free time

10 Time-Management Fails — and How to Fix Them

Paul Michael — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 10:00:06 +0000

Time is finite. We all have 24 hours a day, and seven days a week, to achieve our goals. However, it seems like some people have tons of free time, and others never have enough hours in the day. If you are constantly struggling to find the time to get stuff done, you probably need a little more discipline in your life. Here are 10 classic time management fails — that many of us struggle with — and how to fix them. (See also: 8 Reasons Time Is Worth More Than Money)

1. You are a masterful procrastinator

Remember those homework assignments that we put off until the last second? Or deadlines at work that we're desperately trying to meet the night before? We've all done it. You convince yourself that there's just not enough time in the day to do what you need to do, but tomorrow you can get it done. Of course, when tomorrow turns into today, the same thought takes over again, and eventually, it becomes a last-minute rush and you find yourself muttering "I wish I had more time." Thing is, you had it. You just didn't have enough discipline to make use of it.

Stop waiting for tomorrow. Even if you can't finish it today, you can still get started. Start breaking down your tasks and goals into smaller, more manageable steps you can accomplish each day, eventually leading you to the finish line. (See also: How to Add an Extra Hour to Your Day)

2. You don't take advantage of modern technology

Now more than ever, we have all the tools we need to become masters of time management. You have, at your fingertips, some of the best apps available to help you organize your time down to the second, including calendars, reminders, task managers, list makers, and so much more. If you are constantly wishing you had more time, but are not taking advantage of these great (and usually free) tools, you're missing out. Once you start using them, it will become second nature. (See also: Organize 8 Key Areas of Your Life With These 17 Smart Apps)

3. You haven't established a morning routine

One of the easiest ways to get better with time management is to start off the day in the right frame of mind. A morning routine can be tough to establish, especially if some mornings are way different from others. Do what you can to carve out 30 minutes that will set you on the right track for the rest of the day. It can be as simple as a quick shower, drinking coffee while catching up on the morning news, a brisk walk around the block, and five minutes of meditation. Do whatever works for you. But do it daily, and it will ground you for a less hectic day. (See also: 13 Things Successful People Do Every Morning)

4. You make too much time for fun

Isn't it funny how there's "not enough time to do everything," but there's always time to see that new movie, head to the ballgame, or go on a shopping trip? That's just human nature. We make time for the fun stuff because it's, well, fun.

However, you can't really justify saying you don't have enough time to get work or chores done when you easily make time for the fun things. Even laying in bed and giving the snooze button a few whacks is time that could be spent doing other things. Sure, you need to make time to relax and wind down, but balance that with some discipline so you can go to bed feeling good about the way you spent your day.

5. You waste time because you're disorganized

You can't find your keys. You forgot something you needed at the store, and have to make a second trip. You can't find that super important work email in your messy inbox. Things like this can really eat into the time you have available throughout the day. Ten minutes here, 20 minutes there, and before you know it, you've wasted two precious hours and gotten nothing done.

This problem can be eliminated by getting more organized. For example, make a place right next to the door to hang your keys, and get into the habit of hanging them there as soon as you come in the door. Make lists on your phone before you go to the grocery store. Add stars and labels and folders to keep your inbox clean. It may take you some time on the front end to make these organizational moves, but you'll save tons of time in the long run. (See also: 5 Easy Ways to Declutter Your Digital Life)

6. You're trying to do too much at once

A little multitasking here and there is fine. However, when you decide that the best way to get everything done is to attack it all at once, you're going to run into all kinds of problems. First, your focus is divided between several tasks at the same time, and that will mean each job is only getting a fraction of the attention it deserves. You may also need to be in a different mindset to do one job, and it can negatively impact the work you're doing on the others.

Mix-ups and mistakes often happen when you're juggling a whole bunch of projects, plus you can feel so overwhelmed that in the end, none of the jobs get completed; or if they do, they're half-baked. Only take on what you can manage successfully, and have the discipline to finish those tasks before attempting any more. (See also: 16 Time and Money Saving Apps for Freelancers)

7. You tend to rush things

When people rush, they inevitably make mistakes that have the exact opposite impact, and they spend more time fixing mistakes than if they had just slowed down and done it right the first time. While it may seem like going faster will get it done faster, it will probably just create problems for you. So, take a breath, slow down, and work at a steady and manageable pace.

8. Your goals are ill-defined

People who are on top of everything know exactly what they want to achieve. Usually, their goals are written down and planned out, weeks or months in advance. Not only that, but every goal is crystal clear.

For example, let's take something that we all dread — cleaning out the garage or basement. For those of us who never seem to have enough time in the day, it's just a horrible task on the horizon that we keep putting off. For those with clear goals, it will be compartmentalized and come with a list of dates and objectives:

Day one, go through all old paperwork, shred, and file.
Day two, find items to donate.
Day three, find items for a garage sale.

And so on. "Clean the garage" is daunting and feels massive. Breaking the goal into clear steps with deadlines makes life way easier.

9. You get laser-focused on one task

When you do something, you don't just want to do it well, you want it do it flawlessly. So cleaning the kitchen takes all day instead of half an hour, as you sit on the floor with a toothbrush and a bleach solution getting into every crevice and tile. Cleaning the junk drawer becomes a task that sends you to the store for a new set of containers, and bags, and labels, and zip ties. Tasks that should take minutes take hours, and hours turn into days. Simply by easing off and doing a decent job, not a perfect one, you can save so much time.

10. You have trouble making decisions

How many of us have spent an hour or more in front of the TV trying to find something good to watch? By the time we land on the perfect movie or show, there's no time left to watch it. The same can be said of deciding on meals to prepare, clothes to buy, or places to visit. Too much time is spent on the act of making a decision, and not enough time spent doing what needs to be done.

There are ways to get around this, such as apps that help you make decisions, or simply jotting down the pros and cons of the outcome. Get in the habit of making decisions more quickly, and you'll have more time on your hands. (See also: How to Simplify Your Life to Avoid Decision Fatigue)

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Things You Need to Do if You're Retiring in 2018

Dan Rafter — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 09:30:10 +0000

You’re ready to retire in 2018. A long career is behind you, and you're finally ready to enjoy your golden years after decades of hard work and saving.

But just because retirement is at your doorstep doesn’t mean you don’t still have a few important steps to take. Here are six things you need to do right now to start your 2018 retirement off on the right foot.

1. Calculate your retirement budget

Creating any sort of budget rarely sounds like fun, but when you’re ready to retire, it’s a necessity. Remember, that paycheck you’ve counted on for so long is disappearing. You need to make sure you have enough money coming in each month to support yourself.

First, calculate how much money you’ll have available each month. Include all sources of income, including Social Security benefits, money from the savings you’ve built up, royalties, rents, disability payments, and annuity payments. Then, calculate your fixed expenses that remain the same each month. These would include rent or mortgage payments, car payments, and insurance costs — everything from life and health, to homeowners and auto.

Create reasonable estimates for expenses that might fluctuate each month. This includes costs such as utility bills, the money you spend on groceries, transportation costs, and, always important, the estimated amount of dollars you’ll spend on entertainment, traveling, and eating out.

Once you have these figures, you’ll know if you have enough money to support the retirement lifestyle you want.

2. Make some tweaks

Maybe, after creating this budget, you discover that you don’t have enough incoming dollars to cover all your expenses. This means it’s time to make some changes. If money is tight, you might have to cut back on discretionary expenses like going out to dinner or the movies. You might not be able to take a road trip every month. You might have to put off that cruise.

If you need more dramatic savings, it might be time to consider putting your home on the market. If you sell it and downsize into a smaller residence — maybe a condo or apartment — you might be able to generate enough money, and save enough in monthly mortgage expenses, to afford a more luxurious retirement lifestyle.

You might also consider selling your car, if you’re still making payments on it, and purchasing a more affordable vehicle that might cost hundreds of dollars less each month. (See also: 6 Ways You Can Cut Costs Right Before You Retire)

3. Talk to your partner about your retirement hopes

You don’t want to hit retirement only to discover that you’re happy puttering around the house and reading while your partner is looking forward to traveling the country in an RV.

Partners need to talk about their retirement goals long before they leave the working world. If you haven’t done this yet, and you’re ready to retire in 2018, it’s time to have this conversation.

Retirement brings with it plenty of free time — maybe more than you expected. You might get tired of reading or fishing pretty quickly. It’s best to discuss how you’ll fill these extra hours with your partner or spouse before retirement hits. Doing so will increase the odds that both of you will enjoy a happy retirement together. (See also: 5 Money Conversations Couples Should Have Before Retirement)

4. Consider whether you still want to work

Many retirees take on part-time work after they leave their full-time jobs. Some do this for financial reasons, while others simply enjoy the act of going to work and staying productive.

Take a long look at yourself. If you enjoy the routine of going to work, and find working satisfying, taking a part-time job might be the right decision for you. Or maybe you’ll want to use your retirement years to set up a consulting business or pursue a dream job in the arts.

Just make sure to plan for this move. Share your goals with your partner, so that he or she isn’t blindsided when you announce that you’re going back to work. And if you’re retiring next year, take the time now to make the connections and prep your resume so that you can transition as smoothly as possible to your new job. (See also: 4 Creative Remote Jobs That Can Supplement Your Retirement Income)

5. Explore your community

Again, retirement comes with plenty of free time. If you don’t want to work, maybe you’ll want to volunteer to fill in those hours. Now is the time to explore volunteer opportunities in your community. That way, when you do retire, you’ll already have a plan for how you’ll occupy those long post-work days. (See also: How to Find Your New Identity After Retirement)

6. Get conservative with your investments

If you haven’t already, move your retirement savings out of stocks and into less volatile savings vehicles such as bonds. It’s true that bonds don’t have the same ceiling when it comes to big gains, but you don’t want a dip in the stock market six months before you retire to eat up a big chunk of your retirement savings. Instead, play it safe by moving your savings to retirement vehicles that aren’t as likely to hit a big dip.

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This article is from Dan Rafter of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Moves Every First Year Freelancer Should Make

Emily Guy Birken — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 08:30:14 +0000

When I started my freelance career seven years ago, I honestly had very little idea of what I was doing. I made some seriously painful mistakes that affected everything from my bottom line to my stress level to my relationships with some of my clients. (See also: The 5 Biggest Mistakes Freelancers Make)

But even though self-employment mistakes are common, they're not inevitable. You can make the transition to self-employment much smoother and easier to handle if you commit to doing the following things in your first year as your own boss. Not only will you lay down the good habits and policies you'll need throughout your new career in self-employment, but these moves can also help your career start off with a bang. (See also: Day Job or Freelance: Which Is Right for You?)

1. Set aside 30 to 35 percent of every paycheck for taxes

One of the double-edged swords of working for yourself is the fact that your paychecks will generally not have any taxes withheld. While it feels pretty good to have the full amount of money you earned coming directly to you, it can really mess up your finances if you don't plan ahead for taxes.

Many of the newly self-employed can get themselves into trouble by assuming they'll pay their quarterly estimated tax bills with whatever funds they have received as of the quarterly estimated tax due date. But Uncle Sam doesn't care if you have a slow work spell or are waiting on some payments that are not quickly forthcoming from a client — he wants you to pay the taxes you owe on time. (See also: Avoid IRS Penalties With This Simple Estimated Payment Strategy)

You can bypass the quarterly stress of finding the necessary funds to pay your tax bill by specifically setting aside 30 to 35 percent of every check you receive. This does take a depressingly large bite out of your paychecks, but it gives you the peace of mind to know that you will be able to cover your estimated tax payments. In addition, by putting this money into a savings account, you can earn a little interest — which already puts you financially ahead of folks who have their taxes withheld.

If your diligent savings of 30 to 35 percent of each paycheck means you have more money than you need for taxes in your first year of self-employment, then you can always use the leftover money to reinvest in your business or smooth over any lean months in your second year of self-employment. (See also: 7 Things I Learned About Money After I Went Freelance)

2. Hire an accountant

Speaking of taxes, they are going to get more complex now that you have begun working for yourself. While it is certainly possible for you to complete your taxes all by yourself as you've done in the past, the money you spend on an accountant for your self-employment taxes can both save you time and lower your stress. (See also: 5 Free Accounting Tools for Freelancers)

Asking for referrals from trusted colleagues or small business owners can be the best way to find the right accountant or tax professional for your needs. Don't let this important part of self-employment go on the back burner. Having an accountant throughout your first year of self-employment can help you to accurately pay your quarterly estimated taxes on time, and take advantage of deductions and other tax benefits that you might otherwise miss.

3. Determine your payment floor

During my first year as a freelancer, an educational company contracted me to write lesson plans for English teachers. I had been working as an English teacher before my freelancing career, and I loved that this company was committed to using humor in all of its resources. I thought it was a perfect fit, and I quoted them a price per lesson plan that felt reasonable for my expertise (and comedic chops). They offered me a fifth of what I asked for. Since I was worried that I wouldn't be able to actually make a living as a freelancer, I took the job.

It was a huge mistake.

Here's why: The amount of work that I put into each lesson plan meant I was earning less than minimum wage for my hours of toil. It took me months to get through the initial contract of 10 lesson plans, in part because I knew how little I was making and it was difficult to prioritize this client over those who paid more for less work.

Even though the company loved my work, we parted ways after I finished the first round of lesson plans. They were just as happy to get a quicker and less-funny turnaround from another freelancer who did not have my expertise. I was glad to no longer be working so hard for a company that did not financially value my contributions.

After this experience, I learned to figure out my payment floor — the least amount of money my time was worth. Once I knew my payment floor, it became much easier to recognize which jobs were worth my time, and which jobs would leave me feeling overworked and resentful. Knowing your payment floor may seem premature in your first year of self-employment since you feel like you are hustling just to capture enough clients to keep the lights on. But you are better off holding out for clients who value you, rather than taking any job, no matter how low the pay.

4. Build free time into your schedule

There are a couple of common scheduling traps that can trip up the newly self-employed:

Working all the time. Since you are now completely in control of your schedule and your career, and since you presumably love what you do, it can be very easy to throw yourself into your work 24/7.
The planning fallacy. Even after seven years as a freelancer, I still underestimate how long it will take me to complete a project, because it never occurs to me that my kids might get sick, my internet might go out, my research might uncover more complex issues than I anticipated, or that I might be struck down by an unexpected nap after eating too many carbs for lunch.
Lack of discipline. For some newly self-employed individuals, it can be difficult to stick to self-imposed (or even client-imposed) deadlines if you don't have a boss to keep you honest. It's a lot harder to succeed in self-employment if you have trouble sticking to a work schedule.

All three of these scheduling mistakes can be helped by building free time into your schedule. Forcing yourself to take time off from your otherwise nonstop work will prevent burnout and allow you to be far more productive. Having a free afternoon built into each week has helped me to improve my on-time percentage, because it leaves some slack for when life happens and I'm not able to finish things according to my pie-in-the-sky planning assumptions. And anyone who struggles with self-discipline will generally have an easier time forcing themselves to work if they know that there is free time coming. (See also: Self-Employed? Tips for Taking Time Off Without Trauma)

5. Capture excess income in a savings account

When you are self-employed, there will be some months when several paychecks or client payments come in all at once. This can feel pretty great, especially if you can thank your own hustle for making it rain, but it's important to be disciplined about this kind of excess income and put it in a savings account. That's because you are likely to have a low-income month sooner or later, and that excess income can be the difference between you being able to pay your bills as usual and you having to go grocery shopping with couch cushion change. (See also: The SEP-IRA Is How the Self-Employed Do Retirement Like a BOSS)

During your fat-paycheck months, you should not only set aside the 30 to 35 percent you put away for your taxes, but you should also put whatever additional excess income you can afford into a "rainy day" savings account. This account is where you will go to get the money you need to keep everything running smoothly during any lean months. And like your taxes savings account, if you don't end up needing to dip into this rainy day savings account, that means you will have money already set aside that you can potentially invest back into your business. (See also: How to Budget Consistently Without a Steady Paycheck)

6. Insist on clear contracts

Everyone who has ventured into self-employment has at least one story about being stiffed out of payment from a client. For instance, in my first year of freelancing, I was hired to write for a startup parenting website. I wrote several articles for the site, but I was only paid for one of the half dozen pieces I provided them. (See also: 8 Ways Freelancers Can Make Sure They Get Paid on Time)

The client was in the wrong for not paying me — but I also made a mistake in accepting work from them without a contract. Our arrangement was based on nothing more than email exchanges and a phone call. We did not have a contract that spelled out our legal expectations of each other, which meant it would have been very difficult for me to pursue the client for the money they owed me.

In addition, contracts are also helpful for defining the scope of a project and specifying the details of a termination fee. A contract that outlines the specific timeline and deliverables will protect you from having to revisit the same project over and over again for no extra money if your client insists on more edits or revisions or a larger scope than you expected. Similarly, if your client decides to end your project, having a contract that specifies the termination fee you'll receive under such circumstances will protect you from having wasted your time.

Welcome to self-employment!

You can set yourself up for se lf-employment success in your very first year as your own boss. Planning ahead for everything from taxes to lean months to time management to contractual disputes will help you create a self-employment career that you'll love for years to come. (See also: Freelancing: A Beginner's Guide to Doing It Right)

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This article is from Emily Guy Birken of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Add an Extra Hour to Your Day

Emily Guy Birken — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 08:00:06 +0000

We all get the same 24 hours in a day, and yet it feels like some uber-productive people are working with extra hours that you don't have access to. These time management superstars somehow work full-time, but still exercise every day, take their kids to soccer practice, and have a year-round garden that's the envy of the neighborhood. What's their secret?

