How can you integrate your professional with your personal life to reduce stress and enjoy flexibility? How is it possible to fine-tune your productivity to gain time for non-work pursuits? Productivity is the measurable outcome of one’s effort, and to be truly productive — not just busy — we need to distinguish between efficiency and effectiveness. If we’re going to be effective at getting our goals done. and not just efficient, we need to pursue an integrated life. While it’s important for freelance creatives to balance business activities with professional and personal creativity, we should do so within the context of our whole life. I talk about the need to set significant goals, and eschew the myths of work-life balance and multi-tasking. Integrating, rather than balancing, work and personal life consists of managing time proportionally rather than aiming for symmetry, and provides flexibility when life impacts business and vice versa. Intentional planning with flexibility is a key strategy for becoming effective in all aspects of your life.

A decades-old scam involving bogus high money design projects continues to target freelance creatives. Alvalyn shares how she first experienced the scam and almost became a victim. Through that, she learned the clues to watch out for. The tactics are varied, but the structure of the scam is the same. In this episode, she shares what to watch out for so you won’t be deceived, and also describes some legitimate business services that can save you time but cost you double. Are they worth it?

Keeping accurate records is foundational to running a business. The kinds of records you keep depend on the kind of business you do. Freelance creatives need to keep all the standard records, and those that related specifically to managing projects and working with clients.