Hannah Aster

SEO Team Lead

Hannah is a seasoned writer and editor who started her journey with Shortform nearly five years ago. She grew up reading mostly fiction books but transitioned to non-fiction writing when she started her travel website in 2018. When she's not writing or traveling, you can find Hannah working on home reno projects, crafting, or taking care of plants.

Expertise

Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English and minors in professional and creative writing

Scrum Exercises to Help You Implement the Book’s Ideas

Looking to understand Jeff Sutherland’s book Scrum better? How can these Scrum exercises help your team become more efficient? According to software developer and management expert Jeff Sutherland, too much time is spent planning, too much energy is wasted on unimportant tasks, and not enough emphasis is placed on flexibility. That’s why Sutherland created the Scrum Method as a more efficient way to develop products. Here are five Scrum exercises to further your understanding of the Scrum method.

Stress-Related Illnesses: How the Mind Affects the Body

What is a stress-related illness? Can stress really make a person physically sick? Although science treats the mind and the body as separate entities, there’s a strong connection between stress and illness. Dr. Gabor Maté discusses this connection in his book When the Body Says No, explaining the links between peoples’ life histories, psychological profiles, and specific diseases. Here’s a look at some of the stress-related illnesses.

4 Potty Training Problems & How to Overcome Them

What are the most common potty training problems? How can you help your child overcome resistance to potty training? In her book Oh Crap! Potty Training, parenting coach and social worker Jamie Glowacki goes over the four most common potty training problems. Those problems include poop difficulties, night training, resistance, and restarting. Below, we’ll go over the four potty training problems and how to overcome them, according to Glowacki.

How to Hire the Right Person (And Keep Them)

Are you in charge of hiring new employees at work? How do you know you’re hiring the right person for the job? In their book Execution, business leaders Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan provide three steps for choosing the right employee. They also explain how to retain your employees after hiring them by supporting their development. Keep reading to learn how to choose and retain good employees.

2 Effects of Childhood Trauma in the Short-Term

What are the major short-term effects of childhood trauma? How can trauma affect other areas of a child’s life? According to Oprah Winfrey and psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry in their book What Happened to You?, two of the most common short-term effects of childhood trauma are 1) an inability to love and be loved, and 2) an overactive stress response, which can lead to increased anxiety and difficulty concentrating. We’ll explore both in detail below.

An Overview of Scrum Roles and Responsibilities

What are the Scrum roles and responsibilities? How do the three roles work together to make an efficient team? In his book Scrum, Jeff Sutherland details the three roles within a Scrum team. The roles are product manager, Scrum coach, and developer. Here’s how the roles work together to create an efficient and flexible team.

Does Stress Cause Cancer? The Disturbing Answer

Does stress cause cancer? How can stress lead to growth of cancerous cells? In his book When the Body Says No, Dr. Gabor Maté explains that certain cancers result from hormonal changes, and hormones can be affected by stress. Therefore, chronic stress can cause a domino effect, eventually leading to the growth of cancerous cells in the body. Here’s a look at the link between stress and cancer.

How and When to Start Toilet Training Your Toddler

At what age should you start toilet training your child? How do you know when your toddler is ready? In her book Oh Crap! Potty Training, parenting coach Jamie Glowacki explains how to start toilet training. She says that you should start potty training between 20 and 30 months of age and not to wait until the child signals that they are ready. Here’s how to start toilet training your toddler.

What Is Business Execution and Why Does It Matter?

5 Steps to Practicing Empathy in the Workplace

What is business execution? Why must good business leaders learn to execute? The term “execution” has a few different meanings when it comes to business. The definition we’re using is the one from Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan’s book Execution. According to the authors, business execution is a discipline that leaders must follow in order to advance the company’s goals. Keep reading to learn about the meaning of execution in business, and why it’s so important.

What Is Emotional Trauma? The 2 Defining Factors

What is emotional trauma? How does trauma differ from distress? According to Oprah Winfrey and renowned psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry in their book What Happened to You?, there’s a difference between trauma and distress. The authors explain that trauma is made up of two factors: the stress response and the lasting impact. Continue reading for a discussion on emotional trauma and how it affects the brain.