It turns out you can buy yourself more time each day if you simply treat time management the same way you treat money management. Specifically, the following healthy money habits can help you build some time slack so that you can finally tackle the items that always fall to the bottom of your to-do list.

1. Track your time spent

Tracking where your money goes is an integral part of budgeting, since you can't trim excess spending if you don't know about it. Tracking your time-usage can be just as important for cutting unnecessary time wasters. Knowing exactly where your hours are going can help you to reclaim some time for more important tasks than endlessly refreshing Twitter.

There are multiple ways to track how you spend your time, from the simple paper-and-pencil logging of your time, to apps like Toggl and RescueTime that will do the tracking for you. Using any of these options to see how you spend your time can help you to figure out where to reclaim it. (See also: 7 Ways a Mindfulness Journal Can Fix Your Life)

2. Limit unnecessary spending

I have an app that limits my access to social media during the day because I know that I'm not capable of voluntarily limiting it on my own. Facebook and Twitter tend to suck up my time in the same way that bookstores used to suck up my money, so I need make sure I limit my exposure.

Of course, the internet is not the only time suck you might be fighting. While there are plenty of apps and plugins available to keep you from frittering hours away on social media — StayFocused is a good one — don't overlook the humble timer as a tool to limit unnecessary time spending. You can watch your favorite shows or read a novel over a cup of coffee, just set a timer that will force you to move on to the next task to keep your day from being consumed.

These kinds of time leaks are often the culprit when you feel like there are simply not enough hours in the day. Once you start limiting your unnecessary time spending, you will often find you have much more time than you realized.

3. Invest in your future

You don't expect to have healthy finances without saving and investing your money, and healthy time management requires the same kinds of investments. What does such time investment look like? It's a matter of creating morning and evening rituals, and taking the time to go over your calendar and to-do list on a daily basis. (See also: 15 Essential Life Hacks That Will Save You Time in the Morning)

Create daily rituals

Your morning and evening rituals help you to consistently transition from one task to the next. Having a morning ritual means you can give your work tasks your full attention once you have made the transition into work time. On the other end of the day, make sure you create space between work and sleep. How many times have you found yourself answering a work email at 11 p.m. when you were supposed to be in bed already? Having an evening ritual that includes shutting off screens will help you to sleep better and keep work from intruding on your time. (See also: Change Your Life by Changing Your Bedtime Routine)

Similarly, taking 15-20 minutes to review your calendar and to-do lists for the following day will help keep plans, meetings, or deadlines from slipping your mind, and allow you to be more efficient when you get to work.

The eternally time-crunched folks may often feel like they have far too much to do to invest in rituals and 20 minutes of to-do list checking each night. However, just as you can't afford not to put money in an emergency fund, you can't afford not to plan your time. These investments will save you by preventing panic and forgotten tasks when last-minute emergencies arise.

4. Prioritize

An important part of gaining control of your finances is prioritizing specific financial goals and following through on them. You know that you only have a finite amount of money, so you recognize your need to focus on one financial goal at a time. Healthy time management requires the same kind of prioritizing, even though it can be harder to recognize that your time is finite.

This is why it's important to identify the most important tasks you need to accomplish each day. Generally, there should be no more than three such most important tasks on your to-do list. Tackling these priority tasks will help you to move your big projects forward and eliminate the fatigue you feel after a day of frantic business that didn't seem to accomplish anything. The feeling of making progress can help you to jump back into work the next day, which can help eliminate time-wasting and procrastinating.

5. Plan for fun

Just as being able to treat yourself to a little indulgence while you are trying to save money can keep you motivated to stay on the straight and narrow, having little breaks in your schedule can help you stay on task while you are working. Breaks give your mind a chance to refresh and refocus, and they are an important part of a productive daily routine.

This is also true of planning bigger fun activities. If you know that you'll be doing a pub-crawl with your friends on the weekend, you'll be less tempted to contact them via text or Facebook during the week. You can focus your attention on the work at hand, knowing that you have something great to look forward to. (See also: 7 Reasons You Shouldn't "Vacation Shame" Your Coworkers)

Spend time mindfully

Mindful spending, whether the currency is money or time, is the secret to feeling like you have enough. Using the habits of good financial health can help you to become a mindful time spender — which will help to add extra hours to your day.

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This article is from Emily Guy Birken of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Freelance Your Way to More Income and Flexibility

Amanda Gokee — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 10:00:09 +0000

Freelancing is nothing new, but digital technology has made it easier than ever to work as an independent contractor from home — or the road. A 2016 survey by UpWork, a website matching freelancers with companies looking to hire, found that more people are freelancing than ever before, with 35% of the U.S. workforce now made up of freelancers.

Why the growth? Employers like to hire freelancers, especially for temporary or project work, because the arrangement is more flexible, and they save on employee benefits and extra office space. Freelance workers gain by getting to choose the projects they want and working flexible hours. It's a work model that offers greater choice for both parties.

Challenges to Being a Freelancer

While freelancing offers concrete advantages, many people worry about giving up the stability and benefits of a traditional job. Losing company-sponsored health insurance, paid vacations and retirement contributions are indeed valid concerns, especially since it takes time to attract new clients and develop relationships with them.

For this reason, some people do a combination of both types of work, retaining stability with a part- or full-time traditional job, while also following their passions and earning more money through additional freelance projects.

For others, according to the UpWork survey, full-time freelance work actually feels more secure because they have several different clients, rather than relying on one employer for their income.

Another major concern that freelancers share is receiving fair compensation for the work being done, as well as losing out on a reliable pay schedule. Freelancers often have to balance a "feast or famine" phenomenon, when they may either have too much work or not enough.

Still, the UpWork survey showed 79% of freelancers viewed freelance work as better than working in a traditional setting, and half of them even said they wouldn't take back a traditional job, regardless of the compensation that was offered to them.

That's not to say that freelancing is for everyone or for every type of job, but many of those who have decided to pursue this path have found it extremely rewarding.

Greater Freedom and Flexibility

Freedom and flexibility are two of the biggest draws that attract people to work as freelancers, according to UpWork's survey findings. They feel they have more control over their work schedule by being their own boss. Long weekends are no longer reserved for holidays and special occasions.

Many also enjoy the freedom to choose what type of work they want to do and, in many cases, where they do that work. Especially for people who have been commuting long distances or in heavy traffic to get to their workplace, working in a home office can be truly liberating.

Plus, if you're just freelancing on the side, the extra cash may help alleviate stress about saving for retirement, travel or education.

Getting Started as a Freelancer

If you think the freelance lifestyle might be right for you, the first step is to identify a marketable skill you have that you can use to attract potential clients. Some examples include writing, editing, computer programming, business or financial consulting, and photography, just to name a few. Picking a clearly defined skill and, even better, a niche that you want to focus on will help you to cater to your potential clients and make you an attractive candidate. (See also: 11 Freelance Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well.)

Make a Portfolio

Gather a portfolio to showcase related projects you've worked on. These may be projects from your current full-time job, or from classes you've taken, or pro bono work you've done to gain experience in the field you want to pursue. A portfolio allows potential clients to see examples of your work to decide if they want to work with you. The better portfolio you're able to put together, the easier it will be to find clients.

Depending on what type of freelance work you are going to do, you may want to make a website to showcase your portfolio online. You can also create a portfolio on UpWork, LinkedIn, or specialist websites like Contently and ClearVoice, which focus on content marketing.

Create a Network

Like any job, networking is a very important part of finding freelance gigs. You can do this using social media, but you should also focus on real-life networking opportunities through conferences, professional organizations and Meetup groups. There is nothing that can replace the value of meeting people face-to-face.

Even social gatherings in your everyday life could lead to valuable contacts. Bring up the work that you do in casual conversations and you'll be surprised how many doors may open for you.

Pitch Your Best Ideas

If you have a great idea for a project, now is the time to reach out to potential clients and, in a professional manner, pitch your idea to them. There's an art to writing a great pitch. Especially if you're contacting an editor or CEO you don't know personally, you will need to make as good of an impression as possible over email.

This is the equivalent of cold calling, so you need to have your pitch polished and well thought out. For writing gigs, it's often recommended to provide a specific outline and an article title. Think about the company's needs, and then send them your best ideas, not run-of-the- mill ideas that anyone could have thought of.

Remember, You're Running a Business

Once you've made the leap to freelancing, whether it's full time or as a side gig, remember you are running a business. You'll need to track your business spending (a dedicated business credit card can help with this), as well as organize your billing, taxes and retirement savings. This all takes time that you'll need to work into your schedule. (See also: The 5 Biggest Mistakes Freelancers Make.)

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This article is from Amanda Gokee of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Things You Can Do Online Besides Watch Cat GIFs

Andrea Cannon — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 10:30:32 +0000

On the rare occasion that you have some free time, there are a variety of productive, frugal ways to browse the Internet — other than watching an endless stream of cat videos on YouTube. By taking advantage of your free time and getting the most out of your browsing, you can improve your life and achieve your goals more quickly. You can even save time and earn money along the way. Here are a few ways to wisely use your web time.

1. Review Your Finances

Check your online statements to balance your bank accounts and credit cards. This will help ensure that your budget is on track for the month. While you're at it, you can also pay your bills and check in on your investments. (See also: 5 Tricks to Consolidating Your Debt and Saving Money)

2. Organize Your Computer

Organize the files on your computer so that you can be more productive at work. You can also run computer cleaners to clear away junk files, free up space, and even increase computer speed. (See also: Make Your Computer Last (Almost) Forever With Some Simple Tricks)

3. Take a Class

Online classes span an endless range of subjects. They can help you learn a new skill or explore a new hobby. You can even study for a certification in your field to advance your career and help you seek new employment. (See also: 7 Certifications That Add Big to Your Salary)

Whether you want to learn something new or would like to improve your craft, anything can be accomplished with online courses. If you don't want to sign up for a course, consider finding an e-book that highlights your new skills. (See also: 7 Things You Must Know Before Taking an Online Class)

4. Learn to Code

Not everybody can master coding, but if it's something that interests you, there are endless free resources to get you started. Spend some time on sites like Codecademy during your free time if you'd like to build a website or learn to decipher code.

5. Learn a Language

Learn a new language with sites like Duolingo, which is free to use. Best of all, you'll feel like you're playing a game while you learn a new language. (See also: You Can Learn a New Language)

6. Learn to Speed Read

You can learn to speed read using free online apps like Spreeder. This can save you time, help you read faster, and increase your productivity. (See also: 17 Cool Jobs for Book Lovers)

7. Network

Spend some time fixing up your LinkedIn page and reach out to colleagues and contacts. This can improve your working relationships and help you find a new job when you need one. (See also: 30 Minutes to a LinkedIn Profile That Gets You Hired)

8. Write

Whether you are interested in writing articles, have a knack for poetry, or have considered starting your own blog, use your free time online to pursue your passion for prose. Best of all, you can even make some money in the process. (See also: 22 Websites That Will Pay You to Write for Them)

9. Play Games and Watch Videos for Cash

While playing games on your computer might not seem productive, you can actually make money while doing so. Sites like Swagbucks will give you points for playing games, watching videos, answering surveys, shopping online, and searching the Internet. You can later trade in your points for cash or gift cards. (See also: What Pays More: Online Surveys or the Gig Economy?)

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Reasons Time Is Worth More Than Money

Paul Michael — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 10:00:10 +0000

Time. Most of us never seem to have enough, and we're spending a good chunk of it earning money. It stands to reason that time is money, and the more time we have, the more money we can make. But are we looking at this the wrong way? Is time the real treasure here, and are we wasting it to stockpile something far less valuable?

1. You Can't Make More Time

You can always find a way to make more money. Although it's not something we want to do, we have the option to sell possessions, work an extra shift, pick up some freelance work, or maybe even win a few bucks on a scratch ticket. But there are no chances for you to create more time. You can't add an extra hour to the day. You can't give yourself 20 extra years on this planet by investing in the "time market." Time is finite for us, as individuals. We may have 85 years to live and thrive, or we may only get 30. This is worth remembering when you are spending more time making money than you are with friends and family. Those times are precious, and fleeting. Money? There's always more of that.

2. You Can Do More With a Day Off Than With a Day's Pay

Everyone earns different amounts, but a day's pay to a rich person or a poor person is still the same, relative to his or her situation. Whether it can buy you a new Xbox or a new Ferrari, the point is that a day's pay is finite. You will be given a set amount of money that can buy a limited number of items.

But with a day off work, the world is your oyster. Well, maybe not traveling to Tahiti or scaling Mount Everest, but you really can explore all sorts of adventures that you could not do while at work. Maybe you take that time to paint that picture you've always wanted to, or begin writing a new book. You can meditate, and find some of that inner peace you've been looking for. At the end of the day, a "thing" that costs money will never compete with an experience that broadens the mind, or simply makes you happy.

3. Time Creates More Memories Than Money

Think back to the best moments in your life so far. How many of them are based on money, and how many are based on time spent with friends and family? Very rarely do we sit back and think, Oh man, the day I got that new pair of shoes was awesome! Our most treasured memories come from time spent with the people we love, and in places we adore. Yes, it certainly does take a little money to travel. Luxurious vacations are definitely something we need money for, but we also treasure those times we walked hand-in-hand with a loved one in the park, or sang karaoke with friends at a local bar. Time gives us those memories we can look back on and laugh, or cry. And while money may help, it's never the main focus.

4. You Need Time to Spend Money

You may have all the money in the world, but you only have a certain amount of time in which to spend it. Billionaires around the globe have enough money to last 100 lifetimes, and yet they only have a set number of years on this planet. Even then, the last 10-20 years are not exactly the best. Money can buy you a lot, but it cannot buy you more time, which is why time is the most valuable resource we all have. Whether you're rolling in dough, or scraping together a living, time is the great equalizer. And most rich people would gladly give up a huge chunk of money for the chance to spend a few more good years with family and friends.

5. People Close to Death Wish for More Time, Not Money

How often have you heard the story of people saying, "It went by so fast" or "If only I'd had more time" as they were living out their final days? It's something said by so many people, so often, and with good reason. But very few people say, "I wish I'd had more money" or "If only I'd been a millionaire" as they consider the lives they lived. We may have regrets, but so few are based around money and possessions. Money may provide us with some luxuries, but time gives us so much more. Ask someone with a few months to live if they'd like $10 million or 10 more years on the planet, and you know the answer you'd get back.

6. Time Brings More Happiness Than Money

A study published earlier this year asked participants what brings them greater happiness — free time, or money. Over half of the people involved in the study — some 4,600 participants — said that free time brought them more happiness, and prioritized it as such. Free time came before earning money.

The questions were not as blatantly worked as, "Do you prefer free time over money?" though. Some were asked if they would prefer an expensive apartment with a long commute over a cheaper apartment with a shorter commute. Or, if they'd want a job with long hours and a high salary, or fewer hours and less salary. It seems that more people are interested in making the most of their free time, and would rather sacrifice the fringe benefits and luxuries in favor of quality time. It is worth noting, however, that the younger people surveyed were not as swayed by time as older respondents. Clearly, when you have much more time ahead of you, you value it less than money.

7. Time Is Priceless, Money Is Not

Money is money. The value of it fluctuates from day to day, and differs across currencies and investments. But time… you cannot put a price on that. For instance, what kind of price tag would you attach to spending one hour with someone you love? How about spending the day with a friend or family member you haven't seen in 15 years? What price would you put on an experience that broadens the mind, or brings you inner peace? While it is easy to say it would cost several thousand dollars to book a vacation, what is the cost of spending a few hours on a beach thinking of nothing but the sand between your toes? No worries. No stresses. Just that moment. What's more, time is free.

8. Time, Not Money, Is a Great Healer

It takes time to gain perspective. It cannot be bought. It takes time to realize your strengths and weaknesses. It takes time to figure out who you really are, and who you want to become.

When you put time against money, it's no contest. Money helps you live your life over that time, but it's time itself that gives you the greatest benefit.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Money Moves You Can Make While Stuck in an Endless TSA Line

Sarah Winfrey — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 10:30:29 +0000

At the airport closest to me, the TSA lines are legendary, especially during the holiday season. Last year, they were telling people to give themselves an extra hour before their flight, just to make sure they got through security on time. That's an extra hour on top of the usual hour or two recommended!

I don't know about you, but I dread long lines. I spend the entire time thinking about what else I could be doing. Over the years, though, I've come up with ways to use my "line time" well. Here are a few things you can do to improve your financial life while waiting for TSA to get on the ball.

1. Start Using Mint

Mint is a great way to track your finances. You sign up for an account, connect all of your bank, investment, and debt accounts, and it quietly tracks your overall financial situation. It allows you to look at spending, debt, and net worth automatically and with ease.

This is a great thing to do if you're not really tracking your finances right now, or if you don't have a handle on your overall financial situation. Starting with the big picture is almost always a good idea, so that you know what is good and what is bad, right from the start.

2. Sign Up for Digit

Digit is an online service that saves money for you. You connect the app to a bank account, and they track your spending. Based on what they find, they schedule automatic withdrawals to another account. They don't say much about their analysis algorithm, but people (myself included) claim that they don't notice or need the money that Digit removes from their accounts.

If you're already saving, you probably don't need this tool. But if you forget to pay yourself first, this can be a great way to save without really thinking about it. And it's fun to watch your savings build up over time!

3. Check Your Credit

If you haven't looked at your free credit report in the last 12 months, you should. AnnualCreditReport.com is the place to start. From there, you can enter identification information and view a report from each of the three credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Check for incorrect information or credit cards/lines of credit that may have been opened fraudulently.

