Most of us probably wish that we could live in a world where money and stress (and stress about money) didn’t affect our relationships. Unfortunately, these things really can’t be avoided. In fact, finances are one of the main reasons that people argue with their partners or spouses, many times leading to breakups and divorces.

You might think that the solution to this problem of finances and relationships is simple: get more money.

However, even people with comparatively large amounts of money still seem to argue over it. Because the more you have, the more you spend.

This means that the solution to the struggle over finances has less to do with how much money we have and more to do with how we deal with our partners related to money. History and research show that it might be difficult to completely remove the fact that money and finances may be stressful.

So the question is: what can we do about it?

One of the most important ways we can protect our relationships from arguments over finances is to set some ground rules. Whether you have been together for five months or fifty years, it is never too late to create new boundaries and minimize relationship problems caused by finances.

Of course, these rules will be different for everyone. The most important part is that guidelines need to be agreed upon ahead of time, new habits need to be created, and compromise needs to be struck related to financial matters to minimize the stress.

Here are five examples of principles that help partners to keep their relationships healthy in spite of money problems.

No Secrets

Sure, it might seem easier to keep money issues a secret than divulge them. But in reality, this is a huge mistake. Hidden accounts or credit cards, loss of income, or a tanking of investment accounts is a hard thing to tell your partner about.

But not telling them is even more damaging.

While your partner might be upset by hearing the bad financial news, it’s much better than the risk of them finding out later. Relationships that are built on trust can survive financial problems.

But keeping secrets and hiding things builds suspicion and can break down what might otherwise be a great relationship.

Instead, set up a time to have an honest dialogue about your financial difficulties and come up with a plan to manage them.

Consult Each Other on Major Purchases

If you share a bank account, then this is a critical principle to live by. It’s up to you to determine what constitutes a “major purchase.”

It might be anything over $100 or anything over $10,000 depending on the typical balance in your bank account.

Obviously, regular bills such as the mortgage or car payment will not be included in this. But for anything outside normal bills that goes above your agreed-upon amount, check with your partner to avoid any nasty surprises.

This kind of system can also bring some accountability to avoid the dangers of binge purchasing or emotional buying that later comes with remorse.

Savings is Sexy

Want to be attractive to your partner? Fatten up—your savings account, that is.

While many partners don’t always agree on who is the spender and who is the saver, if you are both working toward a savings plan, then it doesn’t really matter.

A healthy savings strategy and budget are considered to be an extremely appealing quality in a partner. The easiest way to do this is to set up a budgeted amount money that your bank with put directly into your savings account each paycheck.

Plus, if you’re not fighting about money, you have more time to enjoy one another in various other ways.

Stay Out of Debt

If you don’t have debt, do everything you can to avoid it. You’re in a good place—so stay there. Because spending habits cause more fights than saving habits, watching the spending, and avoiding debt, are vital to keeping peace in a relationship.

If one partner came into the relationship with debt, do your best to delay whatever you can to pay off the debt before making any more significant financial commitments. And try very hard not to be resentful of the person who brought the debt into the relationship.

Instead, work together. Make a plan on how to get out from under the debt (financial advisor, part-time job, stay-cation, etc.) and stick to the plan. One of the great benefits of a partnership is that you don’t have to face these types of problems alone.

Fight Fair

Identifying the fact that money is a major stressor should alert you to the fact that you may need to handle financial conversations with your partner with kid gloves. This is a time when thinking ahead is better than reacting emotionally.

For instance, if you are going through your online banking and find that your partner has forgotten to pay a bill or has made a large purchase without mentioning it to you, don’t jump immediately into confrontation.

Instead, try to remember that you love this person, faults and all, and they are much more important than money.

Get your blood pressure back to a normal rate and devise a plan under which you can approach the subject without attacking your partner.

Then, come up with a plan to solve the problem rather than saying hurtful things that you can’t take back.

Remember that money isn’t everything, find a resolution, don’t hold grudges, and move forward from whatever the setback is.

Following these five simple steps can make a huge difference in your finances and relationships —and in the rest of your life. You’ll find that you can manage money conversations with less stress, which leads to being physically healthier and having more emotional energy to spend on the things that you love doing.

