time – Expires 7/14/2021.  Click here to download your free e-book.

Support strength in journalism Join Fast Company Premium for $1   If you don’t want to receive Compass anymore, unsubscribe here If you were forwarded Compass and like it, subscribe here View this newsletter online 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10007-2195