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Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Elizabeth Holmes reveals a trial strategy, there’s a deep pool of candidates in the Boston mayoral race, and Finland’s prime minister took a meaningful summer vacation. Have a good Monday.
– Summer break. Need a new role model when it comes to work-life balance? Look no further than Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
The 35-year-old leader just returned to work after a monthlong summer break, which she spent taking her 3-year-old to amusement parks and the zoo. Of course, significant time off from work is a hallmark of both European summers and Scandinavian social welfare. But Marin’s four-week vacation—which hasn’t been typical for her during her time in government—comes with some lessons of its own.
What allowed the prime minister to spend a month away from work, during a pandemic no less? “No one is indispensable” in the Finnish government, explains Bloomberg in this interview writeup.
“Being able to take four weeks off shows that we have a government that operates collectively,” Marin says. “The government wasn’t on holiday. We’ve arranged deputies for all ministers, including the prime minister.”
It’s a rare boast from a politician: not about individual accomplishments, but about the power of the collective. (This isn’t the first time Marin has expressed her support for worker-centered schedules; she was an early advocate for the four-day work week when she first took office in 2019.)
While it’s unlikely most American workplaces will support four-week vacations anytime soon, as summer winds to a close, we can all learn from Marin’s priorities. It can feel good to be seen as “indispensable” at work—but your own well-being should come first.
Emma Hinchliffe
[email protected]
@_emmahinchliffe
The Broadsheet, Coins2Day’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women, is coauthored by Kristen Bellstrom, Emma Hinchliffe, and Claire Zillman. Today’s edition was curated by Emma Hinchliffe.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
- Rest in peace. The Department of Defense identified the U.S. Troops who died in the suicide bombing at Kabul'a airport last week. Two of the U.S. Servicemembers killed were women: Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee and Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo. New York Times
- Trial strategy. According to court documents, Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is likely to defend herself during her fraud trial by claiming she was the victim of an abusive relationship with Theranos COO Sunny Balwani. Balwani is also accused of criminal conduct related to the blood-testing company, but his trial is not scheduled to begin until 2022. CNN
- Boston bid. The slate of candidates vying to become the next mayor of Boston is a diverse one; the four top contenders are women. That's made securing progressive and Democratic endorsements difficult for candidates including Acting Mayor Kim Janey, Michelle Wu, and Andrea Campbell. Politico
MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Facebook marketing exec Kate Rouch joins Coinbase as CMO. Convergent Energy + Power hired Mariko McDonagh-Meier as chief strategy officer. JUMP Bikes exec Avra van der Zee joins climate solutions organization Elemental as COO.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Close to home. Have you been watching The Chair on Netflix? In this piece, professor Beth Nguyen argues that the series is a "pretty accurate" portrayal of what it's like to be a female professor of color. The accuracy can sometimes make the show hard to watch, she says. Time
- Tennis preview. The U.S. Open kicks off today, and Serena Williams won't be competing; she announced her withdrawal because of a hamstring tear. Her absence, along with the absence of men's players Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, provides a preview of the "future of tennis" when the longtime stars retire. Wall Street Journal
- In-store therapy. CVS Health, led by CEO Karen Lynch, is introducing mental health services like counseling at its retail stores. A pilot program has seen customers return to speak to licensed clinical social workers stationed at pharmacy locations. Wall Street Journal
ON MY RADAR
'It was like I'd never done it before': How Sally Rooney wrote again New York Times
One of China's biggest film stars becomes target of Beijing's crackdown Bloomberg
Sorry, Beyoncé, but Tiffany’s blood diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend Washington Post
PARTING WORDS
-Paralympic swimmer Morgan Stickney. She's competing in Tokyo at the Paralympic Games.
