Optimal Work Daily - Career, Productivity and Entrepreneurship

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Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com

Episode 2159:

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner explains how to land a first freelance client without a track record to point to. She recommends running a blog that doubles as a live portfolio, creating sample work, taking selective low-pay or free projects that genuinely build credibility, and then networking in the places clients already gather - a practical on-ramp to self-employment and side hustles.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2015/03/how-to-find-freelance-work-with-no-work-experience.html

Quotes to ponder:

"The truth is, you need experience in order to gain experience and this applies to freelancers as well."

"In the beginning, you should be more focused on getting your name out there, gaining valuable experience, and building your portfolio."

"The worst thing that can happen is someone will say no."

Optimal Work Daily is a daily career advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on productivity, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, read to you by a professional narrator so you can grow your career a little more every day.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free.

Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home.

Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com

Episode 2158:

Nir Eyal explains why treating flow as a precondition for good work leaves most professionals stuck. He points out how narrow the conditions for flow actually are, then offers play - adding constraints and looking for the mystery in a task - as a more dependable set of productivity habits for the days the zone never arrives.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.nirandfar.com/the-pursuit-of-flow-is-overrated/

Quotes to ponder:

"The good news is, we don't need to wait for flow to accomplish what we need to."

"That's why we can't make flow a precondition to getting things done."

"Reimagining difficult work as play is empowering."

Optimal Work Daily is a daily career advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on productivity, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, read to you by a professional narrator so you can grow your career a little more every day.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free.

Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home.

Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com

Episode 2157:

Michael Levitt shares a practical framework for onboarding new employees, starting with defining exactly what the process needs to cover. He recommends handling paperwork before day one, using a learning management system for training, building in a tour and introductions, and scheduling a follow-up after the first week. Better onboarding, he argues, creates a better experience for the new hire, their manager, and the wider team.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.breakfastleadership.com/blog/onboard-new-employees-more-effectively-with-these-tips

Quotes to ponder:

"Employee onboarding doesn't end on the first day."

"You don't need to wait until your employee's first day to get started with onboarding."

"Better onboarding helps to create a better employee experience."

Optimal Work Daily is a daily career advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on productivity, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, read to you by a professional narrator so you can grow your career a little more every day.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free.

Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home.

Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com

Episode 2156:

Stephen Warley explains why energy, not time, is the real constraint on productivity, since most people get only three to four sharply focused hours a day. He walks through how purpose fuels energy, how habits reduce the decisions that drain it, and why monotasking conserves more of it than multitasking. The takeaway is to organize work around peak performance periods rather than around a to-do list.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://lifeskillsthatmatter.com/manage-your-energy-not-your-time/

Quotes to ponder:

"Time might be a constant, but your available energy isn't."

"I have less energy than I have time every day!"

"Energy management is about developing a core set of habits around your most important work."

Optimal Work Daily is a daily career advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on productivity, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, read to you by a professional narrator so you can grow your career a little more every day.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free.

Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home.

Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com

Episode 2155:

Dr. Jenny Brockis explains why the biggest threat to workplace productivity is not distraction but lack of sleep. She points out that most people need seven to eight hours, that no one can train themselves to need less, and that chronic sleep debt shows up at work as poorer decisions, weaker memory, and more mistakes. Her recommendation for anyone serious about performance is to treat good sleep habits as the first step rather than the last.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://drjennybrockis.com/2017/2/20/our-biggest-performance-killer-is-hidden-in-plain-sight/

Quotes to ponder:

"We are human, not machines."

"You cannot train yourself to do with less sleep."

"Sleep is a physiological and psychological necessity."

Optimal Work Daily is a daily career advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on productivity, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance, read to you by a professional narrator so you can grow your career a little more every day.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices