Vanya Wryter Consulting Services

What Job Would You Do For Free?

Daily writing prompt

What job would you do for free?

Take care of yourself first.
Then help others without expecting anything in return.
The results may surprise you.

Something I enjoy doing is mentoring others. It’s not really a job because I don’t get paid for it, and it’s not volunteer work, either. I don’t commit a certain number of hours to mentoring. I just help when help is needed.

By sharing life experiences, we can be the mentor/big sister/big brother that other people need if they feel a bit lost in life. We can give them a heads up on how to tackle the challenges in life.

By sharing work experiences, we help those with less work experience to improve their skills and avoid repeating the mentor’s mistakes.

This “job” is very rewarding. The reward is the “pay” itself. Being a mentor is a job I would do for free.

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How has technology changed your job?

Remote work has made it possible to work anywhere, anytime. This work setup is perfect for those who enjoy a flexible work schedule, instead of a rigid 9 to 5 with a set lunch break. You experience fewer distractions and you can work when you’re most alert. Technology is one of the main reasons my job has evolved to where it is today. Here are some of the ways technology has changed my job.

Daily writing prompt

How has technology changed your job?

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1 Increased productivity

One of the best benefits of remote work is the elimination of the daily commute. I can start my day in a relaxed manner, checking work messages over morning tea. This uninterrupted focus allows me to dive into tasks without distractions, boosting my productivity. Additionally, the flexibility of remote work enables me to do other things during breaks, whether it’s attending to household chores or brainstorming project ideas while preparing lunch.

2 Maximized work time

Technology has revolutionized how we conduct meetings. With the click of a button, I can attend scheduled or impromptu meetings. I don’t need to gather up my papers to walk to another room or another floor in the office building. If I need feedback on a document that I am working on, I can send the document via email or messaging app to a colleague or colleagues.

3 Coordinating work schedules

Technology makes coordinating work schedules across different time zones easier. We can use

apps and electronic calendars to share our availability, including vacation times, office hours, and times when we are out of the office for a couple of hours a day.

4 Efficient file management

Cloud-based platforms like Google Docs have made it easy to collaborate on documents and to share files. Version control of documents makes it easier to keep a history of changes made to a document. It is also easy to track comments made by team members and organize files in a cloud-based system.

5 Enhanced communication

We have a wide range of technology to communicate with each other, from emails to phone calls. Other examples include apps such as Slack, ClickUp, Notion, and to send typed messages, voice messages, and files to each other. We can also communicate about specific stages of projects.

6 Advanced writing tools

Grammar checkers and AI-powered writing assistants have transformed the writing process, offering feedback and suggestions. While these tools enhance accuracy and efficiency, they don’t yet replace human expertise. They are a wonderful helper and a second set of eyes on writing projects.

Key Takeaways

Technology has been key in making my current work set-up possible. Without it, there would be no remote work jobs. Technology has helped with productivity, collaboration, and efficiency, for individuals and teams in a digital world.

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Would you return to the past if you could?

If you could return to the past, what moment would you revisit or redo? I learned that returning to the past didn’t necessarily mean revisiting yesterday. It could also mean precious time with family, an opportunity that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t won a prize.

Daily writing prompt

Where would you go on a shopping spree?

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“Where are we, Mom?” The building we were in was large and spacious, but unlike anything I’d seen before. And everything about it was wrong.

“A shopping mall, honey.”

“No, it can’t be. We won a shopping spree at a new mall. I showed you the e-message. We get fifteen minutes to grab whatever we want. But look at this place! No holograms! And look at that! People are everywhere, walking into stores. And the stores aren’t projections! This is ridiculous! I would never bring your granddaughter here. Mom, let’s go. I don’t know how we’re going to shop in a place like this.”

“This place–” Mom glanced at me with the mischievous excitement of a child. “This is what shopping malls looked like when I was a teenager! Look over there, at the food court! That’s where I’d hang out with my friends—”

“At the mall?” I almost gasped. I would never let my daughter Keeva hang out at a mall. I wanted to give my opinion about “hanging out” at such a place but Mom had grabbed my arm and was pulling us into this archaic shopping mall.

“–this was before we had cellphones and… what do you call it now? Dash-calls? We actually hung out in person, face to face. We would ride our bikes here or take the bus. We bought hamburgers and shakes. Hot dogs. Then we went window shopping. I mean literal window shopping, not like what you do these days where your house phone generates an image and you just stare at holographics and buy stuff. Even when you were growing up, it was already getting bad with social media. Whatever happened to talking to real people?”

Mom picked up a sweater from a rack at a store entrance. “Such a beautiful sweater!” she said, handing it to me.

I was shocked at how heavy it was. I mean, it was a real sweater and I was touching it before buying it. This felt criminal.

“I miss this,” said Mom. “Holographic shopping is not the same.” She smiled at another shopper entering the store. “Hello!” she said.

I glanced down in embarrassment. Ugh. She was talking to a complete stranger. I picked up the tag to check the material. “Fifty dollars! I exclaimed. “This must be a secondhand sweater for that low price!”

“Three hundred dollars is too much for a sweater.” Mom sighed. “How do people afford anything these days?” She draped the sweater over her arm.

“We should get a wall TV before our fifteen minutes are up.” I pointed at the tech store. “Keeva is crazy about those. They drape on your wall like a poster, and you can peel them off and put them on a different wall.”

But once we were outside the tech store, I stood with my mouth open, my mind searching through dusty memories for the correct word. “Mom, they’re… they’re flatscreen TVs. You’ve got to… to mount them on something. I haven’t seen one of these since I was a kid!”

“I want a hamburger,” said Mom, starting toward the food court without waiting for me.

I hung back, unsure what to do as I took in the sight of all the food vendors. The most shocking part was each stall was staffed by what looked like real people. I was horrified. Was I supposed to tell someone what I wanted to order? What happened to pressing buttons on a menu?

“Two hamburgers and two shakes, please,” said Mom with a smile. “We’re on a shopping spree so that should be on the house.” She took the tray, scanned the tables, found an empty one, and sat down. She seemed perfectly at home here.

I turned my watch to take a photo to send to Keeva via dash-call. My watch beeped. Our fifteen minutes were up, and we had only gotten food and a sweater. Keeva had expected me to return home with something spectacular.

“You young people spend too much time with your tech,” said Mom, offering me a burger. Put away that app and let’s talk—just like in the old days. Enjoy life like it was when you could touch and smell everything. Honey, there are some things money cannot buy.”

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What’s more important: Time or Money?

In life, there are two important currencies: time and money. Sadly, we can’t have both, although ideally, we would want both. How do we prioritize which one is more important? One is a finite resource while the other is not. Which would you choose to have in unlimited quantities: time or money?

Daily writing prompt

What do you wish you could do more every day?

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Each day, we wake up with the same twenty-four hours. How we spend it is up to us. We have routine activities, like eating, brushing our teeth, and showering. We have mandatory activities like going to work and paying our bills (and eating). And we have enjoyable activities, like spending time with people we care about, working on hobbies, or visiting places.

Some of us have to prioritize money in our twenty-four hours. We need it to live. Without it, we can’t buy food or pay for shelter. This can mean working at a job we hate or working two jobs just to exist. It might not be the life we want.

Some of us can equally enjoy money and time. We work the hours we need to pay our expenses, and then we spend weekends relaxing or going out. We can afford to spend money and time on experiences by exploring our hometown or going on trips. In our lifetime, this is what we remember: experiences, if we have the time for them.

If we prioritize time, we find ways to enjoy life, like fixing up our backyard so it is a great place to invite friends over for a barbecue. We can set up a home theatre. Our income is spent on experiences. We can stay home and spend time cooking healthy meals in our kitchen. Buy new tech so we can enjoy the latest computer games.

For those who have money in abundance, time is also in abundance. We can pay someone to do the things we dislike, such as chores and housework. The time we gain from not having to do the mundane aspects of daily living is now available for relaxing and enjoying life.

Money is something we can lose and gain back. We spend it, we work again, and get it back.

Time is finite. We only get to experience a particular day once, and when the sun sets on that day, we never see that day again. We have only one chance to experience that day in our lifetime and there is no rewind button.

So what do you wish you could do more of every day? I think it depends on where you are in life. You may want to work more so you can afford what you want. You may want to spend more time with friends and family. Or you might want more time to spend on that vacation you’ve always dreamed about.

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How to Set Solid Goals that Will Succeed

Setting goals is a powerful way to give your life focus and direction. Effective goal setting can be the difference between wishful thinking and tangible success. To reach that level of success, you need to do more than jot down aspirations—you need thoughtful planning and execution. You also need to decide when to say “no.” Here are five solid tips to help you set goals and succeed at them:

Daily writing prompt

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

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1 Be specific and clear about what you want to achieve

Vague goals are like leaving your house with no idea where you’re headed. It will be a surprise where you end up.

When setting your goals, be as specific and clear as possible. Instead of saying, “I want to finish my first novel,” specify, “I will write a chapter every two weeks and complete two chapters a month.” Clarity in your goals makes it easier for you to track your progress.

If something does not align with your goals, avoid “shiny object syndrome” and say no to distractions. You might have an idea for another story, but stick to the current one until it is finished.

2 Set realistic and attainable goals

When you set goals that are too far out of reach, you are more likely to set yourself up for disappointment and frustration. Know your current abilities and resources, and set goals that are challenging yet achievable. If you’ve never written a book before, don’t expect to finish writing your first book in one month.

Rather, break down larger goals into smaller, manageable steps to prevent overwhelm and maintain your motivation. For example, start with a story outline. Then sketch out the first scene in your story before you start to write that scene.

3 Establish a timeline to reach your goal

Without a deadline or milestones, it will be easy to work on a goal until infinity. Establishing a timeline helps you prioritize your actions. Set specific dates for achieving milestones along the way and hold yourself accountable to these deadlines.

This means saying “no” to distractions, such as a weekend of social activities if you haven’t reached your goal. However, you still need to make room for adjustments, such as a special celebration with family, or a setback, such as becoming exhausted from work.

4 Write down your goals

Writing down your goals is like creating a contract with yourself. You’ve committed yourself to accomplishing something by a specific time. Writing your goals on your calendar places your goals where you can see them. You have a reminder that you committed yourself to finishing the first chapter of your book by the following Saturday, for example.

5 Create an action plan

Writing down your goals without creating an action plan is like deciding on a trip to another country without planning how you’ll get there. It won’t happen.

You need to break down your goal into actionable steps. How will you be able to finish writing one chapter by the end of the week? You may have a specific word count to complete each day. Or one day might be set aside for planning the outline of a scene.

You should identify potential obstacles and brainstorm strategies for overcoming them. What if you’re invited to go somewhere one night before you reach your milestone? Do you say “no” or create a new set of daily milestones to make sure you still finish your chapter if you take a day off? Review and adjust your action plan as needed to stay on track and adapt to changing circumstances.

Key Takeaways

By following these five tips and setting realistic goals that you can achieve with an action plan—you can set yourself up for success. Remember, achieving your goals requires commitment and perseverance. With dedication and strategic planning, you can turn your goals into reality.

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