Wonder how to be more chill during your workday and your life? Here are 3 realistic ways you can become a happier, chill person overall.

We could all use more chill in our lives, right? Fortunately, there are many easy adjustments you can make to take some of the stress and chaos out of your daily routine—so easy, you’re going to wonder why you haven’t been doing these things all along.

Here are 3 easy ways to reduce stress, improve quality of life, and add some much-needed chill to your day.

1. Get enough sleep.

If you’re not getting a solid 7-9 hours per night, you’re doing it wrong. And unfortunately, that’s a lot us: about a third of the U.S. population doesn’t get enough rest.

But science doesn’t lie. Research and studies consistently demonstrate that 7-9 hours is the golden standard for the average adult. Many people insist they only need a few hours of sleep a night to function. But that’s most likely because they’re delirious due to lack of sleep. Only a very small percentage of the population (around 1%) can function optimally on less than 7 hours per night, and that’s due to a genetic mutation.

The effects of sleep deprivation are no joke—impaired cognitive function, decreased productivity, and greater chance of having an accident or falling asleep while driving. Not to mention the long-term medical issues it can lead to: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and mental distress.

So don’t cheat yourself. Get into the habit of getting a full night’s rest every night. The best way to do this is to go to bed at the same time every evening. Just count backwards 8 hours from the time you need to be up in the morning, and set yourself a reminder to be in bed about 15-20 minutes before that. Newer iPhones even have a handy bedtime reminder feature built into the alarm clock.

2. Take breaks during the day.

Most of us work 8 hour shifts, or more, but the reality is that human focus has its limits. Our brains are simply not wired to be focused for that many hours a day, especially all in a row, and this is proven by science. One study revealed that experts who are elite in their fields (basically all fields: artists, athletes, intellectuals, scientists, saving experts) typically can spend only about 4-5 hours per day intensely focused on their work.

It’s unlikely this evidence will persuade your boss to shorten your workday, but taking breaks throughout your shift can help you stay on task and be productive. Planning out your work day and timing breaks will ensure you don’t lose track and end up spending 3 hours looking at cute cat memes on the internet.

The experts in the study above tended to work at the start of their day when their focus was best, so always plan to start your day with the project that will require the most focus (NOT with email!). And then take a break. One study suggests that the perfect ratio is 52/17: work for 52 minutes, and take a break for 17. If you can swing it without getting a raised eyebrow from your micromanager boss, give it a shot at work tomorrow.

3. Meditate daily.

You may scoff at this suggestion but scoff at this: science has proven that people who meditate regularly actually change the composition of their brains. One study from UCLA showed that the brains of long-term meditators were better preserved than non-meditators. Meditation also reduces stress levels, helps with pain management, and relieves anxiety and depression.

The even better news is that even a few minutes a day will benefit you. If you’re a beginner, start with 5 minutes a day and work up to 15 to really start feeling results. Google “how to meditate” to find a plethora of advice on how to get started (or check out my step-by-step video guide), but the basics are pretty much the same no matter what source you consult: find a quiet location, sit or lie in a comfortable position, focus your attention on either your breathing or a phrase you repeat in your head, and keep an open attitude. If you follow these 4 instructions, there’s no wrong way to meditate.

Warning: at first it may feel like nothing is happening, or you may feel silly or bored or distracted, but just keep trying. What you’re doing is actually training your brain, and each time you sit down to meditate, something is shifting, slowly but surely, and it’ll get easier and easier with time. how to be chill

As our lives get busier and busier, especially for Millennials who are not only entering the peak years of their careers but also becoming parents, it’s even more important not to lose sight of the big picture. We owe it to ourselves to slow down and dedicate time each day to habits that improve our health and wellbeing and keep us grounded. Stay chill, guys.

Looking to manage your money smarter? Here are six important financial goals to help you resolve to be better in the new year.

The average millennial is described as drowning in debt, without much savings and as investing too conservatively. This does not paint a very promising picture for this generation. But a study by Schwab’s indicates that the financial standing of many millennials is not as grim.

