Whimsy is the word of the moment. So, I added more of it to my life. Here's what happened.

Tech Insider : Business
Samantha G. Pettyjohn
Business Insider reporter Samantha Pettyjohn embraced whimsy to kick off 2026.

Amy Lombard for BI

The '996' work culture taking over Silicon Valley is coming at a 'human expense,' these AI researchers say

Tech Insider : Technology, Business, Environment
Frustrated woman working on a computer
996 culture is gaining traction among AI workers in Silicon Valley.

Maskot/Getty Images/Maskot

3 simple changes freed up 2 hours of my day. I'm no longer overworked and close my laptop at 5.30 p.m. guilt-free.

Tech Insider : Business
Matt Lillywhite is smiling in front of a window.
Lillywhite said his 3 habits have given him at least two extra hours of rest each day.

Courtesy of Matt Lillywhite

I was so burned out at work that I couldn't relax on vacation. It was the wake-up call I needed.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
Tracy Granzyk with a horse and on a farm
The author was burned out on vacation.

Courtesy of Tracy Granzyk

Inside the women-only executive retreat that turns boxing into leadership training

Tech Insider : Business, Crypto, Environment
Erin Renzas
Erin Renzas is a former marketing executive.

Dina Litovsky for BI

Erin Renzas spent nearly two decades dutifully climbing the career ladder before she hit a breaking point.

She had achieved many of the outward markers of success, like a high-paying tech career, including a stint as marketing lead during Square's IPO. So why wasn't she satisfied?

I used to resent my employees for taking long vacations. Here's why I no longer feel that way.

Tech Insider : Business
Ruchir Shah in Japan
Ruchir Shah

Courtesy of Ruchir Shah

I had a stroke at 29 and went back to work weeks later. It taught me how to lead through a crisis — and to give grace to myself and my colleagues

Tech Insider : Business
Kari Cobham
Kari Cobham learned how to be a better leader after a health crisis early in her career.

Courtesy of Kari Cobham

Critical Role's chief creative officer, Matt Mercer, explains how he avoids burnout

Tech Insider : Business
Matthew Mercer appears onstage during the
Critical Role's chief creative officer, Matthew Mercer.

Valerie Terranova/Getty Images for Prime Video

Americans are living in a 'career industrial complex.' Venture capitalist Bill Gurley explains how to break out and find your dream job.

Tech Insider : Business
Bill Gurley
Bill Gurley said the "career industrial complex" is fueling workplace disengagement.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Burned out in her 50s, she left corporate life. Starting over in Korea helped her heal.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Technology
A woman posing in a blue blazer,
Watching K-dramas helped Jane Newman through lockdown. It also sparked a curiosity about South Korea that eventually led her to move there.

Greg Samborski.

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