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• We're obsessed with productivity

  Posted Oct 08 2008, 08:09 PM by Karen Datko
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  Filed under: family, Wise Bread, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from Lynn Truong at partner blog Wise Bread.

  I spent a few weeks being extremely productive. And by productive I mean that I worked many more hours than usual. I was consumed by work. I was focused, efficient, and produced good, solid, measurable work. I was feeling pretty good about myself, until I got sick. My body has always reacted directly and appropriately to my stresses and emotions. I really got ill from all of my productivity.

  In Japan, there is a term for death by overworking -- "karoshi."

  Then I was interviewed for a life-hacking documentary. We talked about the life-hacking movement that has caused a frenzied race for productivity. We talked about the varied systems and techniques, the new media that has changed our way of communicating, and how I balance my work-at-home life with just my home life. The interview really stayed with me, and I started doing some thinking (some would call me being unproductive).   Read More...

  Discuss ( 7 comments) 1,916 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Dollars and sense when life hits you hard

  Posted Sep 19 2008, 05:35 AM by Karen Datko
  Rating:
  Filed under: family, emergency, Simple Dollar, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

  Not long ago a friend of mine lost one of his parents very suddenly. It came out of nowhere and felt like a punch in the gut to him. He spent a few weeks almost in a daze lamenting the loss of his father, with whom he was very close, and when he finally came out of that daze, he discovered a few things.

  He'd racked up quite a bit of credit card debt. He was deeply behind on his work. He had let some important personal things slide. In short, he now had some serious catching up to do in his day-to-day life.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 1 comments) 2,635 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Would you take a high-paying job in Iraq?

  Posted Sep 11 2008, 03:44 PM by Karen Datko
  Rating:
  Filed under: family, saving, Karen Datko, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Hank's friend, a father of three, faces a difficult decision: He's been offered a job in Iraq that will pay $290,000 for a year's commitment.

  Like most big decisions, it's very complicated. But we'll tell you right now that most readers who commented on Hank's post said, "Don't do it."   Read More...

  Discuss ( 961 comments) 248,178 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Victim mentality: Do people trap themselves in poverty?

  Posted Aug 12 2008, 02:50 PM by Karen Datko
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  Filed under: family, marriage, Karen Datko, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Some people blame the system or fate or bad luck for their inability to get ahead in life. Could they be right, or are there steps most people can take to improve their financial situations?

  In a post called "Victim mentality and personal finance" at Moolanomy, Pinyo wrote about a couple he knows who have spent 20 years in poverty and believe "that was the hand they were dealt." He begs to differ. He said that blaming seemingly uncontrollable circumstances is counterproductive, and that "victim mentality is detrimental for your financial health."   Read More...

  Discuss ( 15 comments) 4,741 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Report: Stay-at-home moms are worth 6 figures a year

  Posted May 21 2008, 06:24 AM by Karen Datko
  Rating:
  Filed under: family, giving, Karen Datko, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Want proof that stay-at-home moms would be earning a pretty good income if they were getting paid for their work? A report by Salary.com says the time SAHMs spend on 10 "mom job functions" -- including housekeeper and psychologist -- would bring $116,805 in the work world.

  Full-time moms work an incredible amount of overtime at their jobs -- 54.4 hours a week above and beyond the normal 40, the Web site says.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 795 comments) 67,500 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Learning from mistakes: A real-life example

  Posted May 21 2008, 05:58 AM by Karen Datko
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  Filed under: investing, family, The Dough Roller, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.

  Mistakes are a part of life. We all make them. But like turning lemons into lemonade, we can benefit from our mistakes and make the most of them, or we can run from them and pretend they don't exist.

  This hit home for me recently in an e-mail exchange I had with a reader. In a recent post about peer-to-peer lending, I made a mistake.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 3 comments) 2,884 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Investing in yourself: Build self-confidence

  Posted May 01 2008, 09:11 PM by Karen Datko
  Rating:
  Filed under: investing, family, Simple Dollar, employment
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

  As I sit down to write about the value of investing in self-confidence, I keep picturing one of my closest friends. She's got a lot going for her, but she often finds reasons to think that she's a bad or unworthy person. She often doesn't have the self-confidence to step up and grab the ring, even though her talents have entitled her to it.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 2 comments) 1,710 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

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