Working Smarter Guide

Working Smarter Guides

A resource from the APDG Live Performance Committee

When we work smarter it makes it easy to be professional, productive and profitable, and it makes our work more sustainable and enjoyable.

Working smarter takes the uncertainty out of insurance, super and tax, and makes protecting ourselves straightforward. It takes the grind out of the ‘business’ of designing – leaving more time for creativity.

Working Smarter is an ongoing APDG Live Performance web resource. We will keep adding and updating it – in response to new information and members’ feedback. We also want to include your working smarter tips. Please get in touch with questions, tips and feedback: admin@apdg.org.au

WORKING SMARTER MENU
BEING PROFESSIONAL
Being Professional	Attitudes and practices. What it means to be professional.
BEING IN WORK
Business Planning	Be prepared
Choosing the right work	It’s different for everyone
Contracts and Deal Memos	Safeguard yourself
Agents	A cost and a benefit
How to negotiate an offer	Our resources can help
Passion Projects/Profit Shares/Co-Ops	Doing it for love, and ‘opportunities’
Making Your Own Opportunities	You can do it
Being Out Of Work	It happens
When our work goes to sh*t	It also happens
Standing up for your rights	We’re with you
STAYING FINANCIAL
Your business structure	1. Personal Services Income (PSI) 2. Working as a Sole Trader 3. Sole Traders and your Tax File Number (TFN) 4. Employment Status: Employee or Contractor? 5. Working as an Employee 6. Working as a Contractor
Registering as a Business
Design Income: How you are paid and invoicing	1. A Fair Income 2. Minimum Wage 3. Hourly Rates 4. How you are paid (Fees, Salary, Royalties, Profit Share/Co-Op) 5. Invoicing
Managing Petty Cash
Superannuation
Income Fluctuations: Managing the Peaks and Troughs
OUTGOING COSTS
Insurance	1. Workers Compensation 2. Death and Total & Permanent Disablement Insurance (TPD) 3. Professional Indemnity 4. Public Liability 5. Income Protection
Tax	1. PAYG (Pay As You Go) 2. Income Averaging 3. Tax Planning 4. GST (Goods and Services Tax) 5. BAS (Business Activity Statement) 6. Employing Others
Business Expenses	1. Keeping Tax Records 2. Find a good accountant
CAREER DEVELOPMENT (a.k.a. Strategy)
Networking
Mentorships	Including our own program, MENTORAPDG
Upskilling
Awards
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Managing Your Time
Communication
Strategies
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Environmental Sustainability	Resources and practical solutions, including our own APDGreen.
WELLBEING
Wellbeing	Caring for yourself, and each other.
Disclaimer The APDG makes its best efforts to make sure all information we post is correct, however Members use this information at their own risk. It is up to each individual to research the validity of resources they use. The APDG accepts no responsibility for information given in external links. Tips and services listed in this resource have been recommended by APDG designers, however their listing in this resource should not be construed as an endorsement by the APDG.

Anything to add? Any questions?

[gravityform id=”1″ title=”false” description=”false” ajax=”false”]