For instance, about a third of millennials have a financial plan and a documented financial plan. This is in contrast to the two generations above them, the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. In these generations, only 20% and 22% respectively have taken a similar step.

Similarly, it has been brought to light that millennials are more likely to have specific financial goals than their older counterparts. They are also more likely to seek the services of investment advisors and regularly rebalance their portfolios.

However, even in the face of these promising trends, this group of people is still dealing with a lot of debt, with 75% of them have some kind of debt or another. About ten percent of these people have debts in excess of $100,000. In fact, due to debt, some of them have had to put off buying a house and getting married. Here are some financial goals for the wise millennial:

1. Savings

While the study above showed that millennials are becoming saving junkies, it was also discovered that many of them are less likely to save for long-term financial goals than their older counterparts. Millennials have no problems saving for a vacation, but saving money for more lasting financial goals remains a challenge for many of them. Therefore, the wise millennial should try to make long-term saving more of a priority for better financial health.

2. Insurance

Young people don’t generally take life insurance seriously, although they should. The reason is that they are young and healthy, and it does not seem to make much sense to insure themselves. However, life insurance is very important. For instance, as a millennial with a family, the insurance can take care of your family’s financial needs in case you leave.

Besides, the longer you wait to get life insurance, the more premiums you will pay, and this can affect other financial plans you might have at the time. Also, choose a great life insurance company. Whippio has varied life insurance offers for all types of clients.

3. Investments

Most millennials don’t realize that they have one very valuable asset – time. Because they have a lot of time in their hands, they also have a great opportunity to invest and build a fortune that should serve them and their families in the future.

For instance, to create an empire worth millions of dollars by the age of 70, an 18-year-old would need to invest $71 a day in an investment plan with a return of at least 9% per year. A 38-year-old would need $448 to achieve the same financial goal under similar conditions. So, any smart millennial should start investing as early as possible to realize his/her great long-term financial goals.

4. Plan on Having a Home

A great way to secure your future is to have your own home. Unfortunately, this financial goal is not a priority for many millennials since they tend to focus more on short-term goals. Additionally, many of them have debts to worry about. However, if you are smart, you would start planning on owning a home as soon as possible. Homes turn into sources of wealth for many retirees.

5. An Emergency Fund

Due to their perfect health, and few financial obligations, young people don’t generally feel like they have to worry about emergencies. But this fund can be very important, even to a young person. With adequate emergency funds, for instance, you do not have to end up taking a bad paying job and getting stuck at it because you lacked any cash to get by as you seek a better paying opportunity.

6. Have a Side Gig

A smart millennial should work on having a side gig. Many people are starting to realize that after retirement, the idleness can be a bore. Therefore, having something of their own they can work on can make this part of their lives more fulfilling. Best of all, the side hustle can generate additional cash that they can use to meet other financial goals in life.

Conclusion

The wise millennial has to think of the future. Most of them don’t pay attention to this, and that is where the problem lies. Planning for the future is very important. Fortunately, above are 6 financial assets a millennial can use to safeguard their financial future and stabilize their present financial situation.

So, you want to be a freelance writer?

Freelance writing provides an opportunity to get paid for writing and generate an unlimited amount of income, with the perks of working from home and a flexible work schedule. However, it requires discipline, business skills and a degree of self-promotion.

Characteristics of a Successful Freelance Writer

There are a number of factors that differentiate superior writers from those that abandon the field after a few attempts. Here are some of the qualities of a skilled freelancer:

Writing Ability. It may seem obvious, but a fledgling freelance writer should possess a basic knowledge of sentence construction, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Before you bill yourself as a writer, spend some time in perfecting your skills. In addition to being able to write well, you should know how to conduct research on any given topic. Fortunately, the Internet is an abundant resource for information on all types of subject matter.

If you feel you need help in cultivating or refining your writing skills, there are many exercises and workshops and online learning courses on the Internet. Your local community college may also offer classes specifically for freelance writers.

Discipline. As a freelance professional, you must be a self-starter on many levels. You must be able to establish your goals and outline how to meet them. Analyze your schedule and determine how much time you can devote to your work each day.

Professionalism. The best freelance writers establish and develop strong relationships with their clients. From your first assignment with a given customer, you need to display a professional demeanor as well as willingness to hone your content until it meets the client’s approval.

Marketing Skills
If you intend to make money from writing, you must publicize yourself. Write a resume that focuses on your writing activities. Create a portfolio of your writing samples. Start a website or a blog. Print business cards that identify you as a writer. Join online writing communities to make contacts.

Potential Income

With the ever-increasing amount of content on the Internet, there are countless opportunities for competent freelance writers. Your ability to generate income depends upon the quality and quantity of your output. Some freelancers earn more than $100,000 annually, but this is not typical. It takes time to build a business, and most freelance writers earn less than $10,000 in their first year.

Job Sources

The Internet abounds with companies that provide writing assignments or encourage you to submit your own content. Depending upon the payment structure, you will be compensated on a per-article basis, or perhaps on the number of people that read your content.

Contact your local newspaper to investigate freelance writing opportunities. A few well-written contributions may lead to ongoing work or salaried employment. National magazines tend to pay well, but competition is intense. Publications such as Writer’s Market provide a wealth of information on writing opportunities.

But what should you be writing about? And who will pay for you? Good questions. Give these sites a look:

• ListVerse
• Writers Weekly
• TopTenz
• Cracked
• Strong Whispers
• WOW! Women On Writing
• College Humour
• Scary Mommy

Avoiding Burnout

Writing demands the conflicting skills of creativity and self-discipline. It is easy to become frustrated, especially when facing a tight deadline. When this happens, step away from your assignment. Take a walk. Get some exercise. Research your subject on the Internet to learn how other writers have approached it. All of these steps might help you obtain a fresh perspective and deliver a polished product.

Good luck on becoming a successful freelance writer!

Cap? Check. Gown? Check. Diploma? Check. Plan for paying off your student loans? Wait, what?

Student loans are an especially intimidating source of debt. When you embarked on your collegiate journey, your student loans represented something that was coming “someday” –– something you just did not need to worry about in the present moment.

But suddenly, that day has arrived, and you might be totally panicking, and for good reason. This generation has more student loan debt than any other before it, with national student debt totaling roughly 1.3 trillion dollars. That amount is enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest post-graduates.

Below, check out our tips for dealing with student debt. Think of it as Student Loans 101.

Student Loans 101

Here is a list of ways to pay off your student loans.

Create an Action Plan

The first step to dealing with your student loans is to gather all the information and formulate a plan. Figure out when you need to start paying off your loans –– typically six months after you have graduated. If you do not already know, find out exactly how much you owe. Interest can accrue on student loans even while you are in school, so it is likely that this amount is greater than you remember it being. Interest rates on student loans tend to be fairly high, so this number will also affect how much you need to pay each month to make a dent. Luckily, your loan payback homepage can help you calculate how much you need to pay monthly over a 30 year period.

When you gather all the loan information, use your monthly income and any savings to figure out what you can afford to pay each month. Be sure to factor in your guaranteed monthly expenses, like groceries, rent, and utilities. And while it may seem lofty, you should also set aside a chunk each month to go to savings. You might think saving is a stretch when there are loans to pay off, but your 30 year-old self will thank you when they start thinking about purchasing a home. It might be helpful to set some financial goals to keep you motivated on your money saving journey.

Once you have every dollar accounted for, make a budget. This budget will be the cornerstone of your financial future. The hardest part? Sticking to it.

Stick to Your Budget

There is nothing more important than sticking to your budget. Hopefully, you have set aside a little money to have fun every month, but try your hardest not to exceed that amount. Look for budget options when grocery shopping, and keep eating out to a minimum. Especially if you just started a new job, you will see that your new income will accrue much faster if you keep spending to a minimum every month. Ultimately, the rewards of being frugal will benefit you more than those tempting impulse purchases.

