Are you struggling with low levels of productivity? Whether you run your own business, work for a boss, or work as a freelancer, check out these 4 common causes of low productivity to see if you can get a boost.

If you're interested in a career path where you can be your own boss and set your own hours, then self-employment may be right for you. You may have other reasons for starting your own business - perhaps you're passionate about filling a gap in your market and doing it yourself is the only way you see it happening. Or maybe your life is better when you have a flexible work schedule, and being your own boss is the easiest path to get there. 

Whatever your reason for thinking about self-employment, it's not for everyone. Just like with most big changes in our world, there are both good and bad consequences that result. To make an informed decision, you've got to know them all. This post will discuss some of the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of self-employment to help you start your research on whether it's a good choice for you.

One of the essential things for a successful company is developing a solid relationship with its clients. However,  buyers are looking for more when it comes to their relationship with a company; more engagement, listening, and more partnership.

​In fact, only a few business-to-business (B2B) customers feel engaged, and a more significant percentage of others feel actively disengaged or indifferent.

Establishing a strong B2B relationship calls for planning, dedication, and hard work. Fortunately, you can utilize key marketing strategies as an ideal way for building and strengthening B2B relationships. The following 8 tips are some of the tried and tested ways to build better B2B relationships.

Whether you're looking for your first job or your tenth, there are several techniques you can use to get your foot in the door for an interview and ultimately land the position you want.

Whether you are starting a business or are looking for a job, one of the primary keys to your success will be the first impression you make when meeting new potential partners, clients, bosses, and colleagues.

Making a good first impression involves your appearance, your body language, your attitude, as well as both what you say and how you say it.

Exams can be stressful for any student, no matter their level. Taking a big picture view of test preparation by organizing your study approach throughout the year (not just during exam week) can make a big difference. This article provides tips for parents, teachers, and students to help make school go a bit smoother. I've written the tips as if talking directly to the student, but know that you can adapt these to help your kids or pupils.

If you've started your own business, then you're used to learning on the fly. But if you're ready to keep growing your business, then you should consider taking at least one of these courses.

I'm at the precipice of rebranding my side business, and as I research how to rebrand successfully I thought I'd share my research here with you.

The tips I share can be applied to coming up with a brand (brand identity) or rebranding. Additionally, you can think of these tips in terms of branding a business or yourself. The key concepts of intent, consistency, and experience apply to individual branding and business branding. 

While many argue that a job or career shouldn't define you, you do spend a significant chunk of your week at that job. Do you want to enjoy it, or just get that 9 to 5 over with?

Would you prefer to do something you are passionate about or is it all about money? A career can start out as a means to an end, but you may learn to love what you do. On the other hand, you may choose to take a lower-paying job because it's something you're passionate about. Lastly, keep in mind that sometimes you need to work in various entry-level positions to gain the experience needed for some more senior roles.

Stress comes from all directions in life, but sometimes you just need someone to tell you to sit down and take stock of where you are. This post will talk about some different types of stressors and provide a little push to get you back on track to taking care of yourself.

Many of us have been working from home for almost a year now due to the COVID-19 productivity. 

In this post I'll share 3 tips to boost your productivity while working from home.

How does virtual learning compare to going to school at a brick-and-mortar location? Advantages and disadvantages certainly differ depending on level. In 2020, schools of all levels closed, and for the first time, large portions of our younger population were schooling at home, from preschoolers to college students.

While many parents have chosen to homeschool, with school closures many parents now working full-time from home were faced with the challenges of teaching their kids at home (with no prior experience in education), or managing their online learning schedule. The lack of socialization for young students meant a key part of their behavioral learning was lost. Middle and high school students likely adapted better to the switch to virtual learning than younger students, but they no longer had club or sport activities. 

Whether pursuing a Master's or doctoral degree, making ends meet during your graduate education can seem daunting. In addition to reaching out to your department and school student service staff to find out about fellowships, tuition reductions, and other ways to reduce education expenses, check out these tips.

Staying focused is one of the biggest challenges we face when working from home. It's tough enough to manage your own schedule and can be difficult to stay productive without others working around you. Creating a dedicated working area where you can get away from distractions is important.

When you do lose focus, however, it can go one of two ways. You may be able to refocus quickly (the goal) and stay productive, or it can spiral into procrastination. In this blog post I'll talk about 4 ways you can refocus your mind to stay productive.

