There’s a school of thought that says that information is best conveyed in a numbered list of items. (I’ve also read/heard that those lists should always contain an odd number of items, but that may be a bit more controversial.) As a lifelong rambler who never writes a sentence when a half-dozen paragraphs will do, the list thing isn’t something I do too often. (I should probably try doing it more.) I do find it a fabulous way to garner lots of little informational tidbits in a short amount of time, though.

Translation: I am not succinct, but I appreciate it when others are. Heh.

Anyway, in the spirit of the whole new-year-self-improvement kind of thing, I figured that as January is winding down, now, I’d direct you to a few master list-makers who’ve piqued my interest lately. If you’re looking for the best bang-for-your-buck mileage out of some blogging advice, check out these lists from people smarter—and more succinct—than I:
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I feel like I’ve been writing about how stressed out I am for at least a month, now. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas—and all of the family time therein, or worrying about missing that family time—always seems so crammed full of obligations that I’m often left with precious little time to just enjoy, which I think is kind of a shame.

And as much time as I spend trying to figure out how to take time off, get away from my desk for an entire day (imagine!), the deeper issue is that day-to-day balance so that life feels like something to be experienced rather than an endless slog. (Okay, that’s a bit of hyperbole, but still.)

It’s not about figuring out a vacation, necessarily, but about making every work day more doable, more manageable. I mean, vacations are nice and all, but until I hit the lottery (which is difficult, I’m told, if you never actually buy a ticket), I still have to work for a living… so I’d rather figure out how to make most of my time more enjoyable than simply endure for long stretches between the nicer bits.
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In the midst of the “most wonderful time of the year,” when we should all be trimming trees or menorahs (hey, I know people don’t trim menorahs) (nor do I believe everyone is Judeo-Christian) (just go with me here, okay?), another community uproar has broken out over freelance writers and payment.

Specifically, there’s been a lot of discussion generated by the announcement of REDBOOK’s new “Motherboard,” a panel of bloggers who will be writing for them free of charge.

There’s been so much chatter about this already, I’m not going to subject you to my own long-winded commentary on this. Plenty of people have already covered a lot of what I would say, probably with less flailing around than I would likely do. But if you haven’t been following along—or would like to make sure you see several different takes on it—let’s take a look.
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Unless you were an accountant in a former life, you should have an accountant.

Heck, even if you were an accountant, you should probably have an accountant. Isn’t there some rule there like how doctors can’t operate on family members and accountants should do their own books? (I may be making that up. But I’m just sayin’.)

I’ve talked about this before. I think part of going into business for yourself is recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, and outsourcing as needed. I’m very good at what I do—freelance writing—but I am not good at bookkeeping, and furthermore, I’d really rather not be on the hook alone if I ever get audited. It’s a headache I don’t need. So I have an accountant. And I think he’s worth every penny.

Having said that, this morning I’m scratching my head a little bit, and am reminded that one of the key benefits of having an accountant is that you can ask specific questions about your own specific business practices and situations.
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There was a whole slew of articles this past year about how those of us who sit at a desk all day are going to drop dead at any minute. Oh, I kid. It’s not quite that bad, but the statistics, nonetheless, were pretty horrifying: Sit at a desk for six or more hours a day, and your risk of dying in the next fifteen years is 40% higher compared to those who spend the bulk of their time on their feet. That’s a sobering thought, no?

If you haven’t seen it yet, and you want the quick visual rundown, Mashable did a great infographic on the topic that kind of gives you the highlights. Basically, the human body is not designed to sit for long periods of time. Even exercising hasn’t been shown to mitigate the deleterious effects of long-term sitting.

And the cut-off point that I keep hearing is 6 hours. Truth? I probably sit at my desk for closer to 9 or 10 hours each day. And when I’m done, what do I do? I go sit at the table for dinner, and then I go sit on the couch for a few hours.
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(Pictured here: My very own fancy-schmancy QR code to take you to my shopping blog, just in case typing “wantnot.net” is too onerous.)

Writing online for a living brings a certain level of expectation in terms of keeping up with technology trends. Sure, you could be a professional blogger and refuse to use Twitter, but it’s a great way to increase your readership. Similarly, you could opt not to utilize Facebook, but it’s an easy way to increase your visibility and audience interaction. Etc. Social media is now considered par for the course in its various incarnations for those of us who do our business online.

So when QR codes started appearing everywhere, I dutifully (okay, maybe I rolled my eyes a little) started looking into them. And I downloaded a QR scanner to my phone.

And then… I became seriously underwhelmed.
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“Guilt and jealousy are useless emotions.” How many times have I said this to my children? I can’t even say; it’s something I’ve believed for a long time. Or, at least, I used to. I still think guilt is a useless emotion, but I’ve changed my mind about jealousy, a bit.

This is from a number of months back, but I have it bookmarked and visit it often. Are you reading the fabulous Helen Jane? You should be. The post in question is called Healing from Painful Comparison, and it contains (among other awesome tidbits), this:

Jealousy is a very accurate map as to what’s missing. When I pay attention to jealousy, I’m much happier.

So how do I get out of the jealousy trap?
I make a jealousy map.

I fold a piece of paper into three columns and write at the top of the first column, “WHO.” On the top of the second column, I write, “WHY” and on the third column, I write “SO NOW WHAT?”

I love this because it’s a very practical way to deal with feeling Less Than or Cheated, and to turn it around into something that’s about bettering yourself rather than tearing down someone else. And this goes double for anyone who thinks they’re “above” jealousy.
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The great thing about making a living writing online is that you can do it from anywhere; have Internet, will travel. You don’t need a fancy office. You don’t have to spend thousands on start-up costs. It’s an incredibly accessible field—if you have something to say and an engaging way of saying it, chances are you can build a following and make some money. But the terrible thing about making a living writing online is that you are dependent on the services of others for your work to exist. Write a book, get published, and the book doesn’t disappear off the store’s shelves every time the power goes out. If someone gets angry at you, your book doesn’t vanish into thin air. And I think the criticism leveled at online writers for raising their voices when they feel they’ve been done wrong is often particularly harsh, as if having a platform is somehow unfair or shameful.

I’ve written about bits and pieces of this in the past, but I’m thinking about it today because of the recent post by Darren Rowse (a.k.a. ProBlogger) detailing his mysterious suspension from YouTube. The post itself (and the updates; Rowse’s account was later reinstated just as mysteriously as it had been frozen) is worth reading, not just for the actual information but because he manages to infuse what must’ve been a maddening situation with a bit of humor, even while frustrated.
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One of the things I do sometimes is give talks to university classes about how to get started blogging, why it might be a good idea to blog, how to set goals, etc. And one of the things I always start with is how the Internet never forgets and there is no such thing as being anonymous, online. I think it’s very easy to believe that you can indulge in bad behavior online and no one will ever trace is back to you. Given how unlikely it is that that would be true, I remain astounded at how many people believe it. Repeat after me: I will conduct myself online in a way so as to best represent myself at all times.

I believe this to be true in general; that is, everyone should take to the Internet with caution, regardless of their field. But for writers, it’s even more important. We sell ourselves by marketing our words. Words are by their very nature rather personal, and so writing is one of those fields where separating the writer from the writing is nearly impossible. Maybe a commodities trader can be a colossal jerk and still get hired and make tons of money, but it is the very rare writer who can conduct themselves poorly and still succeed in this business. (Think about it: We all know “famous” writers known just as much for their abrasive ways as for their work. But they all gained fame before behaving badly, and I’d be surprised if you can think of more than a handful of misbehavers who managed success while treating others terribly.)
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I recently started taking yoga again, because the opportunity presented itself (the class is nearby and conveniently scheduled) and because it’s possible that I tend to be just a tiny bit high-strung (NO REALLY). I love the way yoga makes me feel, both physically and emotionally. If I’m able to just let go of everything else and enjoy it, it’s a really wonderful way to feel refreshed and centered for at least an hour.

Of course, whenever we do any poses in class that require me to balance on one foot, I try very hard to calm my mind and my body and be one with my mat and all of that, and to just stand still… but in reality I weave from side to side and my muscles shudder and twitch and my “up” foot thumps to the floor as I catch myself from falling on my face. My balance, you see, isn’t all that great. And that turns out to be a great metaphor for balance in my life, actually, because as much as I want it, the rare times I achieve it are shaky at best, and short-lived. At some point the other foot—metaphorical or real—has to hit the floor again to prevent disaster.

I suppose it’s no wonder that I gravitate towards writing and people that reiterate that work-life balance is merely a myth we all want to believe. That’s comforting, knowing I’m not the only one who just can’t seem to get it right.
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