This week's issue tells the story of the tragedy in Boston in pictures -- the marathon, the bombing, the aftermath, and the runners, onlookers, and first responders who came together to help one another in one of the city's darkest hours. As Jaweed Kaleem writes, in addition to physical damage, the bombings heaped emotional distress on countless people. In response, trauma counselors, mental health professionals and spiritual leaders have been tending to those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. "Horrible images are ingrained in people's minds, and there will be memories and triggers," says Joyce Maguire Pavao, a Boston psychologist. "But you can manage them better if you have assistance, if you have someone to talk to."
Elsewhere in the issue, Lisa Belkin writes about the Results Only Work Environment program (ROWE), continuing the conversation started by Yahoo's Melissa Mayer, who earlier this year ended her company's work-from-home policy. Created by two former Best Buy employees, ROWE's slogan is "Work whenever you want, wherever you want, as long as the work gets done." At one time, the program was used by 80 percent of Best Buy's 3000 corporate employees. It's an effort to redefine the workplace at a time when ample evidence shows the current model isn't working. As Lisa writes, "What's clear is that the way Americans work is overdue for a change." According to a new survey, 83 percent of Americans are stressed at work, up from 73 percent last year.
And because Monday is Earth Day, we've put together a photo essay highlighting key moments in environmental activism going back to the 1970s, along with statistics that show how passions for environmental reform have cooled. Polling shows that Americans have become less environmentally vigilant, with 63 percent considering restoring and enhancing the environment very important in 1971, and 39 percent today. The trend holds true for government spending, with 56 percent of Americans saying the government should spend more on environmental programs in 1971, while today only 29 percent feel that way.
Finally, as part of the magazine's ongoing examination of stress in our lives, we look at how "derushing" our careers can yield many benefits in the long run. We examine some commuter-friendly meditation apps, and give you a few easy ways to de-stress while you're sitting at your desk. In our hyperconnected lives, and especially in times of tragedy that elude our understanding, the ability to unplug, recharge and reconnect with ourselves is a gift beyond measure. This weekend, I hope you'll make some time to explore these features and find new ways to do so.
This story appears in Issue 45 of our weekly iPad magazine, Huffington, in the iTunes App store, available Friday, April 19.