Here are some things to do with money from a bonus or tax return

Here are some things to do with money from a bonus or tax returnHere are some things to do with money from a bonus or tax returnIts officially tax seasonJan. 29 marked the first day you could file your tax return to the IRS.Lauren Lyons Cole, a certified financial planner and senior editor at Business Insider, writes in the publication that you should receive all your tax documents by early February.Before you file your taxes, youll need to collect all your 2017 tax documents. If youre an employee, that means your W-2 if youre a freelancer, you may have multiple 1099 forms, Cole writes. In some cases, you may have other statements, such as income earned from an interest-bearing savings account or interest paid on a loan, or even taxable bitcoin gains.But while some lucky employees might not have to wait for a refund - some companies have been handing out bonuses as a result of the tax overhaul - the question still remains How should the money be allocated?Here are some things you c an do with any extra cash you receive from a tax return or a bonus.Set up an emergency fundRecent Bankrate research found that if someone was hit with a bill of $1,000 that wasnt planned for (like for an emergency room visit or car repair,) 39 percent of Americans would have to use their savings to pay it off. Another 19 percent would finance with credit card, pay off over time and 13% would cut back how much they spent in other areas.Take that as your cue Use some of the money to abflug an emergency fund oras Bankrate suggests, do things like automate the process to put some away every month.Learn something newSabah Karimi, the digital marketing copywriter and content writer behindFusion Copywriting, writes in U.S. News World Report that you could invest in your education or professional skills with a tax return or bonus.If you want to perform better at work or youre eager to earn a raise this year (and a bigger holiday bonus), consider polishing up your skills or going back to sc hool. You might choose to spend your holiday bonus on an online certification course, a university program or even a noncredit course at a local community college, she writes. Youll increase your skills and your knowledge while making yourself more valuable to your employer. Investing in your education and professional skills could give you additional earning power and help you build up your resume for the next hop up the career ladder.Put more money away for retirementIts never too late, or a bad idea, to stash away more cash.Kathleen Elkins, a writer for CNBC Make It, writes on the site that you should beef up your 401(k).Ideally youre already putting money into your 401(k) retirement account if you have the option, but, if possible, youll also want to get in the habit of increasing your contributions consistently. A bonus is a great opportunity to do so, she writes.

3 Times You Should Give Into Office Politics - The Muse

3 Times You Should Give Into Office Politics - The Muse3 Times You Should Give Into Office PoliticsWere going out to get some drinks after work, do you want to come?You think No, Ive been here all day and would rather go home and stare at my TV.But instead you say Of curseSound familiar? The reality is this What can appear to be just a casual invitation isnt always so straightforward in the workplace.The truth is that with almost every interaction, youre being judged, and if you choose to leid participate, you risk being labeled as anti-social or not a team player.Oh yes, the joy of schreibstube politicsOf course, you know that there are times when you have to play the game if you want to go ahead. Its why you say yes to happy hour when you just want to go home, and its why you agree to help your boss prep for her presentation even though you have a growing to-do list of your own.With that said, you dont always have to give in (you also dont have to work in an office like this, thoug h, once you get to a certain size, its hard to find one that doesnt involve some politicking).These are the times when its in your best interest to roll up your sleeves and give in1. When You Want to Get PromotedLets face it If youre looking to get promoted, chances are youre going to have to play some form of office politics. In this case, its not only about your work, but your ability to interact with a variety of people.Earlier in my career, I had a colleague who knew a lot, but had a difficult personality. He had his own qualms with the job and lets just say he didnt lay out the welcome mat for me. During my performance review, my manager mentioned the strained working relationship. She even asked if I would go to him for help if needed. My answer was No, Id figure it out myself before Id do that. As you might guess, that wasnt the answer she was looking for.Knowing what I know now, I shouldve played the game and chosen my words better. I couldve said that I would work with him despite our challenges at times and that I would try to find a common ground so that we can both complete our goals. (Do you see the difference between that and just flat out saying No, he sucks?) Am I saying that you should lie work your way to the top? No. But its important to strategically manage your message and not say anything that could be held against you.2. When Leaderships in the VicinityAny events or meetings that involve higher-ups (from your boss all the way to the CEO) are usually seen as a must-go, even if they may be inconvenient, not the best use of your time, or just simply awkward. This is a part of office politics where the focus is on appearances who showed up and who did not. So, this isnt the time to pull out the Oh, sorry cant make it, excuse. This is a time when you should go. But, I dont want you to just see this as something you have suck up because you have no control. In fact, you can do the exact opposite Control how these meetings work for you. This is your chance to get noticed and put your name in front of leadership. If youre going to attend, dont shrink in the corner, counting down the minutes until its over.Instead, use it as an opportunity to sneak in a comment or two about current or past projects you excelled in, quantify your results and relay positive feedback you received, and show your personality. In fact, it wouldnt hurt to have a few of these conversation starters ready to go. This may be one of the times when your work that may have gone unnoticed gets the attention it deserves. Once youve done your part, then you can go home (or back to your desk), knowing that you were your own advocate and seen as part of the team.Act now, cringe later. 3. When Theres the Opportunity to NetworkOK, so one of the main reasons why you give into office politics is forge relationships with people and build allies. If youve been eyeing a position with another team or you want the opportunity to get exposure to new opportunities, this is a great time to spread your wings. Going to the happy hour every once in a while is a way to meet people you may not get a chance to talk to during your day-to-day. One important thing to remember, though You may play the game to get exposed to new people and get more visibility for your personal brand, but you never want to compromise yourself by throwing someone under the bus, participating in negative banter, or doing something detrimental to your career. This is exactly when office politics can become tricky waters to navigateSo, the next time youre wondering if you should play the game or go home, think about these situations. Ask yourself what can you gain if you participate? What can you lose if you dont? Its not always fair that this is the situation youre in, but it can also work to your advantage if you learn when you need to participate and when you dont.

