Month: February 2025

Whether you have one employee or many, when you own a small business, knowing how to lead your team is an important part of finding success. Even experienced business owners can benefit from expanding their knowledge and improving their leadership skills. If you’re looking for better ways to lead your team, the following tips may help you better yourself as a leader, which can improve your team’s morale and increase their productivity. 

Improve your communication

Communicating with your team ensures that everyone knows your expectations. Whether you communicate in person, by email, or by text, your employees must be on the same page when it comes to daily operations. Remember, however, that communication must go both ways. Be open to suggestions and opinions from your team.

Work on your assertiveness

Small business owners, especially those who are new to being in charge, often struggle with finding a balance when it comes to assertiveness. You want your team to respect you, but it’s also important that you don’t become a difficult boss with unattainable expectations. Be open to feedback and try to look at situations from your employee’s viewpoints. You can be professional and still have a good working relationship with your employees based on mutual respect.  

Delegate appropriately

You have employees for a reason, so it’s important to allow them to do their jobs. As the owner, you are the main decision maker, but that doesn’t mean you must be involved in every little detail of operations. If you choose your team wisely, you should feel comfortable delegating the tasks that they are trained to do. Delegation allows you to focus on your role as owner while your team tackles everything else. 

Small business ownership can be rewarding. But leading others comes with challenges, especially if you’re not accustomed to being in charge. Take some time to improve your leadership skills. Focus on communication, assertiveness, and delegation as these three elements are key to running a successful small business. 

For many people, starting at a screen is an essential part of their workday. Then it’s not uncommon to end the day by scrolling through a phone or watching a TV show or movie. Screens are just a part of life, but they can cause eye strain, which can lead to headaches and other issues. If you work online and are facing eye strain from staring at your screen all day, the following tips can help you reduce strain on your eyes and prevent some of the issues associated with excessive screen time. 

What causes eye strain

Screen use related eye strain is caused by the eyes constantly focusing and refocusing on the same area over and over. This repeated movement strains your eye muscles, and it can be made worse if your work requires you to constantly switch between multiple screens or look at papers or other digital devices while you work. Eye strain can affect people in different ways. Plus, these issues can get worse with age and can affect those with already strained vision even more.

Reducing eye strain while you work

While eye strain from computer usage doesn’t generally lead to long-term effects, it can keep you from being productive. One of the best ways to reduce eye strain while you work is to take regular breaks. During these breaks, you can choose to get up and walk away from your computer for a brief period or simply turn away from your screen. If you follow the 20-20-20 rule, you should look away from your screen every 20 minutes. Look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You can also rearrange your workspace, so your screen is slightly below eye level and around 2 feet away from your face. Adjust your screen settings to a brightness and contrast level that feels more comfortable to your eyes. Blue-light filtering glasses can also help prevent many symptoms associated with eye strain. 

Using a computer for many hours a day can lead to headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, neck pain, back pain, and many other often minor, but annoying symptoms. While these symptoms usually go away once you step away from your screen, they can prevent you from working effectively. By taking regular breaks, making changes to your workspace, and adjusting the settings on your computer screen, you can prevent many of the issues that can arise from eye strain.

Owning a business is a common dream of those who wish to be independent while making their way in the world. But being an entrepreneur can be incredibly draining. Small business owners are responsible for problem-solving and making difficult decisions that can impact themselves, their livelihoods, and their families. But entrepreneurship can also be beneficial. Many entrepreneurs find that business ownership, while challenging, has improved their mental well-being. Learn more about the benefits of small business ownership to better understand if it’s the right choice for you.

Independence is a wonderful feeling

There are many reasons why entrepreneurship is such a popular goal. However, one of the main reasons is the independence it offers. Owning a business leaves you running the show, which means you can do things how you see fit. This feeling of independence can be wonderful for your mental health if you don’t allow yourself to feel overwhelmed. Delegating when possible and outsourcing certain tasks can help you maintain control of your business while allowing you to focus on what’s most important. 

Following your vision

Owning a business means you can follow your vision and make choices on how you wish to operate. For creative types, business ownership provides an outlet for their art, music, writing, or other endeavors. For perfectionists, being an entrepreneur means that they get to decide the direction the business is heading. If you prefer to forge your own path and believe that no one holds you accountable as well as yourself, being an entrepreneur can help you meet your professional goals in a way that aligns with your beliefs and values. 

Entrepreneurs face challenges that those who work traditional jobs don’t have to deal with. However, many business owners thrive in the demanding environment that comes with being in charge. If you value your independence and prefer to do things your way, being an entrepreneur may be just what you need to improve your mental well-being.

Tax season is almost here, which can be a stressful time for many, especially those who work freelance. When you’re a freelance worker, filing your income tax return can be challenging when compared to filing when you have traditional employment. If you work solely as a freelancer, or you make extra income doing freelance work, it’s helpful to get your paperwork in order ahead of time so you can ensure you have everything you need to file before the deadline.

Important documentation

When you complete freelance work, you generally do not receive a W-2 form. Instead, your income will most likely be reported on Form 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC. If you work for various clients or have more than one income stream, you may have many 1099 forms to keep track of. Some freelance workers may also have 1099-K forms, which can come from certain types of payment providers. Consider all the work you completed in the previous year to ensure you have forms from each job to accurately report your income. Not doing so could result in legal issues with the IRS. 

Filing your tax returns

Freelance workers are considered self-employed by the IRS. This means you may be subject to paying a self-employment tax to cover Medicare and Social Security since you don’t have an employer to automatically withhold those funds. As a self-employed worker, you may be able to deduct many expenses related to your work. These may include travel expenses, costs for operating a home office, equipment costs, and other business-related expenses. If you’re unsure about where to start, consider working with an accountant. Filing taxes as a freelance worker is not always straightforward, so consulting a tax professional can relieve some of the stress associated with filing your tax returns. 

As tax season approaches, those new to freelance work may have some questions or concerns about filing their income tax returns. If you’re worried about the process, don’t hesitate to seek advice from an accountant. Otherwise, if you have your documents in order, ensure that you report all your income, and you follow the appropriate tax laws, you should have no issue filing your tax return on time, preventing legal or financial repercussions from the IRS.