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The ultimate job question: How much should you earn? It can be surprisingly hard to figure this out, because employers tend to hide the pay disparities between employees. There are, however, some good ways to ascertain what salary you deserve. (See also: The Psychology of Salaries: Do You Really Want to Know What Your Colleagues Make?)

Know the Industry

The first step is to research the job market you are entering. Are you in retail? Insurance? Blogging? It's important to know the specific industry in which you are applying.

Paco Underhill's Why We Buy is the seminal book of retail psychology. I first read it when I was fresh out of business school and newly employed by Toys 'R Us as we worked on revamping the brand and the physical stores. It made me realize all of the tools that retailers use to their advantage to entice customers. Because over half of purchases in the U.S. are unplanned, retailers are clearly succeeding with the book's strategies.

One in three adults in a combined financial relationship admits to financially deceiving their partner, according to a recent poll published by the National Endowment for Financial Education. Even worse, 76% admit that financial deceptions have had an impact on their relationship. (See also: 7 Questions That Reveal If You and Your Partner Are a Money Match)

Do you ever pull into the driveway after a long day of work and wonder where the day went? Ever find yourself living for the weekend only to marvel on Sunday night how quickly it passed? Sometimes life demands not only that we multitask, but "hypertask." And in the process we're skimming above the moments of our lives, exhausted. (See also: Balancing Living in the Now With Planning for the Future)

It's time to take a step back, be present, and be happier. Here are eight ways to get started: