Whether you’re upgrading to 802.11ac, trying to extend your wireless network, or just want to control your lamps with an Amazon Echo, today’s Amazon Gold Box is overflowing with TP-Link networking gear.
If you have more student loan debt than you can handle, you might qualify for income-based repayment (IBR). You still have to pay your loan in full, but IBR lowers your monthly minimum payment. Student Loan Hero’s IBR calculator gives you an idea of how much you can expect to pay.
When you’re dropping money on a suit jacket, you want to make sure you get it right. While being armed with measurements is helpful, you can get in the ballpark with four simple criteria that you can easily memorize.
Most of the money things you need to deal with happen on a regular basis, and you can usually move most monthly due dates
. While you’re at it, go ahead and pick one day a month to be the day that you catch up on all your finance needs.
Spotify is essential for music lovers, but it’s got a lot more to offer
than good tunes. You can stream audiobooks, radio dramas, language lessons, famous speeches, and more for free.
The comfort zone. A place of coziness and familiarity. We like it there because it’s just so safe. Nothing changes there and that’s ok. We don’t really like change anyway, or do we? You hear it all the time. Get out of your comfort zone. But why should we? What so special about things outside of our comfort zone?
It’s true. The comfort zone certainly is a safe and cushy place to be but we can’t go on living there forever. That’s not living anymore, that’s just existing and waiting for the end to come. There is a whole big beautiful life outside of that zone. Here are a few reasons why it might be time to get out there.
Another cliché but this one has good a purpose. We can learn a lot from the internet, books we read or watching tv. Imagine how much more you can learn and discover when you get out and talk to people who actually did the things you are reading about. Get the real story right from the horse’s mouth and make a new friend at the same time.
Speaking of people, your next best friend could be outside of your comfort zone. Some of us long to have that one person that you just connect with instantly but often we don’t know where to look and doubt that person even exists. That person might be at the library or the coffee shop. You go by these places every day on your way to or from work, why not stop in and see what’s going on? There might be someone just like you, hoping to meet someone just like you.
It’s when we get out and try new things, things that maybe we’ve only ever dreamed of or thought of, that we can discover if we like them, love them, or if they are the key to our purpose or passion. When you get out of your comfort zone and actually try the things you’ve always been thinking about, that’s living. You’re not dreaming anymore.
Who doesn’t love a good story? You can talk about that time when you went sailing and the waters are rough and you saw a tuna the size of a house, you get the idea. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to be on the story telling side for a change instead of always being just the listener? There is a wonderful satisfaction in saying, yes I did that. Great personal satisfaction.
They aren’t just for writing things out and reading them over and over again and dreaming. Write it out, do it. You might have some big bold fears to face as you knock things off your bucket list but that’s ok. Life isn’t meant to live on your favourite couch just writing out your dreams and reading about them. Life wants you to go out and get to those things you’ve always wanted to do. Go do them.
We don’t think of ourselves as inspirational or motivational or anything like but did you know if you get out and do at least one thing out of your comfort zone you may very well be the inspiration that someone needed to step out of their zones. You may not know it and they may not come out and thank you or tell you but know that you just may be that person who gave someone the push they needed. Be someone’s inspiration.
Once you get started stepping out of your zone and trying things suddenly you will realize that there are actually many more things you would like to do but never thought were possible because you were stuck in a zone. When you get a taste of how fun and beautiful life really is out of that zone, the sky is the limit.
Have you been thinking it’s time to get out and do things? Have you been feeling antsy and restless? Those are your signs, your clues, it’s time to get out and do things, go live life. From the other side of your comfort zone.
The post 7 Reasons To Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Today appeared first on Change your thoughts.
You’re reading 3 Ways to Automate Your Life and Be More Productive, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
The decisions you are making in real time is killing your ability to be productive and get things done. I’ve found that by making small changes in my daily routine I could boost my productivity many times over. The fewer decisions I make “in the moment ” the more likely I am to get things done. That means more time for the things and people I love.
If you automate certain tasks so that you don’t have to think about them, you’ll be less stressed and find that they actually get done. This makes you more efficient resulting in a day that flows more smoothly. For instance, if I take my gym clothes out the night before, I get to the gym with time to spare. No more procrastinating or dropping the ball because I “couldn’t find anything to wear”
Many people think of automation as a process done via computer software. The truth is that you can automate any routine by simplifying it. This ultimately saves you time and brainpower. You can use those brain cells for more pressing matters like crossword puzzles and fun DIY projects.
Here are the top 3 things I automate or pre-plan in order to lower my stress levels and be more productive:
This is by far the chore that gives many of us, especially busy moms, the biggest headache. I’ve done meal plans in the past but never fully committed to the process. They were always an afterthought. At the suggestion of a friend, I picked it back up along with utilizing my crockpot. It’s been a total game-changer for me. It takes 5 minutes to crank out a meal plan and jot down a quick list of items I need from the grocery store then I stick it on the fridge as a reminder. Done and done!
The rest of the week I know exactly what’s for dinner. I’m able to use those fine critical thinking skills elsewhere or I can take a load off and relax.
Another timesaver is buying healthy food items that are pre-prepared for breakfast and lunch. However, the biggest time saver by far is meal prepping. Prepare your weekly lunches or dinners on Sunday and freeze them. If you know you’ll have a busy week ahead filled with late meetings and activities, then meal prepping to the rescue! There are a ton of recipes on Pinterest for this sole purpose so you can save that time as well.
