Displaying All Posts by jeff

Who’s the Best Democratic Candidate for Entrepreneurs? (Part 2)

In Part One, I took a look at the economic policies of Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley.

I broke their ideas into the categories of wages, banking policies and taxes.

I also noted other policies relevant to entrepreneurs, small businesses and related freelance types.

Now, on to the third and final candidate, one Hillary Rodham Clinton. Click Here to Read Article …

Who’s the Best Democratic Candidate for Entrepreneurs? (Part 1)

The field of candidates for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016 is small and manageable — populated by folks with platforms aimed to help the little guy.

If you’re a one-person work machine or the owner of a small business, do Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley or Hillary Clinton have anything up their sleeves to help you out?

For the sake of this overview, I’m invoking the principle that what’s good for the economy is good for small businesses.

That is, restaurateurs, potters and freelance accountants all need their neighbors to have some income. And if these entrepreneurs’ suppliers and distributors aren’t feeling a pinch, they’ll probably get kind rates, which mean a better chance of survival.

So everything affecting the economy affects entrepreneurs. The economic factors I’ll look at include wages, banking policies (which apply to anyone looking for a loan) and of course, taxes. Click Here to Read Article …

How Anxiety Brings Out Our Best Writing

writing anxiety

This is not a guide to dealing with anxiety.

It’s not an article on why anxiety is evil.

I’m not going to tell you why we should feel good all the time.

This article is about the various anxieties I’ve felt as a freelance writer and how I’ve negotiated them.

It’s about how these anxieties often produce better material as a result.

There are three types of anxiety I most commonly have as a freelancer: Click Here to Read Article …

5 Ways to Talk Politics at Work

politics at work

“Don’t hug a boa constrictor” is absolutely good advice that you should always take.

“Pull the rip cord” is also solid guidance.

“Don’t talk politics at work” is pretty good advice in some ways.

Yet, democratic nations pride themselves on affording freedoms, including the freedom to express oneself.

Having and voicing viewpoints can develop richer workplace relationships that will lead to some solid collaborations.

Or, maybe talking politics on the job is just inevitable. Here are some tips for expressing honest opinions in a way that will help you avoid trouble and offending your peers. Click Here to Read Article …

How to Discuss Salary with Coworkers

discussing salary at work

This article is not about asking for a raise.

It’s not about suing your employer.

Nor is it about negotiating a salary during a job interview.

It’s about the best ways to navigate the delicate topic of salaries when it inevitably comes up among coworkers.

Despite what you may have heard, it’s not something to avoid, just something to do with savvy. Click Here to Read Article …

Are You on the Right Sleep Schedule?

sleep schedule

How common is it for people who run their own businesses to sacrifice sleep?

Do a lot of us get three or four hours a night?

Have you ever pulled a full all-nighter, and it wasn’t for a chemistry exam back in college?

Getting that exalted eight hours is something I’m here to recommend. And yet …

Here are some bright-eyed and bushy-tailed thoughts on some alternatives to a traditional night of sleep for those of us who either have too much to do or who just have a hard time operating on a traditional timer. Click Here to Read Article …

5 Ways Freelancers Can Deal With Isolation

working alone

Freelancers don’t have to drop coins into the office coffee fund or attend largely pointless meetings.

Many of us can work in a library or a coffee shop, or on our backyard deck, where the only sound is chickadees or mourning doves.

But as nice as these things are, they can cause loneliness and isolation.

For some, this might mean a long day before the significant other comes home; for others, a feeling of just not being connected.

Sometimes this can mean feeling like freelancing isn’t “real” work or that one is cut off from the industry (accounting, graphic design, writing) at large.

So, here are some ways to cope if you’re feeling isolated in a bad way, rather than free in a good way. Click Here to Read Article …

Stop Relying on Rewards for Motivation

ways to motivate yourself

It isn’t hard to find articles on motivation for a freelancer.

It’s only too easy to find five or 10 obvious steps to get goin’ on that approaching deadline (“picture the job already done” or “have a comfy work environment”).

But there’s a deeper philosophical issue at stake, and all too often these articles ignore it.

You don’t want to take just any advice on motivation techniques — some recommendations can hurt more than they can help.

From my experience, you really need to consider what type of motivation a particular strategy would speak to.

While some extrinsic motivators might work in a pinch, you don’t want to build up the habit of relying on them. Instead you need intrinsic motivation. Click Here to Read Article …