Do make sure that you have a secure Internet connection before you start sharing sensitive personal information. If you aren't sure, add this to your To Do list and work on something else while you're in line.

4. Set a Financial Goal

What would you like your money to do for you? Do you want to travel? Maybe you need to buy a new car. Think about your wants and needs, and choose one or two financial goals for the next few months. Having a goal will help you focus, and it will make you more likely to do things like curb spending or follow through on a savings plan.

Don't set too many goals, though. Picking one or two things to save for — maybe one practical thing and one that's fun — will give you plenty of motivation without the stress of feeling like your money has to go in too many different directions.

5. Choose a Charity

If you're like me, giving often falls by the wayside. It's not that I don't want to do it, but that I want to be responsible with it. If you want to make sure that any charity that gets your money is actually using it for their stated purposes, do your research while you stand in line.

Start by going to your intended charity's website. Most of them will offer some sort of fiscal documentation. If you want to give to a smaller charity, you may need to give them a call and ask for it, instead.

If you don't even know where to start giving, start with a simple Google search. Pick an issue that is important to you, and look for charities that target it. You can even limit your search to charities in your local area, if you're interested in volunteering or getting more involved.

6. Check Your Bills

Not sure how long you'll be in line? Pull up your latest credit card bills and glance through them. Make sure that you recognize all the charges and that, to the best of your knowledge, they are for the right amount. Many people find mistakes on their credit card bills, and you can always contact the company to have them fixed. That usually means more money in your pocket.

If you don't recognize a charge but you aren't sure, flag it for later, when you can go through your receipts and figure out if it's correct. If you find something very concerning, call your credit company from the line. The sooner you can get in touch with them, the sooner you'll have your money back where it belongs.

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This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Flashback Friday: 54 Frugal Hobbies You Should Try Immediately

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 10:00:15 +0000

The next time you're bored on a weekend or during your free time, you might want to consider taking up a new hobby. Your first thought might be, I can't afford to pay for lessons to learn a new skill. I get that mindset, I do. But there are plenty of cheap or free hobbies that are also fun. Here are 54 frugal hobbies you should try immediately.

10 Fun Hobbies You Can Take Up for Free — While learning how to play golf or ski like a pro sounds fun, those activities can suck the life right out of your budget. So instead, take up a new hobby for free, and you'll be even prouder once you've mastered that skill.

8 Best Hobbies for Introverts — Introverts love new hobbies, especially if they require deep focus and zero social interaction. Spending hours practicing something, learning something new, and doing it all in silence? Yes, please! So if you, too, are a fan of solo fun, give these activities a try!

3 Hobbies That Pump Up Your Resume — What's better than learning something new just for your enjoyment? Doing so and then making more money because of it. Blogging, is just one hobby that can enhance your resume and overall success — and it doesn't cost much!

10 Awesome Money-Making Hobbies — Gardening, sewing, gaming, and many others are relaxing and fun hobbies you can do in your spare time that can also earn you some extra cash. And when you make money by having fun, it never feels like work.

10 More Hobbies You Can Start for Free — There are cheap hobbies, and then there are free hobbies. What's better than that? Well, there is one thing: the peace of mind you gain having a good time without spending any money.

Pick Up One of These Frugal Hobbies This Weekend — Looking for something to do this weekend? Look no further. Origami, thrifting, baking, etc. are surprisingly exciting hobbies and they'll keep you busy all weekend long!

What are some other frugal hobbies worth trying? Share with us!

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

13 Hacks to Avoid Burnout at Work

Mikey Rox — Tue, 12 May 2015 09:00:10 +0000

While some people in some countries work to live, in America we live to work — and we spend 40+ years putting in 40+ hours a week on the job. You can imagine then, over the course of four grueling decades answering to the The Man, we're susceptible to experiencing symptoms of burnout. To avoid this exhausting byproduct of a seemingly never-ending grind, consider these stress-relieving (and sanity-saving) hacks.

1. Plan Your Week in Advance

I understand that not everyone is as organized as I am (it's been a point of contention among coworkers in the past), but I stand by my usual suggestion to plan your work week in advance so you know what to expect over the next five days. In doing so, you'll be able to handle surprises much more gracefully without feeling an onslaught of pressure. Personally, I plan an entire month of projects, which has worked very well for me since I started my own business more than six years ago. With this calendar in place, I can see the full scope of work, cross items off as I finish them, and move projects around to make space for additional items or allot time that I need to relax and recoup.

2. Edit Your To-Do List

To-do lists are helpful, but you can quickly overwhelm yourself if you pack too much in. If you start to get that sinking feeling, revisit the list and decide which items are musts and which can be put on the back burner. Ask yourself, does this need to be done right now or can it wait? Prioritizing your to-dos will help lessen the stress and declutter your mind so you can concentrate fully on the issue at hand.

3. Simplify Your Work Life

All day, everyday, we're inundated with all types of communication and media — news, ads, e-mails, texts, digital documents — that can wreak havoc on our ability to concentrate. Simplify your work life a little more by taking steps to streamline or eliminate distractions, like unsubscribing from nonessential e-mails, putting mobile and social media conversations on mute for a period of time, organizing your hard and digital files, and keeping the amount of time-sucking meetings to a minimum.

4. Know When to Say "No"

In an effort to impress the boss with our go-get-'em, team-player attitude, we often say yes to everything that comes our way. Big mistake. Being a "Yes Man" (or Woman) can result in dire consequences, like biting off more than you can chew, which in turn can affect your productivity negatively. In that case, you'll look like you can't handle the workload — and that won't bode well for advancement opportunities. Thus, learn how to say no. If you're already at capacity, let your superior know. Decent bosses will understand and help you find the balance.

5. Keep a Self-Care Marble Jar

Stay with me here; this is one of the more interesting ways to avoid burnout at work that I've heard. Dr. Emma Mansour is a licensed psychologist who has seen her fair share of clients experiencing symptoms of work burnout, and as such she's had to make self-care a fundamental part of her life. One of the resources in her arsenal is a self-care marble jar. Sounds kooky, but the concept make sense.

"I take a small glass jar — similar to the ones we use to can preserves — and place marbles in it. Each marble represents a moment or action that was taken to either restore the self/engage in self-care or contribute to the feeling of burnout or being overwhelmed," Dr. Mansour says. "Some examples of self-care moments at work include eating lunch (a working lunch does not count!), sitting back in an office chair and closing one's eyes and other brief meditation techniques, prioritizing and writing to-do lists, getting up and walking around the block, delegating tasks, etc. Examples of times in which you would take a marble out of the jar are working through lunch, not taking a restroom break, continuing to look at the computer screen despite the fact that your eyes are burning, etc."

"The idea is to keep as many marbles in the jar as possible," she continues. "When one is taken out, it serves as a reminder that a self-care moment is overdue."

6. Keep Plants in the Office

Plants not only add a sense of life to an otherwise drab office environment, but studies have shown that the presence of plants help increase energy, happiness, and productivity. If your office is currently devoid of plants, talk to your coworkers about brightening the place up. Cite science to make your case if they tend to be sticks in the mud. (See also: The Best Cheap Plants for Improving Indoor Air Quality)

7. Set a Time to Unplug Each Day

As creatures of habit who are more plugged in than ever (I'm waiting for the day they announce mobile implants for humans), it's hard to put down our devices and disconnect. But it's necessary — if you want to stay out of the looney bin, anyway.

Jacel Egan, media relations coordinator for the blog TechnologyAdvice, suggests setting "...a firm time to 'unplug' and unwind — whether that's 5 p.m., 6 p.m., or 8 p.m — and stick to it." By doing this, she says, "you're making a commitment to yourself, your family, and your sanity to quiet the buzz in your head and recharge your batteries."

8. Schedule After Work Activities

I'm not one to go straight home after work, get in my jammies, and plop in front of the TV. Never have been. Instead, I prefer to stay active until just before bed time, engaging in all manner of activities, from meeting friends to going to the gym to preparing for the next day. I especially like nighttime activities, like a kickball league or bar trivia. These activities help me unwind — especially necessary if I need to blow off steam or aggression after a particularly rough day — so I don't succumb to burnout.

Egan offers a few tips on how to make the most of your down time, with added motivation. "Incentive yourself by putting happy hour with a friend on the calendar, or plan a date with your significant other on a weeknight," she says. "Having things to look forward to can increase your productivity — especially since you're expected to be there at a certain time."

9. Let Things Slide More Often

Admittedly I need to take my own advice on this one and learn how to let more things take their course without getting worked up. When problems arise, stop and think before you react. Is this something that really merits your attention at this moment, or is it something that will be less important if everyone involved steps back and evaluates the issue responsibly? Let cooler heads prevail, as they say. Or join Team Elsa and #LetItGo entirely. (You didn't stand a chance of getting out of this one without a Frozen reference.)

