Routine when there's no routine

I don't know about you, but I follow way too many "influencers" and wellness bloggers. It's amazing to see how many there actually are out there. They all look great, have the time to drink a beautiful smoothie in the morning, after a workout, after packing a healthy lunch, and without being late to work or stress about traffic. WOW. It is pretty inspiring.   

What do they all have in common and swear by?
Routines.

They all suggest that you have a routine. A morning routine. A night routine. A workout routine. A practice routine. A skincare routine. A meal plan routine.

And I just want to insert the confused emoji here and scream: What about the times you don't have the time for a routine?! Are you supposed to just fall apart and fail in life? 

I'm talking about people who try to do it all: teach, run to a gig, do some admin work, practice, and teach again. We don't really have a strict schedule and it's far from a 9-5 kind of day. Every day looks different and too packed to insert all these lovely routines.

While the routine plan sounds good, it's not always practical for musicians, so we don't even try. 

I'm here to brainstorm a few suggestions to find a mini routine, for routine-challenged people:

1. A routine can last a minute: It can be a "centering routine" like taking deep breaths to meditate or make a to do list for the day.

2. In order to save time, combine routines: find a productive routine that can also help your mental state of mind. For example, a skincare routine (taking off makeup, washing face...) can be a relaxing routine. You are "washing the day off" physically and mentally.  

3. Sometimes you just have to be consistent: Even if you don't have the time for a full-length routine, just do as much as your time allows. For example, you want to run every other day, but one day you don't have the time to meet your distance goal. Instead of not running at all (and sitting on the couch and watching Netflix for 20 minutes) go around the block, even if it's less than a mile. You will get some endorphins, move a little, and not break the routine. 

4. Prioritize routines: Which routine will make you feel at your best? It might be a work-out routine or a stretching routine, but for others a better sleep routine might be more necessary. Figure out what are the routines that are important for YOU, and do those before anything else 

5. Find a way to make routines cost effective: Thanks to social media, some routines look fancy and glamorous, but real routines are not about money. Some people choose to spend money and feel like they have to find the quickest way to achieve their goals by going to an expensive gym, eating out all the time, or splurging on a fancy powder that is supposed to fix everything in life. They put money where they lack motivation. But trust me, you can do simple cheap routines without spending anything. 

6. Plan ahead:  You can set your heart on an amazing routine but never find the time to execute it. Start with a short routine and force yourself to find time. Try scheduling it in your calendar, on your phone, or even with an alarm. Still can't find the time for it? Try waking up 5 minutes earlier for it. Can't get out of bed? Hide the alarm clock somewhere that forces you to stand up out of bed. 

7. It's not "all or nothing", but what's enough for you, today. You have to be forgiving to yourself and remember that musicians are not normal people. This is what excites us to follow this path as a career of course! Choose one or two easy routines and see if you can consistently maintain them. The next step is to add another new routine one at a time, or maybe even just expand on an old one. 

Finance Friday PART II: Personal Balance Sheet

By Margaret Leddy

Last week I mentioned a Personal Balance Sheet and this week I wanted to expand the topic and help you come up with a successful balance sheet for yourself.  

You can download your own personal balance sheet here!

Any business or company's financial statements always include a balance sheet. The balance sheet is considered a snapshot at a point in time of a company that includes company assets and liabilities. The balance sheet reports what a company owns and what a company owes, giving a potential investor the current financial position of the company. A personal balance sheet will not only give you a picture of your financial position, but it will act as a useful tool in measuring your progress toward your financial goals, maintaining information about your financial activities, and provide helpful data that can be used when preparing tax forms or applying for credit or loans.

Once you complete your balance sheet, you can calculate your net worth. Determining your net worth will provide an indication as to how you might prioritize your financial goals. I mentioned in the previous article that there are personal finance apps such as Mint that have a feature which assists in setting up a personal balance sheet. I have included an excel spreadsheet that I like to use, which is based on the balance sheet found in Kapoor, Dlabay, Hughes, and Hart’s 12th edition of Personal Finance.

