If you remain self-employed and independent, your schedule will be more flexible. Track hours and plan days ahead to ensure that you complete work in a timely, efficient manner. Schedule hours for phone calls, client meetings, and networking events. Consider hiring a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). As an independent contractor, your tax situation will be more complicated than if you were an employee. If you live in the U.S., you must pay full social security contributions and purchase health insurance. Plan to contribute money to a private pension plan. Consider purchasing professional liability insurance to protect you in the case of a client lawsuit. If you have a spouse with health insurance, you might avoid needing to purchase insurance. Within the software consulting industry, who you know is vastly important. Some consultants spend ten hours a week connecting with new contacts and maintaining past relationships. Be willing to help consultants who have less experience than you.

Summary: Practice good time management. Manage your finances. Continue networking.


There are GABA supplements on the market that claim to increase the GABA levels in your brain. Some medical professional argue that this is not possible, as GABA cannot pass the blood brain barrier in your body. This means taking a GABA supplement may not actually help GABA reach your brain. If you'd still like to give it a chance, however, it's safe to consume.  If you start to feel more relaxed and calm while taking the GABA supplement, it is possible that it is working. When buying GABA supplements, always check that the supplier is reputable and that the product has been tested by a third party. Look up reviews for the supplier or manufacturer online to confirm they are legitimate. Taurine is an amino acid that can be found in your brain in high concentrations. It acts similar to a neurotransmitter and can activate the GABA receptors in your brain. Taking taurine supplements can help to encourage the release of GABA and the formation of GABA in your brain. You can find taurine supplements online or at your local health store. Make sure you confirm the supplier or manufacturer of the supplement is reputable and legitimate before you take the supplement. Magnesium supplements can help to increase the magnesium levels in your brain. This can then help to increase GABA. Magnesium supplements can help to reduce insomnia, stress, and low energy. You can get magnesium supplements online or at your local health store.

Summary: Give GABA supplements a try. Have taurine supplements. Take magnesium supplements.


In the modern world with cellphones, email, and the internet, it can be difficult to avoid multitasking. Focusing on more than one task at a time, however, can prevent you from getting into a flow.  If you’re doing work on your computer, try installing an app or program that limits your access to websites that are not required for your work. When working on a project, silence your cellphone and keep it in another room, out of reach. Designate specific times to check for any messages and voicemails. If you regularly use certain computer programs to do work, for example, learn keyboard shortcuts for common actions. Or, if you frequently write emails to schedule meetings, make a template for that type of email so that you don’t have to write them from scratch every time. Ask colleagues and friends about any shortcuts they may use to speed up their work. If you are working on a school or work project, make sure the workload is divided evenly among everyone who has a stake in the project’s completion. Trying to do all the work yourself will stress you out and prolong the time it takes to finish the project.  When delegating, try to present your request as an appeal for help rather than an order to minimize friction. If you’re not the one in charge of the group or team and believe the workload hasn’t been distributed evenly, explain to the group leader or another member of the group that you could use some help completing the task(s) assigned to you. If you feel that the other members of the group or team aren’t doing their part, avoid pointing blame and instead try to get them involved in the project by asking for help on specific tasks. Making decisions takes energy. The more decisions you make, the more energy you expend. You can reduce the number of daily decisions you make and conserve your energy by eliminating or outsourcing decisions about simple daily tasks, such as what to wear or what to eat.  To simplify your daily decision about what to wear, simplify your wardrobe. Reduce your choice to two or three different outfits.  Make a weekly breakfast, lunch, and dinner plan, so that you don’t have to agonize about what to make on a daily basis.

Summary: Avoid multitasking so you can focus your attention on a single task. Find shortcuts to complete tasks you do on a regular basis. Delegate tasks to classmates, friends, or employees. Reduce the number of daily decisions you have to make.


OS X Mavericks (10.9) has a lot of problems with sound, many of which were fixed in Yosemite (10.10). El Capitan (10.11) has fixed even more of these problems. Mac updates are free and are available from the Mac App Store. If there are any available system upgrades, they'll be listed here. Download El Capitan if it is listed in the Updates section. The download will likely take a while to complete. Follow the prompts to install the system update. It's a pretty straightforward process, and you won't lose any of your files or settings. Once the update has finished and you're back at your desktop, test your sound again to see if it is working.
Summary: Check to see if you are running the latest version. Open the Mac App Store. Click the "Updates" tab. Download the latest version of OS X. Install the system update. Test your sound again.