3 Tips to Overcome Tax Anxiety

I received my 1099 in the mail a few days ago, and it reminded me just how much I'm not looking forward to preparing my taxes this year. I'm in the habit of always preparing my own taxes, and am completely comfortable with it. That's not the problem. My fear is that I will owe money on income tax. That has me overly anxious about this upcoming filing. This is the first year where I have worked as a contractor all year long. Many of you have been doing this for years, but I'm just getting started.

The truth is - any anxiety I have is my own fault. That's right - I brought it all upon myself. Someone wise told me that the first step to overcoming a problem is admitting that you have a problem. Well, there. I have a problem that keeps me awake at night. It keeps me from focusing on being my best each day. I tread that ticking clock going for April 17, 2012. Each day I feel that January is passing too quickly.

Here are a few things I plan to implement to overcome tax anxiety:

1. Do something fun. Whenever you start thinking about your taxes, resolve to do something else fun (preferably something that doesn't cost any money). This will relax your mind and (at least temporarily) help re-focus your attention on something more positive.
2. Start organizing your receipts early. When you are prepared, your mind is much more at ease. This also goes back to my point on why schedules are important.
3. Just do it. That's Nike's slogan, but it's also very relevant to everyday life. The more time you spend being anxious about something, the more anxious you become. Get it out of the way so that you can focus your energy on more productive things.

I haven't yet made it to the "do it" stages yet, but I am in the planning stage. While it's true that I should have prepared for tax time much earlier, my mind is much more at ease knowing that things are coming together. 

Have you done your taxes yet? If not, what's stopping you? Anxiety? Procrastination? Something else? How do you plan to overcome tax anxiety?

Read more »

2 Words to Start Your Freelancing Career

Photo credit: Jonny Goldstein

You're fired.

That's right - those two little words can catapult you from the "safety" of your cubicle to the unemployment line and possibly onto the verge of freelancing. Is that a bad thing? Heavens no! While it may be unplanned and could send your finances through a temporary whirlwind, you will be able to get back on your feet.

That's right - even if you are unemployed right now and don't feel like you can find another job, you will be able to get back on your feet. The key is to keep yourself busy. Not everyone is meant to be a career freelancer, but even temporary freelancing can help a jobless individual keep their sanity.

Have those two words changed your professional life? Do share!

Read more »

3 Tips for Ending Client Relationships

There is a point where all things must come to an end. Maybe you've lost your passion and drive for the work you do and want to switch fields. Maybe you realized that you don't want to freelance anymore. Maybe you're fed up with your client. However you've come to this end point - the biggest thing is - you made the decision to end your working relationships with your current client(s). There's no need to beat yourself up about it. After all, you became a freelancer so that you do get to pick your clients and the projects your work on. If your mind changes, your business can change right along with it.

I've been in both shoes - as the freelancer ending the relationship and as the client who is losing a freelancer. On either side of the equation, this can be a stressful time for both parties - but more specifically for the client. You must remember that your client was counting on you for something. You may be the strings that holds their business together. We're talking about their livelihood - which is no joke.

Knowing that this situation can be particularly difficult to handle - how can you get through it? Keep these three pointers in mind:

1. Don't disappear. Of all the things you can do, don't just disappear into thin air. Give your client the respect they deserve and try to get a reasonable notice (2 weeks or so) so that they can find someone to replace you.
2. Don't forget the final deliverables. Try to write up/update any procedures so that your client can easily pass along your work to the next person.
3. Make recommendations. If you know someone who may be a good fit to step into your role, please let your client know. They will appreciate not needing to invest extra time searching for someone they feel comfortable with.

The most important thing to remember is that you want to make sure that you build a strong list of contacts that can vouch for your work or provide testimonials/references in the future. The quality of your network is even more important as a freelancer than as an employee. Clients will remember how you leave - so make it professional.

What are your tips for ending client relationships?

Read more »

I'm Blacked Out Today in Opposition of SOPA and PIPA

Image from http://sopastrike.com/strike/

Read more »

I'm Joining the Yakezie Challenge!

I am joining the Yakezie Challenge! The goal: grow this blog to be under 200,000 Alexa Traffic Rank. Here are my stats as of this post's writing:

What's more amazing is the power of the Yakezie network. On January 11 (the day I found Yakezie), here were my stats:

All I did is mention my site in one of the forums and visit a few other Challenger's sites. The motto of the network is "selflessly helping others". I'm amazed at all of the things that have come from this so far, and I'm proud to announce my participation in the challenge. 

I'm pretty busy with business today, so I will post more about Yakezie later on this week, but I wanted to share this with you, and I hope that you all follow in my journey to grow this blog!

Read more »