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Never know how to answer the 'What do you do' question? This simple formula can help.

How many times have you been asked, "What do you do?" and not known what to say?

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Let's face it, our answers to this question are usually a bit blasé.

We’ve all been there. The moment we’re face to face with a stranger and the ice breakers begin rolling in. During this little tête-à-tête, one question is sure to be as inevitable as Thanos himself: “What do you do?”

Even for the most skilled small talkers among us, this is not always a particularly easy question to answer. Not without sounding overly vague, sterile, or, yes, even dull. But as CNBC contributor and author Jessica Chen will tell you, there is a tried-and-true method that not only provides an answer for the “What do you do?” question but inspires authentic connection with others.

Her formula, which is included in her book Smart, Not Loud: How to Get Noticed at Work for All the Right Reasons, is pretty simple and definitely gives you more to work with than just saying your job title, which, barring any astronauts or Grammy award winners reading this, can sound pretty bland for most of us.


Hex Astronaut GIFfrom Hex GIFs

Without further ado, here are the 3 points to hit in your answer, according to Chen.

1. Talk about the issues you solve

This can help paint the picture that anyone can relate to, even if they have zero familiarity with your industry. Chen advises putting this in the form of a rhetorical question.

Examples:

  • “You know how cyberattacks are getting more frequent and sophisticated?”
  • “You know how you see ads when you scroll through a news story?”

2. Share the solutions you offer

Now’s your chance to clearly explain how your work addresses the issue you set up in step one. Chen notes that it’s important to think about “real-life implications" of what you do every day:

Examples:

  • “What I do is create software systems that alert companies when a suspicious user tries to access their platform.”
  • “What I do is research the best places to put ads so that they have maximum visibility.”

3. Drop some proof

This is where you tie it all together, using a story or other pertinent company details, in order to solidify your credibility.

  • “In fact, our organization is one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the world with clients like [well-known company].”
  • “In fact, the click-through rate of our ads is around 3%, which is much higher than the industry average.”

Put all those together and you’ve got: “You know how [talk about issues you solve]? So what I do is [share the solutions you offer]. In fact, [drop some proof].” Badda bing, badda boom, a concise, yet well-thought out and impactful answer that actually provides a snapshot of what you do for a living. Side effects might include nods of interest and response in the form of, “Wow, cool!”


Oh Wow You Dont Say GIFfrom Oh Wow GIFs

If you’re struggling with all things small talk, having a go-to approach, much like this one, isn’t a bad idea. Having things like the FORD method, which is essentially a list of ice breaker questions that will get virtually anyone talking, in the back pocket can really help offset any social jitters that get in the way in the heat of the moment.

Basically, it’s totally okay if you don’t naturally have the gift of gab. But since you will likely have to engage in conversations throughout a good chunk of your life, it might behoove you to find ways to make it less stressful. And even for those of us who are extroverted and can chat with anyone, there are ways in which we can make our communication more impactful.

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Study ranks each American state by its living wage for a family of four. Over half exceed six figures.

Hawaii has easily the highest total

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A study ranked all 50 U.S. states by living wage for a family of four. Over half of them exceeded six figures.

Let’s face it—it’s expensive to live anywhere in the U.S., and only those at the very top are cruising by. But it’s interesting to look at the data and see which areas of the country may offer the most financial breathing room.

A recent study by GOBankingRates crunched some numbers, breaking down the living wage in each state for a family of four. Per their methodology, they analyzed "annual living expenses" by using the 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey data "for a married couple with children (oldest child 6-17) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics." The factored costs of living were "housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare, and transportation" (or "necessities"), and they defined "living wage" as "the income required to be able to cover 50% necessities, 30% discretionary/luxury spending, and 20% for savings."

Bugs Bunny counts his money Bugs Bunny Money GIF by Looney TunesGiphy

Some of the results are probably what you’d expect—others less so. The 10 cheapest and 10 most expensive are below, and the full list (with additional metrics) is available at the GoBankingRates site.

1. West Virginia (living wage for a family of four: $82,338)
2. Mississippi ($87,564)
3. Alabama ($87,607)
4. Kansas ($87,944)
5. Arkansas ($88,312)
6. Oklahoma ($90,659)
7. Iowa ($91,667)
8. Missouri ($91,669)
9. Tennessee ($92,179)
10. Kentucky ($93,349)

41. Arizona ($131,102)
42. Oregon ($131,824)
43. Vermont ($131,996)
44. New Jersey ($134,990)
45. Maine ($135,943)
46. Alaska ($136,990)
47. New York ($155,738)
48. California ($188,269)
49. Massachusetts ($199,671)
50. Hawaii ($258,918)

Twenty-six states exceed a six-figure wage. (The others not listed above are South Dakota, Illinois, Wyoming, North Carolina, Delaware, Wisconsin, Idaho, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Utah, and Washington.)


- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Of course, it’s one thing to analyze some numbers, but it’s also worth considering real-life experience. And if we consult Reddit, where opinions are never in short supply, a lot of people don’t agree with these findings. If you scan the r/coolguides subreddit, for example, you’ll find responses like this:

  • "Yeah, I call BS on this. I’m in CA with a family of 3 (me, wife, 4yo daughter), roughly making a combined $250k, and we’re still living with a tight budget"
  • "Maine more expensive than Connecticut? That doesn't seem right."
  • "This list is just very wrong. I live in the Midwest, and families due just fine making 40-50k. They live within their means."
  • "Need to see 'living wage' for NY State with data from NYC completely omitted... My family of four lives pretty comfortably on literally half that amount."

It’s a nuanced subject, not a one-size-fits-all situation. And even if you accept that, say, Hawaii requires the highest living wage for a family of four, there are plenty of other reasons you might want to live there. (I can think of about 15 off the top of my head.)

For example, let’s consult some of WalletHub’s recent reports. In September 2024, they published a breakdown of the "happiest states," analyzing "economic, emotional, physical, and social health" across 30 key metrics, from depression rate to productivity levels. Hawaii hit number one on that list, with residents citing "the highest levels of life satisfaction in the nation and the lowest depression rate." Massachusetts, meanwhile, came in at number 10.

Morgan Freeman applauds at the OscarsMorgan Freeman Applause GIF by The Academy AwardsGiphy

In August 2024, they assessed the "best states to live in" using 51 indicators of livability, ranging from housing costs to education rate to quality of hospitals. These are further broken down into broader categories of ""affordability," "economy," "education and health," "quality of life," and "safety." Massachusetts was number one, followed by Florida, New Jersey, Utah, and New Hampshire.

Massachusetts also took the top spot in two of the company’s other recent lists: one measuring the quality of school systems (factoring in "performance, funding, safety, class size, and instructor credentials") and another based on family-friendliness (factoring in "median annual family income, housing affordability, health care quality, crime rate, and school quality"). The state also topped Consumer Affairs’ September 2024 list measuring quality of public education.

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Expert says there's only one laundry cycle you ever need, no matter what's being washed

Straight from Patric Richardson, the "Laundry Guy" himself.

Representative image from Canva

Because who can keep up with which laundry settings is for which item, anyway?

Once upon a time, our only option for getting clothes clean was to get out a bucket of soapy water and start scrubbing. Nowadays, we use fancy machines that not only do the labor for us, but give us free reign to choose between endless water temperature, wash duration, and spin speed combinations.

Of course, here’s where the paradox of choice comes in. Suddenly you’re second guessing whether that lace item needs to use the “delicates” cycle, or the “hand wash” one, or what exactly merits a “permanent press” cycle. And now, you’re wishing for that bygone bucket just to take away the mental rigamarole.

Well, you’re in luck. Turns out there’s only one setting you actually need. At least according to one laundry expert.

While appearing on HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast, Patric Richardson, aka The Laundry Evangelist, said he swears by the “express” cycle, as “it’s long enough to get your clothes clean but it’s short enough not to cause any damage.”

Richardson’s reasoning is founded in research done while writing his book, “Laundry Love,” which showed that even the dirtiest items would be cleaned in the “express” cycle, aka the “quick wash” or “30 minute setting.”


Furthermore the laundry expert, who’s also the host of HGTV’s “Laundry Guy,” warned that longer wash settings only cause more wear and tear, plus use up more water and power, making express wash a much more sustainable choice.

Really, the multiple settings washing machines have more to do with people being creatures of habit, and less to do with efficiency, Richardson explained.

“All of those cycles [on the washing machine] exist because they used to exist,” he told co-hosts Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson. “We didn’t have the technology in the fabric, in the machine, in the detergent [that we do now], and we needed those cycles. In the ’70s, you needed the ‘bulky bedding’ cycle and the ‘sanitary’ cycle ... it was a legit thing. You don’t need them anymore, but too many people want to buy a machine and they’re like, ‘My mom’s machine has “whitest whites.”’ If I could build a washing machine, it would just have one button — you’d just push it, and it’d be warm water and ‘express’ cycle and that’s it.”
washing machine

When was the last time you washed you washing machine? "Never" is a valid answer.

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According to Good Housekeeping, there are some things to keep in mind if you plan to go strictly express from now on.

For one thing, the outlet recommends only filling the machine halfway and using a half dose of liquid, not powder detergent, since express cycles use less water. Second, using the setting regularly can develop a “musty” smell, due to the constant low-temperature water causing a buildup of mold or bacteria. To prevent this, running an empty wash on a hot setting, sans the detergent, is recommended every few weeks, along with regularly scrubbing the detergent drawer and door seal.

