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How to Keep Yourself Accountable as a Freelancer

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Photo by Andrew Neel from Pexels

Guest post by Michelle Laurey

Around all employees will be spending at least some of their time working remotely as of this year. The rise of cloud computing, mobile software, and other essential tools means that it’s easier than ever for people from all backgrounds to work away from the office.

The more time you spend out of the typical nine-to-five work life, the more you may decide that you want to go remote full-time.

Perhaps you even want to run your own freelance business?

Freelancing can be an excellent way to follow your dreams with your career and build a job around your passion.

You could freelance as a writer, offering reviews and insights into the latest music on the market. You could pursue your skills as a graphic artist, teacher, or translator.

The only issue?

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How The Power Of Technology Is Making Work More Mobile

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Working remotely

Photo: Pexels

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

 

In the past, work was something that could usually only be done in a certain defined location, such as a factory or an office. But with almost four million Americans now believed to be remote workers at least some of the time, it’s clear that this is changing. Now, it’s possible to pick up work wherever you are and complete it from a sometimes distant location, without hurting company bottom lines or becoming unproductive. This article will explore the exciting new world of work – and how technology is powering it forwards.

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Why the Cookie Cutter Approach Won’t Help You Ace That Online Interview

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Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

Welcome to the age of the millennials where remote work reigns supreme and the chances of meeting your boss are quite minimal. In fact, studies reveal that around 70% of people across the world work remotely at least once a week. For years, schools and employment agencies have been prepping would-be job seekers on how to ace their interview. But here’s the sticky bit, an online interview is nothing like that and knowing what to expect lies at the heart of being successful.

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How To Organize A Successful Event Over the Internet

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

77% of Americans use social media, meaning that almost the entire nation can be reached online. If you are looking to put on a mass event, whether to promote your company or raise charity donations, the internet is a great way to do this. Social media tools can help you to stay organized, while digital marketing can spread your event to potential attendees. Here are the tools you need to launch a successful event and how to use them.

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The Rise of Sleep Technologies

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Photo by Amy Treasure on Unsplash

Photo by Amy Treasure on Unsplash

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

Studies show that at least 70% of adolescents sleep with at least two electronic items in their bedroom, which is associated with short weekday sleep duration and wake lag on the weekend. The use of screens before bed keeps the mind active by stimulating electrical activity in the brain. Performing physical tasks such as sending texts also tightens the muscles and releases the hormone cortisol, which further prevents sleep. Finally, exposure to the light from screens inhibits the production of melatonin, which is required to regulate sleep-wake cycles.

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How to Up Your Freelancing Game

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Freelancing

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Being a freelancer can be very rewarding work with a lot of benefits. You can sleep in, you can pick your clients and you’re your own boss. However, it can also be hard work and it takes a special level of dedication and commitment. Here are some ways you can maximise your chances of success as a freelancer, no matter the industry.

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Finding Quality and Affordable Health Care Services as a Freelancer

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Source: pixabay.com

Source: pixabay

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

While becoming a full-time freelancer is an exciting milestone in an individual’s career, this achievement does not come without challenges. In addition to having an inconsistent income and client acquisition, the top concern of freelancers (as reported by Entrepreneur.com) is health care. Since freelancers work on contracts, there is no opportunity to sign up for employer-issued health benefits. This can cause an especially stressful situation for new freelancers who may not yet be making their goal income.

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The Rise of the Digital Nomads

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Photo by bruce mars from Pexels

Guest post by Lucy Wyndham

An estimated 50% of workers in the US will transform into remote workers by the year 2020, based on a report by MarketWatch. The entire concept of the digital nomad has completely enraptured an entire generation of new workers and even caught the attention of those who have invested decades into the workforce. With various helpful tools and the right opportunity, any worker can carve off their slice of borderless working conditions. Still, he life of a digital nomad carries experiences that are both sour and sweet.

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3 Great Financial Hacks To Try Today

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Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash

By freelance writer/contributor Lucy Wyndham

Americans continue to live beyond their means. The average household has about $137,063 in debt. An estimated $16,883 of that is attributed to credit card debts. However, the median income per household in America stands at just above $59,000. With the cost of living rising faster than the incomes, we face increasing choices in how we spend our money. Being financially savvy is becoming much more important. Just as we should design a life plan and individual goals, this has never been truer when it comes to finances. Here are some great effective hacks to get you started.

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4 Essential Hacks For An Affordable Work-Travel Lifestyle

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Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash

By freelance writer/contributor Lucy Wyndham

If you are able to work from home, you can work from anywhere in the world. Of course, there are a few exceptions. But, for the most part, you are blessed with the skills and the type of lifestyle that allows you to travel and work. The term for this is “digital nomad,” and there are a few hacks that can make this lifestyle more financially comfortable for you.

