• I spent years becoming a psychologist and then trying to achieve tenure.
• When I finally got tenure, I should have felt accomplished, but something was missing.
• I had to slow down, and then I realized I wanted to be a mother.

Becoming a psychologist is a long and grueling process. After four years of college, it's another six years or so to earn your master's and doctoral degrees. You then work full time for at least one year, accruing supervised hours before you're even eligible to take the licensing exam.

After that, if you are in a tenure-track academic position, like I was, then there are additional hurdles before you are considered for tenure. If you are granted tenure, the rewards are significant: Your job security increases dramatically, and you have more academic freedom in how you study and teach.

For years, that's what I was working towards: job security and freedom. But when I finally achieved it all, something felt off.

Receiving tenure first felt like winning the lottery

When I was granted tenure after a months-long application review process, I was euphoric. I truly felt like I had won the lottery and that I had finally "made it."

But, like for many who have actually won the lottery, the high subsided after a few months.

This alone was not unexpected. I knew the feeling would fade, as all feelings eventually do. What I could not make sense of was the experience of looking at my life and wondering, "Is this it? Is this everything?"

I followed the formula: Study hard, get good grades, work hard, get promoted, keep working hard, get tenure, and live happily ever after. I had a stable career, a loving husband, and a full life by any measure.

What was still missing?

When the euphoria faded, I thought something was wrong with me

I had experienced periods of depression in my life before, and so that was my first hypothesis, but I wasn't actually depressed. I still derived meaning and enjoyment from my role as a professor, so I wasn't disillusioned with the job.

It took months of exploration in therapy and honest self-reflection for me to acknowledge that for most of my adult life, I had been on one track or another, striving toward the next stop and barely pausing before moving to the next.

The tenure track was no different from any other track in the sense that it was predetermined and clearly demarcated. My particular gender and cultural conditioning had primed me to choose tracks over off-roading, and so I believed that if I just stayed the course and completed it well, fulfillment and contentment would be my rewards.

Except, when I finally got there, I still had a nagging sense of incompleteness.

I was so focused on my career that I didn't realize what I really wanted

All those years of striving overshadowed the parts of me that have no interest in tracks, achievements, or successes. My capacity to enjoy being for the sake of being and not having to earn or prove anything, was diminishing as I accrued more accomplishments and accolades.

Once I decided to pay more attention to my need to just "be" and not "do," I opened myself to other realizations — the most shocking of which was my growing desire to have a child.

The younger me would have shuddered at a future in which I finally earned tenure, voluntarily closed my private practice, and stepped down from a dean-level position so that I could spend more time with my child. But that's just what I did.

Parenting is meaningful, yes, but it's not a strategy for fulfillment. Indeed, I still have some unresolved dissonance about my trajectory, and becoming a parent has involved a whole lot of "doing" at the expense of "being," especially as a working mom.

On the other hand, despite the challenges, I do feel a greater sense of completeness in our family. I'm glad I eventually paid attention to the voice inside me that led me here, and I wish I had tuned in sooner.

• A Spotify layoff in December 2023 affected 17% of employees, including Sophia Omarji, a UX researcher.
• Omarji faced visa issues and a competitive job market before being forced to leave for Dubai.
• Still looking for her next role a year later, she's focused on skill development and networking.

In January 2023, I moved from the UK to Sweden for my dream job at Spotify. I had been at the company since July 2022, when I joined as a UX research intern and secured a full-time associate role and later a promotion.

As a music psychology graduate, joining Spotify was a dream come true. I never expected to reach that point in my career fresh out of college — I assumed it would take years.

At the end of 2023, I was among the 17% affected by layoffs at the company I had dreamed of joining. Since then, I've processed the reality of being laid off and navigated the emotional and professional challenges that come with it.

The year since has been anything but straightforward, from grappling with visa issues to navigating Sweden's competitive job market. It has also been a time of profound learning and unexpected growth.

On Monday, December 4, 2023, I received the email that changed everything

I woke up and rolled over to see two emails from work. One was sent to the whole company from Spotify's CEO, Daniel Ek, and another from HR — a 15-minute individual meeting invite to discuss my role. Having been present for another round of layoffs earlier that year, I knew that I was about to be let go.

Every day at work felt surreal and confirmed I was living out my aspirations. I loved the culture, people, and projects — the role excited me and built my passion further. I had envisioned a long career at the company.

In the call, they told me my role was being made redundant, and they couldn't find me another position due to the scale of the reduction. I was given a three-month notice period but was not required to work from then on.

I felt a mix of disbelief, frustration, and pure heartbreak

It wasn't just about the job loss but the upheaval of everything I had planned for the coming years. The uncertainty was further amplified by my work visa situation, being in Sweden as a British citizen, forcing me to navigate emotional turmoil and the post-Brexit bureaucratic maze.

With a ticking clock and no clear path forward, I felt paralyzed. I quickly realized that the emotional aftermath of losing a job was more complex than I had anticipated.

I had to give myself the space to experience the stages of grief, mourning the loss of my sense of identity and future certainty alongside the feelings of rejection that accompanied it. Over time, I began to appreciate the value of giving myself time to adjust rather than rushing to fill the void.

One key lesson I've learned is how to embrace the discomfort of not having everything figured out immediately

It's easy to feel like you're falling behind when you have no clear direction or routine, but I soon realized that growth often arises in moments of uncertainty.

I decided to focus on what I could still control. I leaned into the skills I had developed at Spotify, like data analysis, storytelling, and working with different stakeholders, and explored new avenues for applying them.

I couldn't find part-time work in Sweden because my work visa was revoked, leaving me in a sticky situation. Over the past year, I've focused on networking, attending conferences, and expanding my skill set through courses.

I've also honed my background in music psychology, searching for opportunities to share that expertise through workshops, speaking engagements, my blog, and my podcast.

Early career professionals in the current job market face unique challenges

The pressure to progress quickly, build experience, and establish ourselves can feel overwhelming, especially in industries like tech, where expertise is highly valued.

I've learned being junior doesn't mean being less capable — it's an opportunity to build a foundation of skills and knowledge that will support long-term growth. Young people bring fresh perspectives, adaptability, and a willingness to learn, and adaptability isn't just about adjusting to changes within your current role or industry — it's about being open to geographical and professional shifts that push you out of your comfort zone.

After my layoff, I could stay in Sweden for six months before ultimately having no choice but to leave Stockholm. I relocated to Dubai to be with my family.

The transition was difficult — I had to leave behind my partner, friends, and the life I had built. Adjusting to a long-distance relationship added another layer of complexity, but I learned that a new location doesn't have to limit opportunities.

I now see myself as a citizen of the world

I'm navigating life on the move and juggling pursuing my next job with quality time spent with family and friends, exploring new places, and focusing on personal and professional projects. My ultimate goal is to return to Sweden — or wherever the best opportunity takes me — so my partner and I can reunite and build the best life possible.

My goal for the year ahead is to find professional success. I'm open to similar roles and new directions if they align with my values. Whether it's in music psychology, UX research, or the broader tech industry, my focus is on meaningful and impactful work. As the world evolves, so will my career.

Do you want to share how your layoff affected you? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected].

• Bill Gates says some of his tech predictions didn't go how expected.
• Gates told the NYT that Silicon Valley's swing toward the right was a "surprise" to him.
• He warns of AI misuse, emphasizing the need for defensive tech against cyber threats.

Bill Gates says he's gotten a few things wrong during his decadeslong tech career.

The Microsoft founder spoke to The New York Times about how some of his predictions for the tech industry didn't pan out the way he thought they would. Gates, who started the tech giant in 1975, has been around long enough to witness significant cultural shifts and innovations in Silicon Valley.

What he didn't expect was its leaders leaning into the right wing.

"I always thought of Silicon Valley as being left of center," Gates told NYT.

His peers, including Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos, have shown support for President Donald Trump — attending his inauguration and catching up at UFC events. Musk and Zuckerberg have both previously kept their political beliefs relatively private.

"The fact that now there is a significant right-of-center group is a surprise to me," Gates added. Gates donated $50 million to a pro-Kamala Harris super PAC in 2024, the NYT previously reported.

The advent of social media also brought a twist in technology that Gates said he didn't see coming. When platforms like Facebook and Twitter arrived on the scene, they brought about "ills that I have to say I did not predict."

Gates said tech has been weaponized to sow political division and act against public interest. He told the NYT that he was "wrong" to think of "more information as always a good thing."

"I didn't predict that would happen," Gates said.

Meta and X, formerly Twitter, are owned by Zuckerberg and Musk, respectively, and have both faced complaints about their approaches to content moderation. In January, Zuckerberg said Meta would adopt a "community notes" model similar to X instead of using third-party human fact-checkers.

While he had previously held more positive predictions for the present, Gates said he's less optimistic about the future of tech. Looking to the future, Gates reiterated his apprehension about the evolution of artificial intelligence.

"Now we have to worry about bad people using AI," he told the NYT.

Gates previously expressed his concerns about AI during an interview on the "On with Kara Swisher" podcast. He shared his uneasiness "that bad people with bad intent will use AIs for cybercrime, bioterrorism, nation-state wars."

"In that case you think, OK, let's make sure the good guys have an AI that can play defense against those things, and that makes you want to move ahead and not fall behind," Gates said in the interview.

The petition received 105 signatures, and was sent to the California governor on Monday, Saving California Chairman Randy Economy told Newsweek.

Law enforcement authorities said the suspected arms trafficker is believed to be part of a criminal group that has smuggled weapons from the U.S. to Russia.

The German automaker is moving away from screen space with new innovations for future cars and SUVs.

New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang told Newsweek that "there should be public outrage" at the dismissal of federal IGs.

It is claimed that DeepSeek is roughly as good as the latest systems from US companies, but it's probably too early to say.

"I still feel like there's so much more I can give and do and I want to do," Mark-Paul Gosselaar tells Newsweek.

The murderer formerly known as Steven Joseph Hayes says she's now at peace — though still haunted by the killings she regrets.

As many of us tried to warn for years, the second Trump administration has so far been a nightmarish project of punitive vengeance on multiple fronts.