Still, even with those additional caveats, it might be worth it just to knock out multiple washes in one day. Cause let’s be honest—a day of laundry and television binging sounds pretty great, doesn’t it?

To catch even more of Richardson’s tips, find the full podcast episode here.


This article originally appeared last year.

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You're probably not washing your bathroom towels often enough. Here's why.

That fresh and clean feeling might be getting muddied by dirty towels, and we don't even know it.

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Towels might need a little more attention than we realize.

Bathrooms are weird, man. They’re where we go to get clean, and yet they are also breeding grounds for germs, bacteria and every other bit of grossness life has to offer. Seriously, why did we think putting showers and toilets in the same room was a good idea? Even the towels we use to dry off after a good scrubbing…how sanitary are those, really? Are we really washing them enough to prevent us from just rubbing dead skin cells, soap residue, yeasts, and other forms of gunk all over our freshly cleaned bodies?

Many, if not most of us probably throw our towels in the wash once a week. Which, assuming you’re showering daily, would mean after about seven uses. However, a good rule of thumb according to several scientists and laundry experts is to wash towels after every 3-4 uses. For those that only wash their towels once a month, or once a season, or even once a year…buckle up.

yellow and black cat showing tongue Photo by Juan Gomez on Unsplash

Why changing bath towels is important

Considering that our towels usually don’t show signs of contamination, this might seem like overkill. But what we aren’t seeing are the pathogens that get transferred onto the towel—by our skin, airborne fungi, and yes…bits of human waste…of the fecal sort. Here’s a kindly reminder to always put the seat lid down before flushing.

Interestingly enough, all of these invisible creepy crawlies create a microbial community that, according to a 2023 article in Scientific Reports, is unique from the ones that form on our clothes or bedsheets. And depending on what type of microbial community develops on them, dirty towels could put you at risk for contracting everything from athlete's foot to an eczema flare-up to pink eye or staph (MRSA), just to mention a few. Point being—it’s more than just potentially having a bathroom filled with smelly towels.

Other towel tips

Make sure your towel properly dries between uses

Even if you’re throwing the towel into the hamper to be cleaned, a good rule of thumb is to have it completely dry first in order to avoid funky odors. If your bathroom’s humidity lingers, it might be worth considering moving them to dry elsewhere.

Clean more often if…

…you’re dealing with sickness, a damaged skin barrier due to a rash or open cut, or shower multiple times a day.

pink and green plastic container Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Wash towels the right way

Use a hot water setting and dry on high heat. Ideally, choose a detergent with enzymes to really break down the grime, and consider adding liquid bleach or laundry products with activated oxygen bleach. Obviously, if that doesn't agree with your skin, disregard. But perhaps vinegar is a gentler yet still effective substitute.

Consider skipping anything besides detergent and bleach

While things like fabric softener and scent beads give off a luxury feel, they can also form a lingering residue that only makes the towel more of a breeding ground for germs.

Don't forget to wash your washing machine

Yes, the very device used to remove the bio gunk from our fabrics can be spreading them when not properly sanitized. Every so often, run a cycle without clothes, using bleach or a special formula for cleaning washing machines.

Replace towel every 3 years, and choose wisely

One hundred percent linen towels are naturally moisture-wicking, meaning they dry much faster and are therefore less likely to breed bacteria between uses! But no matter which type of towel you go with, wash before use. Yes, it’s hard to say goodbye to that oh-so soft texture, but the chemicals used to create that texture aren’t always great for us anyway.

pile of cloth on white surface Photo by Mel Poole on Unsplash

What about other types of towels?

Some towels—like the ones we use for the gym or wiping down the kitchen—are exposed to even gnarlier environments, and require different protocols. Workout towels for instance, which basically get covered in sweat and then sit in a gym bag for hours, need to be cleaned after only one use.

Similarly, past research has found that dish towels house a substantial amount of coliform bacteria E. coli bacteria, which can lead to food poisoning. The fact that many of us simultaneously use a kitchen towel for wiping down surfaces, dishes, and our own hands, certainly doesn't help things. Luckily that same research also showed towels that were washed within three days had less E. coli than those that went more than four days without washing. So, wash kitchen towels at least as often as bath towels, but daily if you’re using them to wipe up spills. Also designate specific towels for specific purposes—one for drying dishes, one for hands, etc..

The bottom line

Of course, there might be environmental or financial reasons for not wanting to wash towels often. And many might continue on with their current laissez-faire routine and suffer no consequences. But this is a good reminder that the essential tools used in our everyday lives require some TLC to keep things running smoothly, and hygienically.

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