While you may feel like self-inflicted financial constraints make you boring and old, they will make you a lot more comfortable when you actually become boring and old down the road.

Make Extra Payments When Possible

If you get a big bonus at work or a generous Christmas cash gift from mom and dad, consider putting it towards your student loan debt. Remember, the lower the number in your debt account, the slower the interest accrues. Any large chunk you can put towards your loans will go a long way towards relieving debt-related stress.

Check All Your Options

The student loan crisis is worse than ever, with a rising number of college grads falling behind on repaying their loans.

More than 1 million Americans a year are defaulting on their federal student loans!

If you’re in this boat, it might be time to think about refinancing. Doing so can help you pay off your student loans faster and save money in the long run.

Remember, sometimes you can make extra money just by finding new ways to save.

A big one that many people fail to remember is that you can save around $300/month just by refinancing your student loan debt.

How to Refinance Student Loans

Interested in refinancing your student loans right now?

Below are the top 4 lenders (get estimated savings in under 2 minutes):

• SoFi (Rates as low as 2.58% — 7.25%)
• Earnest (Rates as low as 2.57% — 6.32%)
• Laurel Road (Rates as low as 2.80% — 6.38%)
• LendKey (Rates as low as 2.56% — 7.82%)

Hiring an employee? You come across the actual needs of your business when you start pitching to clients and work for them. You realize the need for the most fundamental resource which is manpower. Of all the necessities of your startup or even online business, employees are the most valuable assets.

Growth or expansion of your business follows the task of creating a niche spot for your company in the industry. This clearly defines that you have to handle the most prominent resource of the business with care.

As a first time employer, the task of managing versatile employees can be really tricky and overwhelming. There are bound to be speed-breakers on your business journey. But to make your task convenient, we have discussed below some of the essential things that every first-time employer must consider:

1. Register your company

It is important to register your organization with respect to government norms. Simultaneously, your employees need your contribution to validate their employment at your workplace.

As a responsible employer, it is your duty to provide them with all legal documents required to complete the process. Registration of the firm gives you certain rights and responsibilities.

Similarly, employee registration helps them to take advantage of certain government employee schemes.

2. Employment contract

Most startups do not prefer employee contracts since it gives employees the liberty to leave the organization as per their will. On the other hand, employers enjoy the leverage of discarding employees who become a liability for the firm.

Instead of a contract, you can ask employees to agree to the basic terms and conditions of the company. Make sure that you clearly describe the job profile, number of hours to be served every week, leaves, necessary details about notice period and dress code in the contract.

This way, you and your employees will have a clear idea about what is to be expected and the duties of the other party.

Some of the common details mentioned in employee contracts are as follows:

Part-time: Freelancers and part-time employees work only for a few hours. The contract must mention the net number of hours that they are expected to work for the organization.

Full time-Employees: They are willing to commit to a full-time job need to contribute the same number of hours per week until they are terminated or they resign from the firm.

Hourly contract: This is a contract which is signed when employees are paid on an hourly basis and based on the work assigned to them. The contract clearly mentions the tasks to be completed along with a specific deadline and the fees charged.

3. Training process

Every organization has a different working pattern which means that the employer has to train their new employees. Although you may hire an experienced employee, you will still need to provide some training for them to get them accustomed to your business process.

The new employees primarily need to understand the fundamental tasks and responsibilities of your business. They also have to adapt to the business policies and norms. A new employee may take some time to accept all these changes. As an employer, it is your duty to make the process convenient for them.

You can either carry out the training process yourself or you can ask one of your experienced employees to shoulder this responsibility. But make sure that your employee is well-versed with the business policies and goals.

You can also ask the employee to skimp through your website so that they have a basic understanding of your service/product. This can be possible only if you have an updated website with the good about us page which makes it easier for you to lure potential employees.

Moreover, a well-designed website and appropriate content ensure that your employees acquire sufficient information about your services.

4. Research

Before you shortlist an employee for an interview it is important to check their background. This additional research may consume some of your time and money, but it will help you to take a better decision regarding which employees are right for your company.

For instance, if an employee is planning to shift to a different city in the near future, you are less likely to retain them and hence there is no reason why you should hire them now.

Apart from this, you must also adopt a good hiring process so that you do not hire an unsuitable employee without any experience. It is important to have a broader vision while hiring new employees because they are the pillars of your organization.

Simultaneously, it is necessary to be on good terms with your existing clients. This way, they are less likely to leave your firm and it is easier to retain them. If you notice your employees experiencing any hurdle, take an initiative to suggest them a solution so that they get a different perspective and can surpass the situation.

5. Communication is a must

Communicating with new employees can be tricky due to their lack of understanding.

However, it is important to bridge this gap of understanding through communication. Offer them the liberty to talk to you, if at all they face problems at the workplace.

At the same time, you can also initiate a one-on-one meeting with them on a regular basis for the first few months. This will help new employees to get comfortable with the new work environment.

Additionally, you can drive them in the right direction if you notice that they are getting distracted due to their new surroundings.

Moreover, you can plan team building activities for all your employees so that they can trust each other better. These outdoor activities can motivate employees and also improve their work productivity.

It is a tedious process to search for capable new employees and train them. Instead, organizations must focus to retain their old employees as they are comparatively reliable and bring you the required results.

You can offer employees new and better opportunities so that they do not feel complacent. They get the right chance to develop their existing skills and develop new ones. With lucrative prospects in the future, employees are less likely to look for a change in their job.

The burnout syndrome occurs as a result of a tense work rhythm – a major problem for a modern person. Nerves, anxiety, stress, fatigue, apathy – all these are the symptoms of occupational burnout. According to the studies, every third employee has experienced it, and the most vulnerable workers are those engaged in social careers sector.

For this article, we picked the best ways to handle it. Here are 10 tips to help you stay healthy and not to bun out at work:

Mark a clear “work-rest” border. Do not take work home, otherwise, set working hours strictly. At home, change clothes right after you’ve crossed the threshold. Even if you are a freelancer writer, differentiate your working zone from the rest of the home.

Switch over. Find what helps you switch from one mode to another. This may be a book, a short walk, listening to your favorite band or whatever.

Learn to refuse. Do not be afraid to tell your supervisor that you can’t keep up with the workflow. You are the only person who knows your limits.

Go on an informational diet. Put aside messengers and stop checking inbox every minute. As for the phone calls, there are no clear boundaries – if something is urgent, you can receive a call early in the morning or late at night. Therefore, you should control this yourself.

Work less, but be more productive. Some tend to think that if they spend more time behind the computer, they will get more work done. Sorry, but no, this is self-deception: the longer you work, the less productive you become. The flow of tasks is endless, and what can’t be done today is better to be done tomorrow. Otherwise, you will lose focus and will have to redo everything.

Beat your inner perfectionist. And do not reproach yourself for mistakes – they are inevitable. Remember, only those who do nothing make no mistakes.

Tailor the schedule to your needs. With the development of technologies, it is not necessary to be constantly present in the office because many issues can be resolved through emails, social media, and messengers. If the strict office schedule does not fit you, you can switch to freelancing or find a job with more flexible hours. A professional curriculum vitae will double your chances to get the best offer.

Delegate tasks. This will allow for more free time and lessen the amount of stress. Plus, your colleagues will learn something new.

Listen to yourself. If you realize that you are tired, take an unscheduled vacation.

Quit. Sometimes this really is the best option and you may need to start drafting a resignation letter. But don’t rush head over heels with getting a new position at another company. Give yourself some time to recover.

In order to develop immunity to stress, try spending more time outside, get a hobby, eat healthy and tasty food, listen to music, and communicate with pleasant people whom you really like.