10. Delegate Responsibilities When You Can

Feeling overwhelmed? Is there too much on your plate? If you're behind, or if you feel like you're in danger of falling behind, delegate the work (if you have that luxury) before a small fire turns into a five-alarm blaze. There's nothing wrong with farming out work if you're in the position to do so, so long as everyone is contributing to the team equally.

11. Change Your Relationship With Time

Those of you who feel like there's never enough time in the day — don't worry, I'm with you — might identify with this fresh perspective from Melissa Heisler, author of From Type A to Type Me: How to Stop "Doing" Life and Start Living It.

"When I was working my nine-to-five job, I would wake up in the morning and immediately go through my to-do list and what I had planned for the day. The result was feeling behind the 8-ball before I even left bed," she explains. "One of the ways to release time's hold on you, before you get out of bed, say, 'I have more than enough time today to accomplish everything that I need to do.' Just making that statement changes your outlook on the day. This reframe empowers you to deal with the day differently and avoid burnout."

12. Use Your Well-Earned PTO or Vacation

I see this all too often from workaholics who complain about how stressed they are and how burnt out they are; they have plenty of accrued time off — but they rarely take it. It's hard to have sympathy for someone who has the opportunity to enjoy a break but doesn't seize it, and it's nobody's fault but your own in that case. If you have PTO or vacation time, then use it. When you start feeling burnt out, clear your schedule to rest, relax, and remember that the only way you're going to make it through the next two decades of work is to strike a decent work-life balance — starting today.

13. Talk to Your Employer

Here's someone who can help you avoid burnout: your boss. There's no shame in letting him or her know that you might need a bit of breathing room to stay productive.

"Most people are afraid to speak up for fear they will be immediately replaced by someone whose motivation isn't in doubt," says Harold Mann, owner of an IT consulting firm in San Francisco. "Here's what I recommend: Talk early with your supervisor. Mention you're not burned out, but you're concerned about the risk. Ask for suggestions or guidelines, mention the warning signs or indicators. If you're a great employee, they should work as hard as possible to keep you happy."

Or, if you want to look at it another way: "It's less work than replacing you," Mann says.

Do you have other hacks for avoiding burnout at work? Let me know in the comments below.

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This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Ways to Ask Your Boss for Better Work-Life Balance

Ashley Marcin — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 10:00:08 +0000

Work. Life. Balance. Three words that — in combination — have the power to transform your entire way of looking at the world. (See also: 9 Ways to Protect Your Personal Time From Work)

But how exactly do you achieve this seemingly elusive goal? Well, I've been on a journey over the last decade to figure it out. Here are some tips that have helped me, and they have the power to transform your situation as well.

1. Step Back

It's incredibly easy to get tangled up in the day-to-day responsibilities and deadlines. Eventually, we lose sight of what our priorities are, whether at work or at home, and life becomes this exercise in keeping our heads above water. First, take a step back and think about what it is you want from your personal and professional sides. Be specific. Write it down. Revise. Rewrite the list again. Then make a game plan.

2. Check Yourself

Before you approach your boss with any ideas or make major changes yourself, look at your time management to see where it could be improved. Many of us let work creep into our personal time when it doesn't need to. Or we over-commit to things outside of work that chip away at whatever time we have left. To start, track your time for a few days (on an Excel spreadsheet, a time management app, or just paper). Consider it an audit.

Once you see where your energy is going, write out a list of all your day's activities. Give weight to musts (work, obviously — but also the things you need in your life to be happy and healthy). Eliminate the extraneous wherever possible. In the past, I even found it helpful to write down time-suckers that fell outside my job description to show my boss. (See also: The Time Management Problem Most of Us Have)

3. Request a Meeting

See if your boss will meet with you for even 15 minutes to discuss your work-life balance. I like sending an email request with a brief description so it's on the calendar. Now, I've had a variety of bosses in the past ranging from awesome to not-so approachable, so I understand it can feel intimidating. Just remember: This is your life we're talking about. Fortunately, your workplace has already invested a lot of time and money in you — so you need not fret that bringing up concerns will get you canned. Quite the opposite, actually. There are some tremendous advantages for keeping employees happy, including better retention rates and even higher profits.

4. Prepare Yourself

Be organized in your approach. Talk about what you see as perceived time-wasters in your position. Offer some opportunities you have mapped for change. Basically, don't show up at the meeting expecting your boss to wave a magic wand. You need to offer both practical and creative solutions to your problems. And the help you suggest can range from personal improvement (taking continuing ed classes) to manpower stuff to better software that might automate some of your work. Sure, these ideas may get shot down, but you'll get points for trying, especially if you do your research.

For example, after a full-time receptionist had retired (and wasn't replaced due to a dismal budget) in the office where I served as an executive assistant, I used to get bogged down serving as a backup for phones. I had many other, more pressing tasks to complete for my boss. When he discovered how much time I spent on the lines, he moved a receptionist from another department to our office part-time to shift the workload at my suggestion. Lesson here: Your boss may not even realize what you do all day and may completely agree that your time is being spent on the wrong focus.

5. Flex It Up

Check in with your HR department to see what types of flexibility programs your employer offers. Sometimes you can move around your work hours to accommodate other parts of your day (coming in early or late, depending). Other times, you can work more hours some days and, therefore, fewer overall days of the week. A few of my friends have even organized a work-from-home schedule for certain days. Most offices offer some type of flex program, so it's just figuring out what might work for you and your boss. Obviously, all jobs have different responsibilities so not all flex arrangements work in all cases.

6. Take Your Time

I know this one can seem easier said than done, but when you get time off — take it! If you have holiday breaks, don't check email or even bring your laptop home. Make a habit of totally disconnecting on the weekends. If your job requires you to have a level of connectivity during time off, set a realistic window (and communicate your plan to your boss). Otherwise, set your automated out-of-office and rest and relax. I worked in an office once where everyone constantly checked their emails while on vacation. So, I simply asked my boss one day if that was required of me, and she said absolutely not and encouraged me to enjoy my time away. Problem solved. If your job routinely urges you to keep tabs on work on your personal dime, it might be time to polish your resume.

How have you carved out better work-life balance? Please share in comments!

This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

25 Ways to Take Five Minutes for Yourself

Ashley Watson — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:36:34 +0000

Taking time for yourself may seem impossible if you're the type of person who packs your daily schedule, or if you tend to overcommit your time. Even taking a five-minute break seems unrealistic to parents and those of us with busy lifestyles. But there may be ways to take a time out for yourself that you haven't thought of, or it may just take a little more dedication to self-care to get those extra few moments to yourself. (See also: 21 Frugal Ways to Reward Yourself Right Now)

Whether you're at the office or at home, making sure you get some alone time is an important part of emotional well-being and maintaining balance in your life. Here are some suggestions for ways to ensure that you get at least five minutes focusing on yourself. While some of these are purely for fun, others are more practical ways to snag some time to yourself and accomplish those little tasks you've been putting off.

1. Take Fresh-Air Breaks at Work

Take a five minute break from your computer and walk around the building, or just go outside to get some fresh air. If you work at a computer all day, it is important to take regular breaks from the screen. Screen breaks not only help save your eyesight and prevent headaches, but they can also promote productivity. For more reasons to take five and go for a walk, check out Paul's article on the benefits of walking.

2. Make Yourself a Cup of Tea

Whether you're an herbal tea drinker or a green tea fan, taking time to slow brew a cup of tea is a great way to get an extra five minutes of quiet solitude. Five minutes is a good average seeping time for most types of tea. In the winter, take the prevention route by brewing echinacea or ginger tea.

3. Five-Minute Meditation

Normally I'm one of those people who cannot clear my head when I meditate, but recently a friend and meditation guru introduced me to a method that really worked for me. Pick a phrase or mantra that is meaningful to you. Set a timer, close your eyes, and repeat the words silently in your head for five minutes. If you can't think of a phrase, try repeating something that you are thankful for.

4. Write a Thank You Note

Speaking of being thankful, writing a thank you note to someone is a great way to show your gratitude and sharpen your letter-writing skills at the same time, and it doesn't have to be something specific. It's a small gesture, but a simple thank you goes a long way.

5. Start Your Bucket List

Five minutes may not be enough time to write down all the things you'd like to do in your life, but you can at least get your bucket list started. Set a timer and just start writing. Don't worry about making your list extravagant. Taking five to dream about the places you'd like to travel or goals you want to set for yourself can also be a good way to look back on everything you've accomplished.

6. Make a Flower Arrangement

Even if you don't consider yourself a creative person, you'd be surprised at how relaxing it is to make a simple flower arrangement or centerpiece for your dining room or kitchen table. You don't even need flowers for a centerpiece. Pine cones, fruit, or any materials you find around the house or in your yard can also work.

7. Read a Short Article About Something You Are Interested In

Reading has lost much of its allure now that there's a wealth of television and film that can be watched instantly online. Taking five minutes to read an article or blog post about one of your interests is one way to sharpen reading skills and engage with the world around you while taking a few moments of solitude.