Share this really insightful infographic with your family and friends who can do with some advice on finances and relationships.

The post 5 Ground Rules to Keep Finances from Killing Your Relationship appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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What are the traits of billionaires? This article could be worth millions to you if you follow every detail diligently.

You ponder every day what demarcates billionaires from millionaires and millionaires from the rest of the world. And how do billionaires become billionaires?

Some might have it inherited the wealth from their forefathers but remember, the world has witnessed such legends as well who erected an immense business empire from the soil they used to plow. They had nothing once but their unique traits nourished them with wealth and power when the time came.

Every billionaire carries different traits but there must be something that is common to all. Here are the top 5 traits every billionaire has in common:

1. Burning desire

This term was coined by Napoleon Hill in his famous book Think and Grow Rich. This trait is most prevalent in all the billionaires: they never compromise with defeat. They try and try until they die. They leave no other way to retreat but to win or perish.

The story of Edwin C. Barnes proves how a burning desire can transform someone’s desires into wealth. Barnes was a penniless man who had BURNING DESIRE to work with Edison.

But, firstly, he had no knowledge in Edison’s field. Secondly, he did not know Edison.

These two barriers might have been used as excuses by a common man but he was not a common man. He was the man with burning desire. He kept trying to confront Edison but Edison had no time.

One day, Edison invented Ediphone but none of his salesmen were confident about his new invention. Enter Barnes who sold it to the entire nation.

Ediphone was a big hit. People found about this business as “Made by Edison and installed by Barnes”.

2. Dreaming

We limit our thoughts and dreams. This trait is not found in billionaires. They enjoy each moment of their utopic dreams.

When they are dreaming, they are actually setting fire to their desires. These imaginations and dreams might be virtual but these traits have the capability to turn their visions into a reality.

See Also: 8 Success Habits of Wealthy People That Cost Nothing

3. Efficient planning capability and leadership ability

Billionaires are so used to planning and organizing their thoughts that they get trained to plan even their dreams at some point of their life. With these planning capabilities comes the leadership quality that sets the billionaires apart from the rest.

They have the willingness to assume full responsibility when someone else on his or her behalf goes wrong. They know how to keep their workers happy.

4. Persistence

Everybody starts their journey on a locomotive engine but later on they turn out to be riding on a cart with dead bullocks. Billionaires have a trait of persistence embedded in their personality to such an extent that they finish what they once started.

They understand no matter how slow they go, their journey will be accomplished one day as they know that with persistence comes the success.

5. A classic approach to making decisions

Everybody can make decisions but only a few know how to make a right decision. Fewer still are the people who can turn their wrong decisions into right ones. These fewer people are known as billionaires.

Billionaires have such developed thought processes that they can anticipate the results of their decisions from every possible perspective. This trait is developed gradually by self-talking, introspecting and discussing ideas with people they trust.

When an intellect shares his or her experience in a group, this experience becomes available to everyone in the group. It enhances everyone’s intelligence and hence this group assists the head of the group (a billionaire, of course) to come to the right decision.

All these traits were prevalent in the billionaires of the past and the billionaires of the present have inherited the above five steps from them. These traits would be passed on to a few people who will be billionaires of the future.

Be it Andrew Carnegie, who expanded steel industry in 19th century’s America, or be it Mark Zuckerberg, who spread the social network worldwide. Both of these men share above-mentioned mutual traits that made them one of the richest people of their respective times.

See Also: 7 Amazing Lessons from 7 Distinguished Billionaires

Now, we listen to the present billionaires keenly. Shahrukh Khan has said enough to conclude our article with:

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Tai Chi or rather “Tai Chi Chuan” is an ancient martial art from China which spread like wildfire in China when people realised the powerful health benefits it delivered. Today, research is supporting what Tai Chi masters have known for centuries- Tai Chi practice delivers fantastic results.

So just what are these cool, calm and collected Tai Chi peeps getting from their practice?

Some of the answers might surprise you!

Let’s take a look at these tai-chi benefits.

1) Tai Chi Grows Your Brain

As we grow older, brain degeneration occurs which can lead to cognitive degeneration and damage to nerve cells and their connections. This brain shrinkage associated with old age is linked to dementia.

Wouldn’t you like to know if there are existing interventions to reverse or at least slow the process? You’ll be happy to know that aerobic exercise can slow the degeneration and even increase brain size. Research also shows that Tai Chi produces the same results — a bigger and better brain.

2) It Repairs Your DNA

Research undertaken at a Chinese university showed that just 12 weeks of Ta Chi practice among young sedentary females improved their DNA-preparing capacity and their oxidative stress response.

Oxidative stress is thought to be connected to a whole host maladies like heart failure, infection and chronic fatigue system. Tai Chi could be a powerful preventative measure for a wide range of health issues.

3) Delivers Strength, Flexibility and Balance -Longterm

Do you see yourself lifting weights or doing hard core resistance training into your old age? Possibly not. However, you’re still going to want to maintain your strength, flexibility and balance into old age.

In a review that looked at thirty one original studies, it was found that Tai Chi improved muscle strength, balance, flexibility and increased immune capacity.

4) Improves Your Memory and Thinking

In the same study that discovered Tai Chi improves brain size, researchers also discovered it improved older peoples’ memory and cognitive abilities.

One group trained in Tai Chi for months and took part in lively discussions three times a week. This group showed a marked improved in cognitive abilities and memory when compared to a group that had no intervention during the same time.

See Also: 8 Little-known Hobbies Proven to Make You Smarter in Minutes

5) Emotional Stability and Better Relationships

Research suggests training in a mindfulness discipline like Tai Chi makes you more aware of your emotions and brings us much more into the present moment. This awareness brought into daily life gives your greater control over your emotions and this can improve your ability to maintain harmonious relationships.

Overall, Tai Chi improves your emotional well being.

6) Combats Stress, Anxiety and Depression

Nowadays, the speed and style of living is undoubtedly taking a toll on people’s mental health. City dwellers, in particular, are even more likely to experience stress and anxiety and depression. In the U.K. for example, there were 8.2 million cases of anxiety in 2013 alone.

Tai Chi seems to be a great answer as research suggests Tai Chi practice increases self esteem and well-being and decreases depression anxiety and mood disturbance.

See Also: 11 Odd but Simple Ways to Improve Your Health

So how about you? What have your experiences of Tai Chi been?

Feel free to hit me up on Facebook and share your experiences.

The post 6 Tai Chi Benefits That Will Surprise You appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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While digitization and technology have simplified our lives, they have also introduced several complexities in our lives. Today, we speak of work-life balance but it’s not a choice that one needs to make between the two. It’s finding the right synergies to leverage benefits of both. An individual plays several roles at both the personal and professional levels and the expectations from each of these roles can be daunting.

Think of the last conversation you have had with friends or family. A common thread that emerges is how we have missed our children’s soccer or cricket practice or that important PTA meeting. You may hear a busy mother saying how much she misses the art classes that she always wanted to take.

In an increasingly urbanized world, time is a precious commodity. And managing that time is a critical task.

Ever considered personal outsourcing? A term borrowed from the IT world, it means having another company perform tasks that you would be doing in your own company.

This can be easily applied to our personal lives — having someone take over some of our personal as well as professional tasks. If you thought outsourcing would mean losing control, then think again!

Here are five reasons why outsourcing your personal life would actually mean better control over your life rather than losing it.

1. Manage your time better

‘Lost time is never found again’, said a very wise person. So much has been said and written about time management. But, it still eludes most of us.

Effective and efficient time management does not mean giving up on important tasks. Having someone do the non-core activities for us gives us the opportunity to have that precious time to focus on activities that are important.

See Also: Accomplish More Each Day: Four Steps to Easy Delegation

Think of all the tasks an outsourced virtual personal assistant can arrange or schedule for you – managing your mail box, organizing your calendar, scheduling maid services or a dog walker, managing a project or scheduling your doctor’s appointments. Activities that you enjoy or are better at doing are definitely an effective way of utilizing your time.

2. Leave some of the tasks to an expert

Most of us are not ‘jacks of all trades’. There are some tasks that we are good at and some that we aren’t.

Let’s say you are good at cooking but planning is not your forte. Having someone to plan your meals makes the execution much simpler.