Step 1 in the process of setting up your balance sheet is determining the value (or estimated value) of your assets/possessions.
Your assets include liquid assets such as cash, and items that can be quickly turned into cash (liquidated). For example, money in a checking and savings account, cash value of insurance, cash in your wallet or under your mattress are all included in your liquid assets.
> Next, list any real estate that you own. The value is the current market value of the home, condo, etc.
> Next, determine the value of your personal possessions (don’t forget your instrument!). Include the market value of your car if you own one. Kelly Blue Book is a great resource for looking up the value of cars: https://www.kbb.com/whats-my-car-worth/?ico=kbbvalue. Also included are electronics such as your laptop, headphones, mobile phone, etc., as well as, jewelry, furniture, and the like. You can value your personal possessions at the purchase cost, but a more accurate method might be to have them appraised, or to check online to see what the items are currently selling for.
> Finally, if you have a retirement account or investments accounts, include those. The sum of your liquid assets, real estate, personal possessions, and investments will be your total assets.

Step 2 is to list all liabilities starting with current liabilities and then adding in long-term liabilities. Current liabilities include: bills, credit card balances, auto loans, etc. Long-term liabilities include: mortgages, student loans, and any other debts owed over a longer period of time. The sum of current liabilities and long-term liabilities is equal to your total liabilities.

Step 3, the final step, is to subtract your total liabilities from your total assets. This will give you your net worth!

This information can be a valuable reference tool when determining financial goals. For instance, if you have a negative net worth, you may want to prioritize paying off your debts before investing money. The process of creating a balance sheet may take some time but, once it is set up, it will be easy to make adjustments each month, quarter, or year, depending on how often you choose to update it. The goal will be to increase your net worth over time.

Having detailed information can help you to decide where to make changes in order to increase net worth. Increase any of your assets (consider investing in a mutual fund to grow your assets that much faster!), or decrease any of your debts (tackle the high interest rate debts first!) and voilà! Good luck and happy saving!

References

Investopedia Staff. “Reading The Balance Sheet.” Investopedia. 20 May 2018. Web. 14 Aug 2018. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/031004.asp

Xu, Hannah. “Why you NEED to have a personal balance sheet to become rich.” LinkedIn. 15 Nov 2014. Web. 14 Aug 2018. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141115083211-213321273-why-you-need-to-have-a-personal-balance-sheet-to-become-rich/

Dlabay, Les R., Melissa M. Hart, Robert J. Hughes, and Jack R. Kapoor. Personal Finance. 12th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2017.

Finance Friday!!! AKA Finance tips for musicians

Finance tips for musicians

Meet Margaret Leddy! A recent MBA graduate with a concentration in Investments. Maggie also has a masters in violin, and is based in Boston! Here she shares her knowledge and passion for music, and shares awesome financial tips. This is PART I.

When it comes to money, it is best to be honest with yourself and think about how you want to spend the money that you make. Some people value nice cars, others traveling the world, while others just want to spend the bear minimum and watch their money grow. But what makes a good investment and what makes a bad one? Is a college education worth the expense? Is it worth splurging for your dream car? These are questions only you can answer. However, if you do hope to retire someday, you will need to take some action now.

1. Know your average income and average spending and create a flexible budget. If you haven’t done so already, consider setting up a budget. Take a look at how much you typically make in a given month, and how much you spend. You will have fixed costs and variable costs every month. Budgeting for fixed costs is pretty straight-forward. Those are the costs that never change month to month, such as rent, car insurance, utility bills, etc. Variable costs are those that tend to be less predictable.
   
   If you want to start tracking your money quickly and easily, just track your income and expenses day to day. You can either use an excel spreadsheet, google sheets, or a notebook. Sit down once a week (or every evening if you have the time!) and take a look at your transactions. Most credit card and checking accounts have separate transactions listed in real time.
   
   Sign up for an account on mint.com and link this to your bank accounts, credit cards, etc. Mint.com will sort your spending into categories based on the transactions that are listed in your accounts. For example, Eversource, an energy company, will automatically be categorized as a utility. With mint.com you can also set budgeting goals in order to stay on track.
   
   Be sure to account for taxes when you set up your budget. If you are a freelancer your taxes will probably not be withheld; in this case you may want to consider paying taxes quarterly so as to avoid paying a large sum in April. Always track any business related expenses, including transportation to gigs, strings, sheet music, etc. And consider consulting with a tax expert to determine other means of reducing your tax burden.
    