8. Five-Minute Stretches

There are plenty of stretches you can do to help maintain flexibility and prevent sore muscles, even if you only take five minutes to stand up and stretch at the office. Check out Meg's article, 10 Exercises to Do at Work That Don't Make You Look Silly, for more ideas on ways to get exercise during short breaks at work.

9. Call a Time Out for Yourself

This is a great one for parents. Instead of calling a time out for the kids, call an official time out for yourself. Take a few moments and let someone else watch the kids while you go to your room to meditate, stretch, or just sit in silence. No matter where you take your time out, try to find somewhere quiet.

10. Quick Foot Soak

Give your feet a rest with a five-minute foot soak in the tub or a water basin. Soaking in bath salts is an excellent way to take some time to yourself, relax, and ease tired feet. You don't need to buy expensive salts. A cup of Epsom salt will work fine, or for added relaxation and aromatherapy, you can sprinkle in dried herbs such as lavender or chamomile.

11. Walk the Dog

Taking the dog for a quick walk by yourself is another way to get away from the family or coworkers for five minutes. If you work in a dog-friendly office, let your coworkers take turns with walking your dog; it's a great way to give your dog some extra exercise and promote a healthy work environment.

12. Breathing Exercises

Like stretching, doing a few simple breathing exercises or taking a few long, deep breaths can help ease tension and give you some down time. For more ideas, read Sasha's breathing tip in her article, Super Solid Yoga Tricks to Help You Relax.

13. Start a Budget

While this may not be the most relaxing way to spend five minutes for yourself, it is a practical way to get some alone time and initiate a more financially responsible lifestyle. If you aren't sure how to get started, look at David's post, 8 Tips for Improving or Starting a Budget.

14. Plan a Vacation or Weekend Getaway

You may not be able to plan all the details of your next vacation or weekend getaway in five minutes, but you can definitely get started. Like the bucket list, just start writing down your ideas.

15. Call an Old Friend

With social media and all the communication technology available today, some people rarely make a phone call to catch up with an old friend. Of course, it may turn into more than five minutes, but it's a way to connect with an old friend with more than just posting something on a Facebook wall.

16. Do Some Online Bargain Shopping

If you're a regular Wise Bread reader, you are probably a frugal shopper. Take five minutes to compare prices and find great deals on an item on your shopping list.

17. Start a Blog

Ever wanted to start a blog but didn't think you had the time? Now's your chance. It takes about five minutes to set up a basic account for a blog. I find that WordPress is one of the more user-friendly blog sites, and you can always go back and change your design or add photos and a bio. Why not get started now?

18. Take a Quick Bike Ride

Like walking, riding a bike is a great way to get exercise and time for yourself. Cycling is also ideal for people who have knee or lower back problems.

19. Build a Fire

This one may not be for everyone, but I love building fires whenever I visit friends who own a wood-burning stove or fireplace. Getting up early to start the first fire gives you some time to yourself before everyone else wakes up, and it's also practical. If you don't own a fireplace, you can always get up early to start that first pot of coffee.

20. Eat a Piece of Chocolate

This one is purely for indulgence. I don't know if all the claims about the benefits of dark chocolate are true, but antioxidants or not, I can't think of anyone who doesn't love sitting down and enjoying a piece of chocolate.

21. Drink a Glass of Water

Hydration is important whether you are at work, home, or school. Most people don't realize that they aren't drinking enough water. The standard goal is to aim for 64 ounces of water a day. Take five minutes to make sure you get in another eight ounces today.

22. Make Breakfast for Yourself

I'm a firm believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Make something you've never tried before or that you normally wouldn't eat because you don't have time. You can make eggs and toast in about five minutes.

23. Blow Bubbles

On a recent vacation, I happened to notice a bubble machine in a second-story window of a busy square. Watching the bubbles float down to the ground was so peaceful that I decided to buy some the next time I see them at a store. Indulge the kid inside and get a bottle for yourself.

24. Paint Your Toenails

Normally, I don't take the time to paint my toenails, but I find that it can be as relaxing and meditative as painting a picture or room. It's also less time-consuming and a little cheaper. If you just aren't into that kind of thing, get a watercolor kit or stain a piece of furniture.

25. Take a Five-Minute Nap

There's a lot to be said for the power nap. I find that when I'm exhausted, even a five-minute nap can be refreshing and provide an excellent opportunity to get some alone time.

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This article is from Ashley Watson of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

What Is Your Time Worth?

Tara Struyk — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:36:08 +0000

If a top hedge fund manager takes out his own garbage, you could say that walk to the end of the driveway cost him more than $100,000. When you earn $3.9 billion in one year, your time comes to be worth a lot — even when you’re not working. That’s because time and money have a very tight relationship. If you earn a lot of money through a high-powered career like managing a hedge fund, you won’t have much time for a personal life. And you certainly won’t have to take out your own garbage. Having more personal time tends to mean having less money. That is, unless you earn so much that you can buy it. But while everyone likes to use the quip that “time is money,” especially when they’re feeling impatient, this equation doesn’t always add up in quite the way people think. (See also: That Age-Old Conundrum: Time vs. Money)

What's "Worth" Your Time?

I think we can all agree that time has value. Like money, it’s a finite resource (not to mention the fact that we’re always searching around for more of it). Unfortunately, we often throw it away in the same careless way we might throw around our money, not realizing that they are the same thing.

For example, a lot of people might say they don’t have time to cook dinner, so they pay to have someone else cook it for them in a restaurant. Now, if you’re Mr. Hedge Fund Manager, this is a trade with a lot of value. After all, for someone who makes about 44 million per hour — and that’s assuming that he works 24 hours per day, 7 days per week — paying someone a few dollars an hour to cook for you is a great bargain. For someone who makes a lot less, though, this equation starts to look a little lopsided. The same goes for other things we often opt out of in the name of time, such cleaning the house or making minor repairs on the car. The problem is that if you break your time down in the same way as the hedge fund manager, your hour may not cover what you’re paying the house cleaner or the mechanic. That doesn’t mean paying them to do the work for you doesn’t have value, but it does mean that it’s an expensive transaction, and you have to be careful about how much time you buy this way.

The Cost of Opportunity

There’s another aspect to the time/money equation, and that’s opportunity cost. Opportunity cost refers to the financial impact that one choice you make has on another. So, if you decide to leave work early to come home and spend time with your family, that has an opportunity cost; you gave up the opportunity to earn your hourly rate for one additional hour in exchange for more time at home. You could also consider this in terms of going back to school to gain the skills to earn more money. If you’ve thought about doing this, you probably realize that it’ll cost you more than just tuition, but also the wages you could have been earning if you weren’t in class. That’s opportunity cost, and it also helps determine what our time is worth. So, when you're deciding whether to do some work around the house yourself or pay someone else to do it, opportunity cost can be a way to work out the value of doing your own labor.

Working Out the Value of Your Time

We know that a hedge fund manager's time is worth millions an hour, so be warned — for most everyday people, calculating the value of your time will be a sobering experiment. One way to do this is to look at how much money you made in the last year. Then, consider any expenses you incurred because of your job, such as childcare, transportation, clothing, etc. Subtract these expenses from your earnings.

Now consider how many hours per day you spend to make this money. While you might only spend seven or eight hours per day at your post, you should also factor in commute time, business travel and dinners, and other time you have to spend because of your job. While you may not be paid during these hours, they aren't your time to use as you please, so you have to count them.

Finally, take what you earned (minus expenses) and divide it by the number of hours you worked (plus additional time related to your job). This is how much your time is worth per hour, and chances are it's a whole lot less than you thought you were making. That's not a bad thing, but it does put the value of your time into perspective. After all, if you're really only making $9 per hour, the value of doing more things for yourself rather than hiring others becomes more clear. This is especially true if you don't have the kind of job where you could put in extra hours rather than mowing your lawn.

The Real Value of Time

So does this mean you have to avoid restaurants, fix your own car, darn your own socks, and make your own clothes? Not necessarily. There are two reasons for this. The first is that in the U.S., many people make a lot more than they need to just get by. That means they can afford to buy some time as well. In the Great Depression, when a lot of people were stuck without work, they spent a whole lot of time working out ways to avoid having to buy anything much at all. That’s because they had the time, but no money. Think about this when you decide what services to buy. Generally, the smartest move is to hold tight to what’s most dear; if you have money, you can buy time, and if you have time, you can do more of your labor.

The second reason why we buy time is that spare time has intangible value, while money has a diminishing utility. Once your needs are met and you've maybe paid for a few luxuries, spending extra time working fails to deliver a much more comfortable life. Leisure time, on the other hand, has its own special value. I think we all understand this implicitly when we’re lolling on the couch on a lazy Sunday or spending a rainy afternoon in bed with a book.