President Donald Trump does now want BRICS member nations to move away from the dollar.

Netizens are challenging themselves to reduce their consumption—but what is the No Buy 2025 challenge?

The pop superstar, who is nominated for six awards at this year's Grammys, will be in attendance at the event on Sunday, Feb. 2

Smart LED light bulbs are one of the easiest ways to upgrade your home with smart lighting solutions that are both practical and fun. These color-changing bulbs let you customize your space with vibrant RGB color options, cozy warm white or any light color you can imagine. They’re compatible with popular systems like Google Home and can work seamlessly with smart switches and other light switches, making them a key part of your home automation setup.

With app control, you can adjust the brightness (no need for a separate dimmer), set schedules and even program the lights to turn on or off under certain conditions, like when you connect to your home network. Whether you’re setting lights for movie night, creating a relaxing atmosphere or adding a pop of color to your room, these smart lighting solutions are easy to install and surprisingly affordable.

What to look for in smart light bulbs

Connectivity (To hub or not to hub)

One of the biggest appeals of smart lighting solutions is being able to control them from your phone. Most of them are able to do so by connecting to it via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or via an external hub, which handles the connection for them. Bluetooth connectivity limits the range in which you’ll be able to control the light, so it’s only best for a limited number of bulbs and ones you don’t expect to control when you’re away.

Wi-Fi color-changing bulbs are easy to set up and can be cheaper overall since they don’t require a hub to connect them. However, having something like a central Zigbee hub can make your whole system more reliable since its connection is separate from your home’s network. For that reason, hub-based bulbs tend to be more expandable, so we mainly recommend those if you want to eventually have dozens of smart lights around your home.

White or color?

Most color-changing bulbs you’ll find today are “white and color” bulbs, meaning they can glow in vibrant RGB color-options like blues, pinks, greens and everything in between, as well as shine with different temperatures of white. But there are some white-only bulbs out there, and they are often a bit more affordable than their color counterparts. While we recommend springing for the white-and-color devices, if you’d prefer white only, make sure you’re getting a bulb that can span the color temperature spectrum (typically from about 2000 to 5000 Kelvin), offering you various levels of cool and warm white light.

App features

One of the perks of smart lighting solutions is the amount of control you have over them thanks to their various app-control capabilities. Most companion apps let you do things like set lighting schedules and timers, group individual lights into room designations and create your own custom light “scenes” with different RGB options. But we have seen other features that aren’t as ubiquitous like vacation mode for automatically turning lights on and off to enhance your home security, and sync with media, which changes the colors of lights depending on the music you’re listening to or the game you’re currently live-streaming.

Smart home compatibility

If you use a smart assistant like Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant regularly, make sure the smart lights or smart switches work with your favorite. All of the bulbs we tested supported both Amazon’s and Google’s virtual assistants, allowing you to use voice commands to turn lights on and off, dim them with a virtual dimmer and more. The wildcard here is Siri and Apple’s HomeKit; while numerous smart bulbs have added HomeKit support, not all lights are compatible with Apple’s smart home system.

Expandability

We alluded to this above, but you’ll want to consider how many smart lights you eventually want in your home. Some brands and lighting systems are easier to expand than others, and we generally recommend going for hub-based bulbs if you plan on putting smart lights in every room in your home. If you’re only looking to deck out your home office or living room with some fancy color-changing bulbs, Wi-Fi options should serve you well. Thankfully, these are some of the most affordable smart home devices you can get, so even if you don’t have a clear answer to this question now, you can reconsider your options down the line if you do decide to outfit your home with multiple smart bulbs.

Other smart bulbs we’ve tested

Nanoleaf Smarter Kit

While we’ve recommended Nanoleaf’s Smarter Kits in guides in the past, they’re a bit more niche than other smart lights on this list. They’re best for adding flare to your living room or game-streaming setup as they come in different shapes like hexagons and triangles and can sync with music. In addition to different colors, light animations and schedules, Nanoleaf’s Smart Kits also support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

FAQs

What’s the best smart light bulb for Alexa?

There is no best smart light bulb for Alexa. Amazon doesn’t make its own smart bulbs (like it does for smart plugs and thermostats), but rather there are dozens of smart lights made by third-parties that work with Alexa — including all of the ones we tested. Before picking the best smart light bulb for you, make sure to check the voice assistants that the contenders support. You’ll find that most smart light bulbs available today work with Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant, and plenty of them also have support for Apple’s Siri and HomeKit.

Can you put a smart bulb in any lamp?

Smart light bulbs can go into most modern light fixtures — but just like regular bulbs, they need to be the right shape/size for the fixture. A standard A19 smart light bulb should work properly in most table, floor and other lamps. If you have a fixture that takes a specific type of bulb, look for smart bulbs that will fit properly.

Do smart light bulbs use electricity when off?

Smart light bulbs do use a negligible amount of electricity when their fixtures are turned off. This is due to the fact that the smart bulb needs to stay in constant contact with your home’s internet connection or Bluetooth in order to work properly. However, their energy-saving benefits usually outweigh the small amount of power they consume even while turned off.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-smart-led-light-bulbs-143022856.html?src=rss

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