2. When it comes to paying your debts, prioritize those with the highest interest rates, such as credit card balances. If you have a credit card with an unpaid balance, try to avoid using it. You may need to adjust your budget; find an area to cut spending so as to free up funds for eliminating high interest debts.
    
3. Save for an emergency. Even if you are in debt, saving money can be possible with the right strategy. If the interest rate on your debt is higher than the interest rate on your savings, prioritize paying off the debt. If the opposite is true allocate a higher percentage of your income to your savings.
    
4. Invest for retirement. If your employer does not offer retirement benefits, you may want seek out the advice of a financial professional. If you would prefer to take a stab at it on your own, consider an investment company such as Vanguard, which maintains retirement funds that are available for direct purchase. If you have no experience with investing, take a look at Betterment, a company that utilizes robo-advisors to help you navigate investment markets. I personally like to use target date mutual funds, which are designed for investors who do not wish to actively manage their accounts. Of course, there are risks that should be considered when investing--I highly recommend consulting with a professional financial advisor before undertaking any investment plans.

Some useful financial apps:

1. Mint https://www.mint.com/
2. Personal capital https://www.personalcapital.com/
3. YNAB (You need a budget) https://www.youneedabudget.com/
4. Tiller https://www.tillerhq.com/

How to Rest WELL

We all talk about sleep and rest. For most people, it's super important, and we should all find time to sleep more and go to bed early... But HOW can we actually have an affective rest?!

I started to think about this recently when I was talking to an old friend who brought up his personal challenge with truly peaceful rests. While it’s an obvious topic, it can be impossible to implement in our life. 

To help make it a little less impossible, here are a few tips and ideas to implement in your rest breaks and routine:
1. Reserve time for sleeping hours- Our body needs consistency. Schedule 7-8 hours for sleep a night, and build your schedule around it. Didn’t get enough sleep one day? Try to plan for a nap later or more sleep the next day.

2. Wind down- Personally, I need 40-60 minutes to wind down after a long and busy day. Otherwise, I just don’t fall asleep! You can even use a timer so you don’t get carried away and binge watch Netflix too late.
** Every day I decide that at 11pm, no matter what, I will start getting ready for bed. Setting a specific time really helps reinforcing the habit!**

3. Screen-free time- This is new for me. I started reading a BOOK before falling asleep. No more scrolling through Facebook and the news. Get away from the screen and music. We have it enough throughout the day. 

4. Use a timer- As much as possible: use it while taking a nap, talking on the phone, or even scrolling through social media. It’s not necessarily to restrict these activities, but to help us become more aware and better at planning so we don’t feel like the day just passed by without accomplishing anything. This can help avoid having to stay up late finishing projects that could have been done earlier in the day.

5. Have only 5-10 min to relax? Put away your phone. Stare at the space in front of you and watch people or nature.  This type of break will help you feel more rested than being stimulated by a barrage of information.

6. Vent- Sometimes we just need to vent. Call a friend you trust and let it rip. You can also write things out if no one is available! Getting things out of your mind will help you focus and put them aside.

I hope you find it helpful! If you have any other tips or suggestions, please share in comments.

Wellness profile with Tuba player, Nimrod Ron!

Q: How would you describe your lifestyle (student/traveling performer/9-5 job/etc.)?
A: I am an orchestral player (for the last six years), playing with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra based in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Also, since 2016 I also play with the West Eastern Divan Orchestra, a project that brings musicians from the Middle East to experiment with coexistence and play together under the baton of Maestro Barenboim.

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: Crossing boundaries and creating something new.
In the beginning of my musical studies I was very motivated to prove to myself that I can play very loud, or very fast, and each day pushing the metronome up one click proved very motivating.
Today, I am more focused on pushing the tuba repertoire forward. I’ve been talking to many composers on writing new music for the tuba, with different sets of accompanying ensembles. The tuba is a relative young instrument and introducing it to young composers and seeing their reactions is priceless.

I have recently recorded an album which I am very proud of for two tubas solo and brass ensemble with my dear friends Sergio Carolino and Hugo Assunção as musical director.
I am now working on commissioning composers and recording music for tuba and string ensemble, about half of the album is already recorded and the rest should follow shortly!

