How to Write Faster as a Freelance Writer
Believe it or not, the biggest challenge of being a freelance writer isn’t finding new clients. It’s finding time to actually do the writing. At least, it is when you also work full-time. When I first started landing freelance writing jobs, I was dismayed by how long it took me to even finish a 500-word project. I simply did not know how to write faster. That’s because in the beginning, I didn’t have a structured approach to writing articles. I would try to “write pretty” when all I had to work with was an (intimidating) blank page. I would think long and hard about the structure, grammar, and flow of…
How to Be Confident: 10 Ways to Grow Your Self-Assurance
“I wish I was more confident.” It’s a sentence that we’ve probably all uttered at some point in our lives. I know I have. There’s no denying that confidence is a pretty key component to success in life. And yet, understanding how to be confident remains an elusive element for many people, particularly for women. The evidence of this is all the more pronounced in the office. Studies show that the gender pay gap is partly because women simply don’t ask for raises. And when they do, they request up to 30% less than their male counterparts! It’s not because of a lack of competence. But the reality is that…
The Audible Advantage: 5 Reasons to Try Audiobooks
I’d been seeing Audible audiobooks on Amazon for years but didn’t have the slightest interest in them. I like to savor the words on a page. Plus, something about listening to books seems like “cheating”, because you’re not actually “reading” them. But this year I’ve been having trouble reaching my reading goals. I realized I needed to try something different if I was going to squeeze a bit of literature into my day-to-day life. So I put my text-only snobbery aside and gave Audible a try. And I’m glad I did! If you’ve ever been curious about how audible works, what it’s advantages are, or what books to try with…
How an Early Morning Routine Can Lead to Success
I confess, I’ve become the type of person I used to be secretly annoyed with. I’ve become a morning person. In fact, the morning is now my favorite time of day. (Albeit, more so on weekends!) I’m not going to lie. My obsession with coffee likely plays a significant role in my willingness to be a morning lark. But while I’ve always loved coffee, I haven’t always loved mornings. In fact, until recently, I dreaded the alarm clock with every fiber of my being. Although I was disciplined enough to make it to work on time, my mornings were always a rushed, stressful event. Why I became an early riser…
5 Life-Changing Personal Development Books to Read This Year
I was always on the lookout for new books to read when I was younger. At one point in my early twenties, I was averaging a book a week. But the habit waned as I neared my thirties and got swept up with work and other responsibilities. Then I went on a week-long vacation to the Caribbean this past winter and rediscovered my love of reading. I read three novels during my stay! After my vacation was over, I vowed that I would reestablish a reading habit. I committed to reading at least two new books a month. So far, I’ve been able to stick to this goal through the…
Get Smarter While You Get Fitter by Multitasking
Multitasking gets a bad rap sometimes. After all, some studies have concluded that too much multitasking results in higher levels of stress and lower levels of productivity. But is there a time and a place for multitasking? What about multitasking while you exercise? The surprising outcome from one small study published on science journal, PLOS ONE, suggests that performing cognitive tasks while exercising may actually enhance physical performance. And we already know that exercise boosts mental performance, so training your brain while you’re working out is a win-win situation. I believe there are some forms of exercise that require full concentration, like lifting weights and HIIT. But I love to add…
How to Combat Ambition Paralysis and Get Organized
Some days, I feel like I’m up to my elbows in ideas and ambition. Which seems like a great thing, at first. Until it’s too many ideas, too much ambition. Then I don’t even know where to start. And nothing gets done. I’ve come to call it, Ambition Paralysis: The plight of having the drive and desire to achieve something, only to become completely overwhelmed by what you actually need to do in order to make anything happen. But I’ve learned that feeling overwhelmed sometimes is completely normal. Better still, I’ve also learned it’s completely conquerable! Maybe you’ve had an idea for a business or side-hustle that you’ve been thinking…
Achieving and balancing your fitness & career goals
