So much of our financial lives seems overwhelming and scary.

Stock market turbulence is frightening. You may also be worried about inflation and the high cost of housing.

I find it helpful to focus on things I can control. Here are 10 tasks you can complete during your lunch break.

Check your credit reports By law, the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — must give you a free copy of your file every 12 months.

At the onset of the pandemic, the bureaus made it even easier for consumers to view their credit history by offering free weekly credit reports. Although the offer was supposed to sunset last year, the bureaus permanently extended it.

Go to the official site where you can get your reports free — annualcreditreport.com — and make sure there isn’t something in your file that shouldn’t be there.

Freeze your credit If you’re worried about your information being compromised by data breaches, freeze your credit. This prevents swindlers from accessing your credit report without your permission, making it harder for them to take out loans or open new credit cards in your name. Just note that you need to request a credit freeze, which is also called a security freeze, at each of the three bureaus.

Calculate your net worth

How rich are you? You probably don’t think you’re prosperous. So let me ask this question another way: Do you know how much you’re worth? We keep score of so many things.

Many people have never calculated their personal net worth. Instead, they measure their financial success by how much they earn each year.

However, a net worth statement gives you a biggerpicture view of your financial health.

List your assets — money in bank accounts, the market value of your home and car, and the value of your investments.

Then, list all your liabilities — mortgage, auto loan, credit card balances, student loans and outstanding tax debt.

Subtract your liabilities from your assets to determine your personal net worth.

Set up a 529 college savings plan

All three of my 20-something children graduated from college debt-free in large part because of the savings in their 529 plans.

A 529 plan is a designated college savings plan. Earnings are not taxed if used for qualified education expenses like tuition or books.

Use the College Savings Plans Network’s 529 Comparison Tool to compare plans.

Another good source is savingforcollege.com.

Learn more about your 401(k) plan

Do you know how your retirement plan contributions are invested? If not, spend some time reviewing the retirement choices in your workplace plan, the fees you’re being charged and your investment performance.

Double-check your retirement contributions

Here’s a question I ask often but people often don’t know: What percentage of your pay are you saving for retirement in your workplace plan? The number of 401(k) millionaires hit a record in the second quarter, according to Fidelity Investments, one of the largest administrators of workplace retirement plans.

One of the habits that helped many get into the millionaire’s club is saving at least 15% of their annual pretax income for retirement.

The 15% target, recommended by Fidelity, includes a combination of what you’re putting in and the matching contribution you might be receiving from your employer.

Sign up online to view your Social Security statement

Regularly reviewing your Social Security statement should be a key part of retirement planning.

To set up an account, go to ssa.gov and look for the sign-in link for “my Social Security.”

In 2021, the Social Security statement got a muchneeded makeover. The redesign includes a chart that can help you decide when to collect your benefit.

If you can delay claiming, a year-by-year benefit amount illustration is a great reminder of why waiting may be worth it.

Every year you delay beyond your full retirement age, up to age 70, you get an increase in your benefit. The percentage increase varies depending on when you were born.

If you were born in 1943 or later, your benefit increases by 8% for each full year you delay receiving Social Security beyond your full retirement age. (Full retirement now falls between 66 and 67, depending on your birth year.) Just note that if you’ve placed a security freeze, fraud alert or both on your credit report, you will not be able to open the account until you remove the freeze first, because Social Security uses information in your credit file to verify your identity. Once you establish the account, you can freeze your credit report again.

Create an IRS online account

Setting up an IRS online account is one way to keep an eye out for suspicious activity related to your federal tax return.

Here’s a direct link: irs.gov/ your-account. In the box that says “Individual,” you’ll find the link to establish an online account. On that page, click the link that says: “Sign into your online account.”

Cancel unnecessary services

Can’t find money to build upon or even start an emergency fund? Take an assessment of all the services you could do without. Then, cancel the ones you really don’t use much.

Identify and prioritize your financial goals

List the things you hope to accomplish with your money. I find writing down my financial priorities helps me stay on track with budgeting and saving.

And don’t edit out the fun things you want to do.