My career path has been anything but conventional. Only a few months ago, I received statutory pay for the first time in over 15 years. Next month, I’ll be taking my first vacation where I actually get vacation pay too. As in ever, in my life. This freelance and remote work lifestyle has afforded me many opportunities. At the same time, I’m always looking for ways to make this humble home office a little more productive, a little more manageable. And it’s in that spirit that I present this month’s speedlink.

Raul Pacheco-Vega starts us off by extolling the value of writing retreats. Years ago, I wrote about how easy it is to develop a sense of cabin fever when you normally work from home. Perhaps almost ironically, one of the best ways to get past that rut is to go somewhere else…. like a cabin in the woods. That way, you can focus on your writing without the distractions of everyday life. The beauty of remote work is that it can take place anywhere… remotely.

Rebecca Muller of Thrive Global continues in the spirit of remote work and productivity. She offers a series of tips for how you can stay productive when working from home. This comes less from the context of freelancing. Instead, it’s more about how you can be just as productive from your home office as you are at the company office. It’s all about channeling your focus and establishing your boundaries, both physically and mentally, and in terms of time blocking.

Lindsey Davis from The Financial Diet talks about what happens when you have a growing side hustle while simultaneously trying to get ahead in your day job. This can be especially problematic when the two spheres are more intimately interwoven. With Lindsey, she has a YouTube channel about becoming an accountant, and her corporate job was at an accounting firm. Conflict of interest or clever synergy?

Grayson Stalvey approaches a topic that can lend itself to a collective groan: Taxes. Yes, it’s that time of year again. Even if you only earn a bit of “fun money” from AdSense and affiliate marketing, you still need to report it on your income tax return. And, if you’re expecting an income tax return this year, recognize that it was really your own money to begin with. It’s not exactly prudent to “waste” it on something frivolous.

Greg Halter finishes off this list with a list of his own. Whether you’re trying to make things work with remote work, or you just need to get things done around the house, he’s got productivity hacks for the busy parent. If you’re anything like me, then you’ll also feel like there’s never enough time. Greg suggests taking care of the easy stuff first. And I agree that planning the night before goes a long way… I’m just looking forward to the part when he says the kids can help too!