Arianna Huffington on burnout being a workplace crisis

Arianna Huffington on abgeschlagenheit being a workplace crisisArianna Huffington on burnout being a workplace crisisIn 2016 I founded Thrive Global to end the stress and burnout epidemic, citing the Belgian philosopher Pascal Chabots definition of burnout as civilizations disease. And this week, burnout was elevated by the World Health Organization from a built-in feature of ur always-on world to a fully defined occupational phenomenon that stems directly from ur collective crisis of workplace stress.Its a real milestone to have the World Health Organization for the first time include burnout in its handbookInternational Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Burnout, according to theentry, is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three key factors feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion increased mental distance from ones job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism relat ed to ones job and reduced professional efficacy.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhy is this so important? Moving burnout from the I know it when I landsee it column - where it was in 2007, when I collapsed from sleep deprivation and exhaustion and broke my cheekbone - to a fleshed-out workplace problem means we are now in a position to more effectively combat it. Only when we begin to understand our biggest problems can we also begin to effectively address them. And judging by thebroadmediacoveragegenerated by the World Health Organizations news, its clear that not only is burnout in the zeitgeist, but that people are hungry for solutions.Theres something almost cathartic about legitimizing burnout, as the medical world catches up with a ubiquitous condition that has long shaped our lives - especially for young people. As Anne Helen Petersen wrote in aviral BuzzFeed article earlier this year, Burnout and the behaviors and weight that accompany it arent, in fact, something we can cure by going on vacation. Its not limited to workers in acutely high-stress environments. And its not a temporary affliction Its the millennial condition. Its our base temperature. Its our background music. Its the way things are. Its our lives. According to Linda and Torsten Heinemann, authors ofa studyin the journalSAGE Open, burnout has become one of the most widely discussed mental health problems in todays society. And that was in 2017.So the World Health Organizations designation is, in its way, something to celebrate. In past eras, weve believed wildly inaccurate things about ourselves and the world. We believed the world was flat. We watched as doctors went on television to recommend their favorite brand of cigarettes. In our time, we are still breaking free of the collective delusion that burnout is simply the price we have to pay for success. Calling burnout what it is - and just as important, ending the era in which its existence can be minimized or even denied - represents a step forward.At Thrive Global, were working to end the global burnout crisis, but we are also relentlessly covering both the crisis and solutions, using all the tools at our disposal totell stories about burnoutand - just as important - give peopletoolstoidentify the signsof burnout andMicrostepsto combat it. ur community of 40,000-pluscontributors, our partnerships with companies around the world, and the guidance of our scientific advisory board have made it clear that burnout is one of the biggest issues of our time.This is true not only for individuals but for businesses. The World Health Organizations announcement represents a big opportunity for companies committed to fighting burnout within their ranks. If youre a business leader looking to improve your employees health and performance, the World Health Organization just handed you a gift.Its clear that employe e burnout is having a significant impact to the bottom line, including through attrition - and burnt out employees are over 30 percent more likely to leave their jobs. Its why nearly a third of caregivers have had to leave their jobs to care for someone. Its why over 75 percent of expecting mothers say theyre excited to go back to work after giving birth, but 43 percent of them will quit their jobs at some point after that. And employee attrition costs businesses an enormous amount of money, with some estimates suggesting the costs can be as high as 1.5x or 2x the departing employees annual salary.Think about it If employees are experiencing any of the symptoms in the WHOs new definition of burnout - depletion and exhaustion, negativism and cynicism, reduced professional efficacy - are they going to put in their best performance? Or are they more likely to cut corners or to leave?Now, with burnout in the spotlight, companies have a fresh opportunity to step up, for the sake of th eir people and for the health of the bottom line. Focusing on peoples actual experience at work is no longer a nice-to-have, its a must-have for anyone who wants to succeed in the long run. To find the cure to civilizations disease, its going to take a commitment to getting to the root causes of burnout.This article originally appeared on Thrive Global.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people