And there can be a lot of tasks we need to do in our lives that can be better accomplished by someone with more skills, knowledge or talent. One can easily outsource tasks or activities to an expert who acts as your remote personal assistant.

See Also: 6 Most Commonly Outsourced Tasks and Why They Work

3. Improve the quality of your life

We acknowledge that we live in a hyper-connected and super-fast world. The demands that most of us face in our lives today definitely diminish the quality of our lives.

With personal outsourcing, you can at least try to achieve some balance and improve the quality of your life. Moreover, improving quality of life also means investing in yourself with the time you get.

4. Make yourself efficient

While it’s important to have the free time or do the activities we like doing, it’s also important to focus on the efficiency of a task. Imagine yourself drafting a critical proposal for a very important client, and you are yet to finish an important chore.

For such a time bound activity, efficiency is the key because your livelihood may depend on it. A remote personal assistant can help you not only with some of the activities or tasks you may need to accomplish that proposal but can also carry out other activities that are equally important or necessary.

5. Revitalize your health and energy

Stress is a common term we all like to use. However, there are some serious implications of stress that can affect not just your body but your mind as well.

Stress that you ignore can contribute to several health challenges including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Outsourcing your life activities to an external person helps you not just free up the time but also allows you to mentally be satisfied that a task is accomplished.

The need of the hour is to take away the stress in this demanding world. An outsourced virtual assistant can be a boon to ensure your mental, physical and professional well-being. Moreover, it doesn’t have to be expensive also.

Enjoy and live your life to the fullest – that’s the motto to live by!

The post 5 Reasons to Outsource Your Crazy Life appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Do you feel uncomfortable and don’t know how to negotiate your salary?

Don’t worry. That awkward feeling is quite normal.

According to research gathered by PayScale, 28% of their survey respondents have never asked for a pay rise for that exact reason. And furthermore, 19% do not even try because they don’t want to be perceived as pushy. But the reality is that “75% of people who ask for a pay rise, get a rise”, based on PayScale’s Salary Negotiation Guide.

An increase in your salary will not come overnight. But the good news is that being patient, preparing yourself and working hard it will most likely happen. To negotiate your salary successfully, Open Colleges recommends knowing when your next performance review is and use that period to demonstrate you are a great asset to the team.

These are five things you can do to renegotiate your monthly payment:

1. Become irreplaceable

In today’s fast-changing marketplace you need to continuously grow your knowledge and develop your skills to differentiate yourself from the competition. After a few years of professional experience, spot an area within your expertise where you can shine and take the right steps to do so.

Taking an online course, reading specialised books or training your skills –even if it is unpaid- may be an excellent way to achieve the purpose of becoming irreplaceable.

See Also: How to Learn Anything Online for Free

2. Research your salary possibilities

   

Having exceptional skills and standing out from the competition is essential but not enough. You need to have a clear understanding of your salary opportunities. To do so, use tools to research your salary range. Some of the handiest ones are:

– PayScale.com, the largest salary profile database in the world to find out how much are you worth.

– The salary research tool at CareerBliss.com where you can search by job title or company to find salary information

– Salary.com, a leader in employer-reported compensation data where you will find information about salaries in the US and Canada

– The giant jobs website GlassDoor.com, which also offers anonymous salary information for any real job or company.

Once you know how much your salary range could be, you are in a better position to meet your manager and renegotiate your wage. Nevertheless, you still have some homework to do before you start negotiating.

3. Know your company inside out

Every business is different. Some companies have limitations regarding salary rise within the same position. You may consider asking for a promotion if that is more feasible, taking into account your companies culture or policies and potential vacancies.

It goes against some companies’ policies to talk about salary with you colleagues. However, knowing your co-workers’ situations will be massively helpful to plan the negotiation. Discreetly ask trusted colleagues about how they got their salary raises or promotions. Then, take their recommendations on board to develop your own salary renegotiation strategy.

4. Build up your negotiation strategy

Now that you have developed the right skills, gathered information about how much you are worth, and taken into account your colleagues’ experience, use all that knowledge to create your own negotiation strategy.

A little trick to enhance your confidence during the interview is to write down your key arguments and practice out loud first.

