As a ‘seasoned’ freelance writer and consultant I often find it challenging to learn new skills and keep current with what’s new in my field.

Given my limited free time, I’ve found several ways to learn on the go while ensuring a balanced life and the ongoing success of my small business.

Professional Memberships and Certifications
One big reason for my active membership and participation in both PRSA and IABC is that both professional organizations offer low- or no-cost webinars, podcasts, programs and events focusing on the latest in public relations and business communications.

Not only do I try to take advantage of every new learning opportunity, I also maintain my hard-earned accreditation as a public relations professional. I’m accredited by the Public Relations Society of America; the International Association of Business Communicators offers similar certifications.

My membership in professional organizations and my achievements as recognized by international certification are how I set myself apart from other independent communications consultants. I believe my clients appreciate the distinction.

Podcasts
NPR offers interesting reports via its podcasts and on its website that can provide cutting-edge business information and insights. For example, a recent NPR/Marist poll shows that within a decade, contractors and freelancers could make up half of the workforce, a shift with far-reaching implications. The Rise of the Contract Workers report is available at npr.org/series.

Many other podcasts offer up-to-the-minute finance, business, productivity, media and marketing information free of charge and available anytime, 24/7 on demand. Use your commute or your getting-ready-for-work time to your best advantage and learn/listen as you prepare for your busy workday.

TED Talks
Explore almost any topic and learn from experts free of charge on your own time simply by clicking a link on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. One talk that I clicked on lasted less than 15 minutes but provided thought-provoking insight on a trending topic: Veteran reporter Jorge Ramos – famously kicked out of then-candidate Donald Trump’s press conference in 2015 – discussing why he believes that a journalist's responsibility is to question and challenge those in power.

LinkedIn and Lynda.com
Together, Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning offer a huge array of online courses and classes in a vast number of fields. In fact, LinkedIn Learning has more than 17 million users, 14,000 corporate users, and more than 13,000 courses and is growing exponentially after just two years.

LinkedIn Learning is available as a Premium subscription and cost about $30 a month, plus tax. You can try it out for free for a month.

Community Colleges
As a recent Forbes.com story suggests, community colleges offer hands-down some of the best educational bang for your buck.

If you’re over 50, you might be eligible for their Plus 50 Initiative, which places an emphasis on training for the workplace. Or you might enroll in the Plus 50 Encore Completion Program. It has helped 10,000 boomers earn high-value degrees or certificates in fields that not only give back but are hiring (such as education, health care and social services). Some community colleges offer free tuition for displaced workers, too.

Books
One browse on Amazon.com or in Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore will testify to the amazing number of how-to, trendsetting books offering education, insights, and information about any part of the business world.

At a recent IndyComm event for independent consultants I heard a graphic designer recommend the book, “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days,” available on Amazon.com in paperback for less than $12.

Authored by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz, “Sprint” garners 4.7 out of five stars from Amazon reviewers who said it offers a dedicated, fast system for strategic product innovation, and that the book provides comprehensive guides, checklists, case studies, and decision-making models to help the reader identify, develop and prototype product and service opportunities.

So, do the research and find the continued learning that will work best for you and your schedule. Stay current. Stay informed. Stay interesting.

Last year I made one New Year’s resolution – to dedicate myself to better health. This year, I’m still working on that goal and I’ve added another one: Invest time and money to streamline my home-based business, ultimately creating a wireless operation that’s more efficient, organized, and productive.

Whether it’s tidying queen Marie Kondo sharing her downsizing lifestyle on Netflix or Forbes publishing tips on boosting productivity, it’s hard to ignore our shared dedication to increased home and office efficiency.

With my 2019 resolution in mind, I’m using these tools and practices:

1. Pen-and-paper lists. I’ve reinstituted a practice I followed for many years and purchased an old-fashioned composition notebook. I use it to log my phone calls, jot down ideas, and manage my to-do lists. In the past I loved this method of documenting calls and meetings, and my clients and colleagues marveled at my detailed notes. I find that this tried-and-true method keeps me on task and saves background details I might otherwise forget.
   
2. A more efficient office. I’m planning to invest in new, streamlined office furniture and electronics so I can work wirelessly and organize my files electronically. Before moving furniture around or making any purchases, however, I’m taking time to sift, sort, and purge my paper files, e-documents, and email folders, reversing my lifelong packrat habits.
   
3. Schedule exercise sessions. My new healthy lifestyle requires that I spend at least an hour a day exercising, whether I’m taking a Tai Chi or yoga class, working out with my husband at the gym, or listening to Spotify on a long walk. I’m scheduling my workouts on my Google calendar to ensure health remains a top priority. Making time for this is a must.
   
4. An organized closet. I’ve shared my recent weight-loss surgery with friends, colleagues, and clients. I’m shedding clothing sizes, so I’m continually reorganizing my closet to make room for the next-smallest size. I’ve even gone down a half-size in shoes. Constantly purging my closet has made me more mindful of my purchases and has forced me to be better-organized and use my space wisely.
   
5. Efficient meal-planning. My gastric sleeve surgery dramatically reduced my stomach, so I’m changing the ways I shop for food and prepare meals. I find that I’m more aware of everything in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. Our grocery-shopping lists include lots of protein, veggies and fruit, very few carbohydrates, and virtually no processed food. This isn’t just something I’m doing for me but it benefits the whole family.
   

Hopefully, these tips will spark ideas for better efficiency and, perhaps, even better health for you. As for me, I love starting anew with blank slate. Beginning the year right with a renewed commitment to better organization and better health gives me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction every step of the way.

One great thing about a brand-new year is that it’s the perfect time to adopt new habits that improve our productivity, work, and personal lives.

A surprising productivity secret among top CEOs, according to Forbes, is that Friday holds the key to an efficient work week. “My biggest secret for a productive Monday is what I do on Friday,” said Jon Rush, founder of C7 Device Recycle.
Recently a PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics story described steps we can take on Friday afternoons that prepare us for the most productive Mondays. The work you accomplish doesn’t have to be substantial, said the story, which quotes productivity expert Laura Vanderkam.

Vanderkam says a few minutes of planning, whether for a presentation or meeting on Monday, can lead to a better outcome or performance while also putting your mind at ease when you finally do leave the office. You’ll likely end up completing more than you set out to do anyway.

“If you want to write a novel, commit to writing 100 words a day,” she says. “You’ll probably do more, since 100 words is nothing, but that low expectation gets you to your computer even on days when you don’t want to be there. If you’re able to get a head start on a task you’re dreading, you’ll not only be in a better place come Monday; you’ll have a more relaxing weekend, to boot.”

Take these five simple steps on Fridays to prepare for the upcoming work week:
1. Create a Monday morning “hit list.” Include the first things that need to be accomplished, whether it’s an email you want to send or a phone call you need to make. Knowing what you want to knock out on Monday before you even sit down at your desk will help you get more done.

2. Review any loose ends. Take stock of what was left unfinished on your to-do list from the past week. Wrap up anything you can complete in two minutes.

3. Reflect on any task that fell through the cracks this week.  Alex Cavoulacos, CEO of The Muse, recommends the 1-3-5 method: “On any given day, assume that you can only accomplish one big thing, three medium things, and five small things,” Cavoulacos told the website Quartz at Work. Re-tool your goals for the following week, taking special care to bring forward those objectives that got waylaid last week.

4. Think about next week’s meetings. Are you ready for them? Set a timer for five minutes and take the smallest preparatory steps. You may be so engaged that you keep going.

5. Unplug. Refraining from checking email on Saturday and Sunday is integral to your sanity for next week, leaving you better rested for the busy Monday ahead. If you make this Friday commitment to your sanity and well-being, you’ll be better rested, more relaxed, and more able to hit the ground running on Monday.

A recent National Bureau of Economic Research study shows that when workers are treated as partners by their bosses, their satisfaction is equivalent to doubling their income.

A fundamental shift is taking place in the workplace, with leaders working as partner-bosses rather than heavy-handedly dominating and controlling their employees.

As reported in the Washington Post, the study shows that “people with boss-supervisors exhibit a much more significant drop in life satisfaction between their early 20s and mid-40s” as opposed to people working with partner-bosses. 

Forgive me, and I don’t mean to sound superior, but for me partner leadership has come naturally as I’ve worked over several decades with interns, reporters, and creative teams. Perhaps because I hailed from the ranks of working reporters, I remembered the best ways bosses motivated me – and the bosses who never tried.

Once I was promoted to editor positions, I endeavored to see the value in everyone, mentor their opportunities for career growth, and insulate them from office politics so they could perform at the highest levels. I strived to form personal connections so that I functioned as a working leader rather than an absentee one. As much as possible, I wanted my direct reports to work independently and make their own decisions.

By attempting to improve employees’ lives, partner-bosses are the most successful motivational and inspirational leaders.

In contrast, I’ve worked for several nightmare bosses during my career who have squelched creativity, seized control as micro-managers, offered murky or little guidance and feedback, and showed no regard for their employees’ career growth or job satisfaction.

Their lack of support and selfish rather than servant leadership affected not only me but every staff member. Work satisfaction was non-existent and employee morale plummeted, yet our bosses were rewarded with bigger salaries, fancy offices, and other perks.

In some workplaces, the top leadership employs fear as a supervisory tactic. In others, the disconnect between leadership and workers is profound.

But in the best, most productive and happiest workplaces, partners – supervisors and employees alike – work together toward a focused common goal. Partner-bosses set a high bar for themselves as they strive for productivity and excellence while concentrating on improving the lives of their employees and helping them feel a part of the company’s success.

I’m often asked about how I pivot from writing a newspaper column to authoring an annual report, or from penning a magazine feature story to developing a marketing brochure.

The real question is, how easy is it to write in the voice of a client? How does a writer switch perspective and tone from objective third person to direct address, and back again, as indicated by the client’s goals?

Asking the right questions
The answer? It’s not difficult at all to adapt your writing style. If you are curious and want to learn from other people, asking the right questions comes easily. The key to the most successful communications tactics begins with the writer asking questions that provoke thoughtful, detailed answers with the client’s goal in mind.

Put another way, the best writing begins at the end. If your client’s goal is to generate sales or event attendance, then you will ask questions about the performer, the performance and the venue to help spark interest in the performance. If the client wants to sell widgets, then your questions will center around the products’ usefulness and value.

Beginning with the end in mind keeps you laser-focused on the outcomes your client desires. When you’re tempted to go off on tangents – however interesting they may be – you rein yourself in and hone in once again on the goal.

Incorporating client goals
It isn’t enough to have a list of your client’s top goals and then to develop the proper communications strategies to meet those goals.

First you must get to know your clients. Even if, like me, you work remotely and rarely attend face-to-face meetings, conversing with clients regularly about their work and their lives provides the insight to tailor your writing voice.

In addition, understanding the possible sensitivities that surround your client’s events, products or services is critically important. Know the kind of language to avoid, the proper tone for client communications, and the ways the company handles troubling issues.

Engaging readers
A newspaper column in a specialized publication will speak to readers in much different ways than a glossy corporate brochure. In the same way, the words you choose will be shorter, more concise and more direct in a news story and more formal in a brochure.

The content can be the same even if the presentation looks different. As you write, just as important as knowing the hot buttons to push when generating attendees at a concert is your understanding about the motivations of potential investment partners and the way consumers make choices.

In conclusion
Finding your own voice as the basis for all your communications work is most important of all. Being true to your vision helps avoid burnout and allows you to continue to make progress as a writer. The discipline of writing requires practice and patience and focusing on using your voice to create various publications in different voices is one of the chief ways you will grow into the best writer you can be.

Coping with stress is a never-ending pursuit for many of us as our world becomes more complex and demands on our time are constantly increasing.

Still, mindfulness practices, yoga, and meditation are not the only effective ways to reduce stress from work or personal issues. Learning something new can be a great way to relieve tension while enjoying a positive, enriching activity.

Say you are particularly stressed-out during your company’s downsizing period. Instead of putting your head down, gritting your teeth, and hunkering down for the ride, why not see if you can add a new skill to your toolbox?
Such an activity not only helps relieve stress – it also can make you more attractive to potential employers and even more valuable in your current workplace.

LinkedIn, professional organizations like IABC and PRSA, Khan Academy, and Linda.com are places where you can find inexpensive or even free learning opportunities. UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, iTunes U and community colleges throughout our region offer short-term professional classes to brush up on your skills or learn new ones.
In my first job as a reporter, I became a de facto writing coach for other writers and soon found myself in a new job as a copy editor.

Later, when I was managing editor of a regional monthly boating magazine, I took a rigorous, 12-week Coast Guard Auxiliary class to learn more about safety, engines, rules of the road for sailors, and more. A nice increase in pay soon followed. I also took two years of sailing classes and even though I’ve forgotten most of what I learned, I do remember how cruising Newport Harbor was enriching, enlightening and just plain fun.

Harvard Business Review writers Chen Zhang, Christopher G. Myers, and David M. Mayer studied stress and burnout and found that the usual coping mechanisms like getting away for a vacation or merely hanging in there weren’t as effective in reducing anxiety as learning something new.

In, “To Cope with Stress, Try Learning Something New,” published in September, they explain they investigated learning as a stress buffer “because learning helps workers build valuable instrumental and psychological resources.”
“Instrumentally, learning brings us new information and knowledge that can be useful for solving near-term stressful problems; it also equips us with new skills and capabilities to address or even prevent future stressors,” they write.

“Psychologically, taking time to reflect on what we know and learn new things helps us develop feelings of competence and self-efficacy (a sense of being capable of achieving goals and doing more),” they say.

“Learning also helps connect us to an underlying purpose of growth and development. This way, we can see ourselves as constantly improving and developing, rather than being stuck with fixed capabilities. These psychological resources enable us to build resilience in the face of stressors.”

So, when you think you just can’t take another pointless meeting or fill out yet another timesheet, think about some ways you can add new skills to your professional repertoire or how you can sink your teeth into a long article in a professional journal. Your boss just might thank you for it.