Some people can't imagine a life without travel. The breathtaking views, the variety of people, the tasty and maybe strange foods - it's the experiences you can't live without. If you're forever struck with wanderlust and can't imagine your life without globetrotting, a future where travel and work are balanced can seem impossible.

A job that has you traveling often may or may not satisfy your travel desires, so today I'll be talking about other ways to start with your passion - travel - and develop it into a career where you are truly doing what you love. 

You don't have to choose between travelling and a career. Thanks to the internet and to jobs that leverage your expertise and love of travel, you can do both.

Whether you've joined the land of freelancing as a side gig, as a way to have more freedom in your career, or you're just looking for a way to revitalize your online presence, it's important to take a strategic approach to marketing yourself as a freelance professional.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have transitioned to working remotely or have even lost our jobs. Family commitments may have increased, and you may be looking for a source of income that is flexible. Advantages of freelance work include independence, the ability to control your workload and your exposure. Freelance work can open up posiibilities not possible when you are working for someone else. 

On the other hand, you don't have a dedicated marketing department or social media coordinator to market your work and abilities. The burden is on you to find clients and convince them you are the person to hire. Just as freelance work is attractive to you, its attractive to mnany others, making freelance bids competative.

​ Your freelance marketing approach should focus on 2 things: publicity and visibility. Let's dive in.

Your mind is like a muscle, and benefits from regular training and exercise. Your brain has plasticity, which means it can improve in function as you age - mental decline is not inevitable. If you're overwhelmed by the number of apps available, you can start with these 5 simple strategies.

For those of us already in school or working, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we learn and work - now we do it from home.

But what if you were planning on making a career change when COVID-19 hit? You wanted to develop your current skillset or take courses to jump fields. 

With the increase in online learning as we continue to stay at home, it's the perfect opportunity for you to conquer some of those tasks you've set out for yourself through online learning. You can engage on your town terms, find low cost alternatives, and learn to manage yourself.

The past few weeks with the COVID-19 pandemic have been stressful in nearly every area of our lives - work, home, physical health, and mental health. Social distancing may make you feel isolated. You may feel less productive when working from home. You may be worried about your own health, or those of your loved ones. 

Today, I'll share some tips on adapting your day-to-day work style from the office to working from home. I'll guide you through how to create a routine, how to avoid distractions, and provide an overview of useful communication tools to keep you connected and productive.

With the major changes occurring in every part of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, most if not all of us have transitioned to working remotely (or working from home, #WFH). 

I've put all my productivity posts, especially those focused on working from home, here in a single post for your convenience. 

What do you find most helpful when adapting to new situations?

If you're like me and have started a small business in line with your passion, accounting probably isn't your forte (or passion, for that matter!) So how can you make sure that this key financial part of your business is not only efficient but done correctly?

Minimizing the effort it takes to manage your finances - as a small business owner or as an individual - is key. Why? So that you spend time on your passion and not the logistics.

Read on to learn about 3 ways to manage your finances in your small business

1. Manage it yourself
2. Outsource your accounting
3. Use cloud-based accounting software

As we launch headfirst into a new semester, take advantage of the slow first week of classes to make a strategic plan for this term. Think about how you studied for your exams last semester - what worked, what didn't? 

​Today I share 3 tips to consider when revamping your study strategy.

Having an idea of what you want to do after college is key in making sure you graduate with the necessary knowledge and skills. 

Some careers require a 2-year degree, others a 4-year degree, others post-graduate education like a masters, doctorate, or professional degree.

It's common for students to change majors partway through school, or go back to school to complete necessary requirements - full time, part time, or through online courses. With this need has flourished a new industry aimed at helping adults of all ages acquire the skills they need for the career they want. 

Graduate school is often a time of both professional and personal challenges, namely because you're now in adulthood. But why am I writing about end-of-life planning on a grad school lifestyle blog? Because you may have a sick parent, and experience the importance of having an advance directive, power of attorney, and updated will on hand. 

Tragedies, like unexpected illness and accidents, can strike any time. Having your documents ready and documented means you get to decide the details of your health journey, while also saving your family from extra stress and arguments.

The infographic below guides you through end-of-life planning and advanced directives.