Q: Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.
A: As a child I was super ADHD, and was very unorganized. Through growing up I discover that when I make a schedule for myself, I tend to follow it and everything gets done!
6:30 Wake up and eat a fruit
7:30 – 9:15 Practice fundamentals
9:30 – 12:30 Orchestra rehearsal
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Exercise
16:00 Short nap
18-19:30 Practicing music for upcoming projects
19:30-20:00 relaxed walk in the neighborhood
20:00 TV/Book
22:30 Bed time
This is how most days look for me, of course there are some changes whether I have to teach during the day or whether I have some other interesting projects but I try to keep a regular schedule.

Q: What is one habit would you like to change?
A: I managed to reduce my TV time drastically in the last couple of months. Now, the next item on the agenda is to reduce the time I spend using my phone.

Q: What is your practicing routine, if you have one?
A: I try to keep the most basic fundamental routine, but stretching it to the max. For example:
Every day I will begin my practice session with thinking about what I want to achieve today and planning the session in my head.

I will then start with a couple of minutes of breathing and buzzing exercise while I move around the room, to really wake up the body.
Then I play all the scales, each day alternating between slow/fast tempi, different types of articulation/legato and number of octaves, each day pushing the limits by playing longer, faster, lower, higher and with a more comfortable feeling.

I try to take a 5 minute break every 25 minutes and this helps me stay focused and mentally prepare for the next part of my routine. I then read some music that is not written for the tuba and try to imitate the music making of some great artists.

Q: Describe a habit or a ritual you do every day and you "swear by".
A: I try to read as much as I can and make notes to learn from other people experiences. At the moment I am reading “Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind” and it really feels like I arrived home and I am really inspired by every word.

Q: Do you exercise regularly? If yes, what do you do and how often?
A: I do! I try to be active everyday, although living in Iceland this can prove a bit difficult at times. I swim 3-4 times a week and if there is especially nice weather I go hiking, which normally happens once a week. Besides that, I just try to walk outside for 30 minutes every evening before I go to bed.

Q: What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
A: BE CURIOUS!
I try to learn something from everyone I meet. Whether it is regarding their practice routine, exercise, nutrition, if we are curious, we can always learn more.

Q: Before going to bed, what do you do to wind down?
A: I take a nice walk outside where there is a nice path that goes through a lava field. I am very fortunate to have this beautiful area just outside my apartment.

Q: How do you deal with rejection? Can you share an example?
A: For me, there is nothing better than rejection as a catalyst for motivation.
I have taken an audition some years ago where I wasn’t offered the job. It brought up a lot of self doubt which was a great tool to reflect on my musical choices, ideas, and path.
Since then, I have again become much more curious about the music that I play, how I investigate different styles and study score, it has proven extremely valuable to my practice sessions.

Q: What helps you focus?
A: I am a big fan of schedules and goal making.
Set a goal, make a plan, and make it happen.

Q: How do your splurge yourself?
A: A nice long hike!

Wellness profile with conductor Joshua Weilerstein

Meet Joshua Weilerstein: a full-time conductor who balances performances, traveling, and a new podcast called Sticky Notes. I was especially intrigued to hear how he does it ALL while not compromising the performance level and his attitude. 

How would you describe your lifestyle?
I’m a traveling orchestral conductor.  I’m away from home approximately 26 weeks a year, traveling all over the world, both guest conducting, and working with the orchestra that I am Artistic Director of in Switzerland.  When I’m at home, I study scores for upcoming concerts and write and record my own podcast about classical music.

Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.
I make a list every morning of the things I would like to accomplish during the day.  It’s incredibly satisfying to cross things off!  

What is one habit you would like to change?
I would like to not have the inevitable low period in the middle of the afternoon where I feel very unmotivated to keep working.

Do you exercise regularly?
Yes!  I have found an amazing program on Youtube called HASFIT.  I workout 5 times a week with it and it has truly changed my life since I started doing it almost two years ago.

What do you eat before performances?
I eat a pretty large meal, since conducting is such a physically draining form of activity.  I also eat a protein bar of some kind during intermission to make sure I have energy for the end of the concert.

How to you manage your anxiety or daily stress?
I try to meditate as much as possible and also unwind by taking walks and getting away from the news and from my work.

How do you deal with rejection? Can you share an example?
It’s tough - I try to let it motivate me as best I can.  Its a nice feeling to prove to yourself that someone made a mistake to reject you.