The Bottom Line on Time

The question of how much your time is worth is a personal one. Just like anything in personal finance, it involves striking a balance between what you want and what you can afford. Time and money are finite resources. So while we’ll probably always be scrambling for more of both, how we eventually spend them should reflect what’s important to us.

How do you value your time, and how do you decide what to do yourself versus hiring others to do it?

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This article is from Tara Struyk of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Ways to Earn Extra Cash When Money Is Tight

Mikey Rox — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:36:54 +0000

Even though I’m self-employed full-time, I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to make more money.

Earlier this year, I wrote a Wise Bread post on websites that can help you earn extra cash. I thought it was time to revisit the topic and let you in on a few more ways to get paid. (See also: 4 Reasons Why Everyone Needs Side Income)

1. Offer Experiences to Strangers

I recently learned about a new site called Vayable, which allows people with specialized knowledge and talents, local info, and time on their hands to create experiences that others can purchase. It’s basically a touring and activity company without the company. Anyone can join the site and set up an experience. For instance, the Kan Brothers offer motorcycle tours of San Francisco — which include helmet rental, a drink at a local hotspot, and a city map — for two to four people at $75 per person. In New York City, Kim G. is offering a personalized painting lesson for groups of two to six for a flat rate of $300; the experience includes acrylic paints; canvas board and supplies; studio space; wine, cheese, and crackers; and Kim’s undivided attention. Consider this tip if you’re interested in joining Vayable — browse the site to see what other people in your area are offering. By creating a unique experience that no one else has established, you have a better chance of getting booked.

2. Become a Mystery Shopper

Mystery shopping gigs have always been elusive — until now. I had to pass a written interview to be accepted by Goodwin & Associates Hospitality Services (and you will, too), but I’m enjoying the experience so far. The company maintains a database of available shops from which to choose and allots a dollar amount for each shop. Last week, I accepted an evening shop at Heartland Brewery for the amount of $60. Between my guest and me, we had to purchase one beer and one other drink, an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert. The $60 fee may not seem like much — and it isn’t (you’re not going to walk away with much cash) — but if you purchase the cheaper menu items and your bill (plus tip) comes in under the allotted fee, you pocket whatever’s left over when the company pays you. After dining, however, shoppers are required to detail the experience on a questionnaire and provide a receipt in order to receive the fee. As I mentioned, you won’t make much money unless you’re thrifty, but at least you’ll receive a free meal.

3. Seek Out Odd Jobs on the Internet

So long as Craigslist is around, so too will there be part-time gigs like walking dogs, house cleaning, babysitting, yard work, and more. If you have the skills to accomplish these tasks, by all means get in touch with the poster. Depending on the nature of the job, you can make anywhere from $8 to $60 an hour, usually all cash and under the table. (See also: The 6 Best Lawn Mowers)

4. Have a Garage or Yard Sale

Every one of us has a storage unit, attic, basement, or garage piled high with things that we no longer want or need. So why are they sitting around collecting dust or rotting away? Take a day to clean out the clutter and put them up for sale, whether it’s on your front yard or on the Internet. If you have items that you think are more valuable than what you’ll get for them at a yard sale, take them to a pawnshop. Pawnshops are great for electronics, musical instruments, jewelry, and tools.

5. Turn Your Space into a Microsublet

I’m always singing the praises of microsubletting — that is, renting out your spare space to travelers — because, in my opinion, it’s the number one way to make a lot of cash with relatively minimal effort. We list our guest bedroom on Airbnb and Roomorama, and we’re consistently booked. In fact, we’re booked up every day until early January 2012. What that means is that travelers are paying us a nightly fee (ours averages $88 per night, but you can set your own) to stay in our home instead of in a pricey hotel. These cost-conscious travelers want a local experience for an affordable fee, and that’s what we give them. We also provide an immaculately clean home, free Wi-Fi, HD cable TV, a mini fridge, linens, coffee service, and more.

Now you’re probably wondering — doesn’t having guests in your home all the time bother you? No (though it does take a certain kind of person to do this), because the guests didn’t come to see me. They’re here to explore the city. They leave early in the morning and come home after dark. All I do is make sure the house is clean, provide them with welcoming hospitality, and watch my bank account grow.

6. Register for Focus Groups

I’ve participated in a few focus groups over the years, and it’s an extremely easy way to make money fast. Most groups will require you to fit a certain criteria, depending on the focus, but if you fit the bill, they’ll hand you some crisp ones in return. I’ve made anywhere from $50 to $125 per session, which usually last from one to two hours. That’s a pretty good payday just for offering my opinion. To search for focus groups for which you may qualify, check out the aptly named Find Focus Groups website.

7. Perform on the Streets

In New York City, there’s no shortage of street performers. Even the mother of Academy Award-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe sets up shop in the subway, singing for cash. While you may not make enough money to pay the rent, someone is always willing to drop change in that hat. Besides, if you don’t have anything else to do, you might as well entertain pedestrians.

8. Collect Recyclables for Cash

Every Sunday evening, there’s some person or another rummaging through the recyclables outside my building. They’re there to claim cans, bottles, and scrap metals before the city can whisk them away. And why not? Depending on where you live, you can earn up to 10 cents per item for turning in recyclable materials. This means of making money has become so popular in NYC that there’s a self-service recycling station at the end of my block. Collecting cans isn’t going to make you rich, but it will certainly help buy groceries.

9. Sell Your Body to Science

You don’t have to sell the whole thing, but certain parts of you are quite valuable to the medical community. Sought-after specimens include plasma, hair, eggs, and sperm. But before giving your goods away for a profit, you should consider the moral and ethical ramifications of such a decision. Donated sperm is sometimes used to fertilize donated eggs. If the prospect of having a biological child in the world that you don’t know about is too much of a burden to bear, don’t do it. A lifetime of wondering is not worth the quick cash you’ll receive.

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This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Massive List of Things to Do While Watching TV

Nora Dunn — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:36:32 +0000

Even the most riveting TV shows plague you with time-sucking commercials every few minutes, and very rarely does any TV-watching session require all your brain power or leave you feeling truly satisfied or productive. Here’s a massive list of things you can do while watching TV (and some more concentrated activities that you can fit in during the commercials) that will keep you productive, fit, balanced, and moving forward in your life. (See also: 8 Alternatives to Cable TV That Will Keep You Entertained)

Snuggle.
Organize and log your tax-deductible receipts.
Open your mail.
Organize dresser and kitchen drawers — one at a time.
Pay bills.
Water the plants.
Play with pets.
Write a letter to somebody you haven’t been in touch with for way too long.
Arrange flowers.
Mend holes in your clothing.
Make use of your mismatched socks.
Sharpen knives.
Make a cork board.
Make — and enjoy — your own hot pack.
Clip coupons.
Organize CD and DVD collections. (Do your DVDs and CDs end up in the wrong cases? Now is your chance to fix it).
Stretch.
Groom pets.
Give yourself a manicure and/or pedicure.
Create a vision board.
Plant a window-box herb garden.
Soak your feet.
Defrag your computer.
Forward this post to somebody who watches too much TV.
Ponder 100 ways to change your life.
Make this year’s Christmas presents.
Clean out your purse.
See if you can actually prepare a meal just as quickly as they’re cooking it on the cooking show you’re watching.
Rearrange your furniture.
Breathe.
Lift weights.
Twitter.
Clean your plant’s leaves (using powdered milk, banana peels, or mouthwash).
Brainstorm.
Give (or get) a massage.
Wax your legs/arms/etc.
Vacuum.
Scrub coffee stains off your mugs with baking soda.
Prepare lunch for the next work day.
Revamp your LinkedIn profile.
Make lists.
Flip through magazines.
Drink water.
Eat a meal.
Write out grocery lists.
Accumulate frequent flyer miles for your next vacation.
Exercise.
Play with social media.
Have a laptop handy to research quirky concepts that you see on TV.
Tweak your resume.
Research your next vacation.
Prepare a meal.
Sort through photographs.
Arts and crafts.
Write to-do lists.
Polish the silverware.
Journal.
Water the plants.
Make a scrapbook.
Ironing.

Here are some more bite-sized tasks you can take on during the commercial breaks. In some cases, using the commercials to time these activities (like sit-ups) can make them more palatable and reduce the discipline required.

Wash dishes.
Clean the house — two minutes at a time. (See if you can get a whole room done by the end of your show).
Meditate.
Alternate doing sit-ups and push-ups constantly through each commercial break.
Read.

Finally, I asked people on Facebook and Twitter what they do while they watch TV, and here are a few of their responses:

Eat popcorn.
Crossword or Sudoku puzzles.
Knit.
Facebook.
Play with iPhone.
Make out.
Answer emails.
Surf the web.
Throw a ball for the dog.
Think about how the TV show could have been written better.
Contemplate how to get back that time later.
According to my wife, mostly snore.

And my favorite:

Um…watch TV????

What do you do while watching TV?

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This article is from Nora Dunn of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: