Small Tweaks Can Make a Big Difference
Think really small
I’m a systems girl. I want a system for everything. It doesn’t always work out, and I don’t always stick with them, but I like to set them up.
And I love a good overhaul when you realize that there’s a better way to do something.
That said, however, small tweaks here and there can make a big difference in how you do things over time.
Last night, my husband and I talked about our budget and made one small tweak that I think will help us communicate way better about how much is left to spend each month.
While we’re both dedicated budgeters, I track income and write the budget each month. We realized that even though we talk about the budget at the beginning of the month, and I track our spending throughout, there wasn’t a way for him to see how much was actually left and available to spend.
All we had to do to fix this was make a category on the shared Google Sheet with a column showing the “available to spend” amount. It’s set up to automatically deduct any expenses that get entered, so it will be a running total throughout the month.
We pretty much talk about every purchase anyway, but this way we’ll know at a glance what’s there, and my husband won’t have to ask me if he needs to grab something.
I do the same thing with my freelance writing business. And one of the best small tweaks I’ve made is to create a Meeting Confirmation folder in my email. I used to panic when a meeting link would get buried somewhere in my inbox, and I had to frantically search for it two minutes before the meeting was set to start.
Now, all I do when I get a confirmation is move the email into that folder. When I’m getting set up for the meeting, I just open the folder and click on the email. If I think about it, I’ll delete the email when the meeting is over, but if not, it’s easy to go through every now and then and delete old confirmations and invites.
It’s easy to think that you need to overhaul everything if you’re feeling overwhelmed, but focusing on a little tweak here and there can really reduce stress and friction more than you think.
What’s one small tweak you can make in your life or business this week to help things run a bit smoother?
📖Reading
I finished Money: The True Story of a Made Up Thing, and I highly recommend it. It gives an overview of how money came to be. It’s wild to think that money really is just a piece of paper or metal and yet, because we all believe it’s money, it has value and can get us things and power. Lots to think about.
Up next: The Data Detective by Tim Harford
🎧Listening
I listened to the most recent episodes of Advisory Opinions. I am endlessly fascinated by the Supreme Court at the moment. But then I feel overwhelmed by all the things I don’t know — terms, cases, etc. Regardless, this podcast does a great job of breaking down cases and decisions.
🤍Loving
I just started writing for In My Expert Opinion, and I think it’s going to be super fun! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a site dedicated to single-product reviews from experienced commerce writers. There’s a lot of freedom, and it’s built as a revenue sharing model, so once an article starts generating revenue, there will be a split between the site and the writer. My first review for the Narwal S20 Pro is up now!
🧠 Thinking
I’m coming to the end of the original MailerLite newsletter posts that I’ve been reposting here on Tuesdays. Moving forward, I’m going to expand the Over Coffee section and make it its own post on Tuesdays. I’ll make it a section, and I think you can subscribe or unsubscribe to the section itself but still be subscribed to The Simple Freelancer. Let me know if that’s a thing!
I also have a bunch of posts that I’ve written over the years on The Simple Girl’s Guide and The Practical Pen websites, but I think I’ll save those for weeks I’m tight on time. Eventually, I want to have everything here!
🗞️Big News!
Leaving this here from last week. I’m still chipping away at getting editors on board!
Placed is LIVE! This has been incredibly exciting, and there are already lots of writers who have joined (you can join at www.get-placed.com). The next step is showing editors how useful this platform can be to streamline the pitching process on both sides.
Getting people to try something new always comes with some hurdles, is I’ll be creating some material that shows editors the benefits of using the platform, and I’ll make them as shareable as possible, so you can help get the word out!
Right now, writers can sign up for the free Writer Basic plan that allows you to respond to calls for pitches and share commissioned stories on the Placed Article feed once they’re live. You can also choose the Writer Plus plan ($10/month) that lets you join the Freelance Chat, Freelance Resources, and Open Chat spaces. I’m working on putting together more benefits for the Plus plan — I’m thinking Editor Office Hours and Editor Q&As to help bridge the gap between the two sides of the process. If you have any suggestions for what I could offer in the paid section, let me know!