Another way I free up valuable time and headspace is with automatic bill pay. I use auto-pay to pay all recurring bills. It’s a great way to set it and forget it. Many people are leery of auto-pay because they like to view their bills first. I understand because I used to share this sentiment, however, if a bill doesn’t fluctuate take advantage of auto-pay. You may even get a discount!
In this digital age, you can pay bills in minutes by going online and picking the date you want bills drafted. I highly recommend this as an item do knock off your to-do list. Use that hour to grab coffee with a friend!
Another task that will save brainpower and frustration is picking out your clothes the night before. It’s an oldie but a goodie yet something most of us hate to do. The key is having the discipline to prepare your clothes the night consistently. It can positively affect your entire morning since it’s one less decision you have to make in the moment. Who wants to spend the morning haggling with kids or going through a million pair of pants?
If you have older kids, have them choose their own clothes on Sunday and iron them. I don’t have experience with older kids so this may come with some struggle but if you can get them to pitch in you’ll thank me later. There are even tools such as closet organizers that allow you to sort clothes by the day of the week. If you can remove this chore from your daily routine, you’ll have more time and energy each day for the things you enjoy.
I hope you’ve thought about some tasks you can streamline to make your life more enjoyable. Your time is better spent on hobbies, work, and family.
What tasks do you automate or preplan that help you be more productive ? Leave a comment below!
Nia Hughes, is a freelance writer and digital marketer at Nia On Social Nia’s specialty is copywriting and content marketing for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the health and beauty industry.
You’ve read 3 Ways to Automate Your Life and Be More Productive, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
You’re reading 3 Ways to Automate Your Life and Be More Productive, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
The decisions you are making in real time is killing your ability to be productive and get things done. I’ve found that by making small changes in my daily routine I could boost my productivity many times over. The fewer decisions I make “in the moment ” the more likely I am to get things done. That means more time for the things and people I love.
If you automate certain tasks so that you don’t have to think about them, you’ll be less stressed and find that they actually get done. This makes you more efficient resulting in a day that flows more smoothly. For instance, if I take my gym clothes out the night before, I get to the gym with time to spare. No more procrastinating or dropping the ball because I “couldn’t find anything to wear”
Many people think of automation as a process done via computer software. The truth is that you can automate any routine by simplifying it. This ultimately saves you time and brainpower. You can use those brain cells for more pressing matters like crossword puzzles and fun DIY projects.
Here are the top 3 things I automate or pre-plan in order to lower my stress levels and be more productive:
This is by far the chore that gives many of us, especially busy moms, the biggest headache. I’ve done meal plans in the past but never fully committed to the process. They were always an afterthought. At the suggestion of a friend, I picked it back up along with utilizing my crockpot. It’s been a total game-changer for me. It takes 5 minutes to crank out a meal plan and jot down a quick list of items I need from the grocery store then I stick it on the fridge as a reminder. Done and done!
The rest of the week I know exactly what’s for dinner. I’m able to use those fine critical thinking skills elsewhere or I can take a load off and relax.
Another timesaver is buying healthy food items that are pre-prepared for breakfast and lunch. However, the biggest time saver by far is meal prepping. Prepare your weekly lunches or dinners on Sunday and freeze them. If you know you’ll have a busy week ahead filled with late meetings and activities, then meal prepping to the rescue! There are a ton of recipes on Pinterest for this sole purpose so you can save that time as well.
Another way I free up valuable time and headspace is with automatic bill pay. I use auto-pay to pay all recurring bills. It’s a great way to set it and forget it. Many people are leery of auto-pay because they like to view their bills first. I understand because I used to share this sentiment, however, if a bill doesn’t fluctuate take advantage of auto-pay. You may even get a discount!
In this digital age, you can pay bills in minutes by going online and picking the date you want bills drafted. I highly recommend this as an item do knock off your to-do list. Use that hour to grab coffee with a friend!
Another task that will save brainpower and frustration is picking out your clothes the night before. It’s an oldie but a goodie yet something most of us hate to do. The key is having the discipline to prepare your clothes the night consistently. It can positively affect your entire morning since it’s one less decision you have to make in the moment. Who wants to spend the morning haggling with kids or going through a million pair of pants?
If you have older kids, have them choose their own clothes on Sunday and iron them. I don’t have experience with older kids so this may come with some struggle but if you can get them to pitch in you’ll thank me later. There are even tools such as closet organizers that allow you to sort clothes by the day of the week. If you can remove this chore from your daily routine, you’ll have more time and energy each day for the things you enjoy.
I hope you’ve thought about some tasks you can streamline to make your life more enjoyable. Your time is better spent on hobbies, work, and family.
What tasks do you automate or preplan that help you be more productive ? Leave a comment below!
Nia Hughes, is a freelance writer and digital marketer at Nia On Social Nia’s specialty is copywriting and content marketing for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the health and beauty industry.
You’ve read 3 Ways to Automate Your Life and Be More Productive, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
GoPros are tiny, but that doesn’t mean a good organization system for all the accessories doesn’t go a long way. Case in point, reader Mike McG’s bag, which includes lot of tools for video, editing, and more.
Roasting or grilling fruit
caramelizes the natural sugars and adds a smoky flavor that will boost your fruit salsas and chutneys to the next level. The next time you make a salsa fresca or a mango chutney, put your ingredients to the heat first.
Sig Nordal 