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3 Downsides of Working from Home – And How To Overcome Them

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Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

By freelance writer/contributor Lucy Wyndham

Being able to work from home is an incredible freedom. While most of the working world is required to face rush hour traffic, show up at a physical place of employment, and adhere to a specific dress code, those who work from home have the privilege of avoiding these burdens. Pajamas can serve as acceptable work attire. Any part of your home can be your “office.” And your work day is largely controlled by you. However, as one might expect, benefits like these don’t come without some kind of downside.

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6 Ways To Overcome Failure

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Photo by Abbie Bernet on Unsplash

 

I walked into the buzzing workspace with my head down. I paused to stand up a little straighter until I heard the familiar crack in my upper spine. It was time to shift gears into networking mode.

“Act intelligent,” I told myself. “Don’t tell them that your company failed. Don’t tell them any of it. And don’t forget to smile.”

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Life Hacking For The Rest Of Us

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Photo by Haley Phelps on Unsplash

Photo by Haley Phelps on Unsplash

It’s impossible to keep up.

Every day I see self-help articles about life hacking with tips, tricks, and never-ending lists of things to do in order to become a successful human being. According to these articles, If I do these things I’ll run like a machine. I’ll be living life at 500%, 100% of the time.

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Why It Pays To Be A Misfit

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Photo: Amanda Jordan via Unsplash

About five years ago I attended a party that a friend was throwing in celebration of her new clothing store launch in downtown Los Angeles.

I spotted the host off to one side and walked over to say hello. As I approached, she looked around, then behind me.

“Did you come alone?” She asked in a high pitched voice, the end of the sentence curling up into an extra-squiggly question mark. “Yep,” I cheerfully replied, holding up a pair of neon-yellow drop crotch trousers to my waist. She grinned. “You’re such a lone wolf! I love it.” She touched my arm in a way that maybe she thought to be conspiratorial before turning to walk away.

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The Introvert’s Guide to the Workplace

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Photo: Unsplash

I’ve been working in digital media for most of my career – building websites, doing marketing, graphic design, and even photography. But there came a time that if I wanted to advance in my career, I had to get out from behind my tantalizingly-oversized Apple monitor and lead actual meetings. It became critical for me to be present in the workplace not only as a project manager, but as someone who was able to successfully lead client meetings as well.

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Goal Setting – Designing A Life Plan In 2017

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Photo: David Schap via Unsplash

One year ago I hired the talented Harper Spero to help me find the time to complete a creative project. My life was action-packed and I needed to figure out how to make quality time and space for my craft in order to ultimately reach my writing goals for the year.

What Harper helped me to understand was that it was everything around the project that needed to shift first. This shift was necessary to bring my best self to the table as a creative professional and burgeoning business owner.

Let me explain.

The process began by optimizing first for health. Getting the proper nutrition, the right amount of sleep, and regular exercise were key to functioning at a high level.

After that, I needed a support system in place. It was critical to surround myself with a steady stream of quality individuals and communities.

After that, I needed to make sure that all of my work — creative and otherwise — had meaning.

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Why 2017 Is The Year Of The Freelancer

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Guest post by Cassie Phillips, Technology & Internet Security Enthusiast; Blogger at securethoughts.com. Full bio located at the end of the post. 

Another year in the information age has come and gone, and the internet has cemented itself even further as an essential part of not only our personal lives but our business lives. Can you think of many positions that don’t involve the use of the internet and complex programs now?

With that advent comes the rise of freelance labor from all around the world, people much like yourself who wanted more control over their careers and their lives. And from what we can tell, people are starting to freelance every day and therefore joining the freelance economy.

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Environmental Biohacking & Rumbling With The Unknown

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Sunset at Big Sur taken during week 4 of my bio-hacking experiment

Big Sur, CA – Taken during Week 4 of my experiment.

The following is based on a talk I gave a few weeks back at Twitch HQ for Women’s Catalyst Lightening Talks.

At the end of September I deliberately kicked myself out of my studio apartment.

I sublet to a friend for two months and hit the road.

Now, I didn’t go very far. I drove around California in my trusty Prius C – living with friends, crashing on couches, spending time in nature.

I did this because I needed to get uncomfortable.

Because I believe that curiosity is greater than comfort.

[ Curiosity Zone > Comfort Zone ] *

I didn’t always believe this.

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Going Freelance – 5 Tips For Entering The Freelance Economy

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5 tips for entering the freelance economy

Photo Source: Kaboom Pics

A few weeks back I gave a talk at The Alley about my experience in joining the freelance economy. The evening was filled with personal stories and powerful tips for getting started. I learned a lot from the other presenters and had a great time sharing my experience so far. Below are key takeaways from that talk.

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