A few things you can consider:

– Start highlighting your strengths and results

– Use a firm tone of voice

– Being realistic, ask for a slightly higher amount than expected to give yourself room to negotiate

See Also: The Art of Negotiation: Fifteen Steps to Success

– Have an ace up your sleeve such as requesting an extra week of holidays or other benefits that interest you.

– Last but not least, make sure you are talking to the right person – the one that decides if you get a pay rise or not!

5. Put the strategy into practice

   

Getting the timing right is essential to achieve a pay rise, so make sure it is the best moment to arrange a meeting with you boss. Consider your company or team’s financial situation. If it is going through a bad patch, you will be less likely to get your deserved pay rise.

Once you are having that well-planned conversation with your boss, remain calm in order to remember each point of your strategy. It is also crucial to make the use of the silence accurately.

A useful tip is to repeat the amount mentioned by your boss and stop talking for a short while. This silence will give you extra time to think and will put pressure on your employer who may react by giving you a higher offer.

Finally, some important not-to-does when renegotiating your salary. Whatever happens, never, never, never:

– Get emotional
– Mention your personal finances
– Refer to your colleagues’ salary or situation

The post 5 Tips On How To Negotiate Your Salary appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Are you worried about gaps in employment?

With the severe economic conditions and widespread layoffs, more people are faced with the threat of losing their job. The negative trends affect all sectors of the labour market and even the best workers can get laid off. Unfortunately, a potential blow may have a bigger impact on your career that you suspect.

The effects of long–term unemployment are evident in the division of the labour market. There are two well-defined groups – people that have been out of work for less than six months and those who have been out of work longer.

The reason is that most employers and recruiters are less likely to hire job seekers that stayed unemployed for a while. Recruiters assume that something is not right with them and they are not suitable candidates. Fortunately, it is not impossible to break the stigma of long-term unemployment.

Here is how to get a fresh start in your career and overcome gaps in employment.

Overcome the psychological effects of unemployment

For many people the effects of losing their job extend beyond the financial impact. It’s natural to experience lower self-esteem after getting laid off.

Since our personal and professional identities are closely aligned, our job can largely affect our perception of who we are. In this sense, it’s not simply your job that has been taken away, but your identity as well.

Feelings of anxiety, sadness, insecurity and hopelessness can grow and lead to more serious consequences. It is important to recognize these negative patterns and improve your mental attitude:

• Talk – Find a good listener who will not interrupt or judge you. Even if they can’t offer you a solution, it can be liberating to be open about your unemployment issues.

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• Exercise – It’s good for your self-esteem and your health

• Eat well – Avoid carb-loaded comfort food and sugary snacks.

• House clean – Surprisingly, domestic cleaning can restore the feeling of control over your life. Plus, your place will look nicer.

• Network – Meet new people. They might be your next boss or know someone who might hire you.

Fill the Gaps

As mentioned earlier, recruiters are less likely to hire someone who has been out of work for more than six months. You can turn this around by using your free time for meaningful activities that will enrich both your life and your resume.

• Stay involved – Find work-related activities that will help you stay up-to-date with the industry and will improve your skills, making you more competitive. Contract assignments and temporary employment are viable options.

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• Volunteer – Non-profit organizations can always benefit from some extra help. Pick a field that is relevant to your experience and career interest.

See Also: How to Learn Anything Online for Free

Level Up Your Resume

Your resume reflects not only your work experience, but also your individual self. Long gaps in employment can give the impression of lack of ambition and abilities. These unexplained blank spaces in your work history may also imply that you are incapable of landing a job.

Here’s how to handle the employment gaps in your CV:

• Be honest – Don’t try to hide the holes in your resume. Explain it in your cover letter. Cleaning out these issues from the start is the best strategy, but don’t draw to much attention to it.

• Present the gap in a positive way – You can mention how this period made you a better worker like acquiring new skills and developing mature understanding.

• Show progression –Include any courses and certificates you acquired while you were unemployed.

See Also: Resume Action Words That Will Get You That Job

Although long-term unemployment can be tough, there is no use getting discouraged and bummed-out. Life throws challenges that seem impossible to past through until you actually overcome them.

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