The Power of Focus

I have a friend, Matt, who listens to the same song on repeat every time he works on his computer. The exact same song. On repeat. All the time. Yes, he’s a little crazy. When I asked him about it, he said it helps him focus.

Turns out, he’s been listening to this same song since college. That’s four years of undergrad, five years of graduate school, and several more years working in college ministry. I was flabbergasted.

“You’ve listened to the same song on repeat for almost two decades?!” I asked in disbelief.

He just shrugged and said, “Man, I don’t even hear it anymore. I just immediately get in the zone.”

Now, that stayed with me. He had found a way to summon at will that elusive and prized aspect of productivity – focus, so he can get into the invaluable deep work mode.

Music as White Noise

There are programs like Focus at Will designed to offer music stations tailored to aid your focus. The idea is to open their site or app, plug into the ambient music, and the focus is automatic.

I love this idea, but it has a few drawbacks:

1) There is a monthly subscription fee. It may be worthwhile, but I’d like to see if I can do the same thing on my own for free.

2) It requires the Internet. I prefer to be entirely unplugged when I write or study. Any connectivity seems counter to the goal of focus.

3) The music is always changing. With music designed for focus, I find variety distracting. The switch from song to song is something my brain naturally pays attention to, even if just for a moment. Monotony, however, is easy to block out.

That’s why I have a “focus” song, just like Matt.

When it’s time to get zeroed in on a task, I cue up my focus song and BAM! Just like that, I am in the zone.

Other White Noises

I actually have a few focus songs at different tempos, based on the kind of work I’m trying to get done. Sometimes, when I’m reflecting, I want ambient classical. Other times, I’m pounding out the words and I prefer electronic or rock.

That handful of songs alone accounts for more than half the playback time on my iTunes account.

It doesn’t have to be a single song, and it doesn’t have to be instrumental. It could be a whole album you know by heart. But try a single instrumental song first since the more monotonous it is, the more focused you can be.

I also really like white noise services like the “Rain, Rain” mobile app. It has beautiful soundscapes of thunderstorms, crackling fire, waves crashing on the beach and even household appliances. Each sound is designed to block out everything around you and help you get in the zone right away.

So, the next time you have trouble focusing, put a focus song on repeat.

Pretty soon you won’t even hear it anymore.

See Also: 5 Techniques for Increasing your Focus in 5 Minutes

Alright, I’ll tell you! Matt’s focus song is “Down Around You,” a guitar instrumental by Derek Webb.

That is my low-tempo choice, while my up-tempo is the album “Superpowers” by the Polish Ambassador.

What about you, what’s your focus song?

The post Get “In the Zone” on Command with a Focus Song appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Most retirement advice for young people boils down to this: Start saving, and do it right now.

Unfortunately, the urgency of that message gets lost on far too many youths, too caught up in the prime of their lives to worry about the future.

But with Social Security vanishing and automation primed to replace many jobs, retiring is going to get increasingly difficult for each generation. If millennials and the generations that follow want to live comfortably in their golden years, they need to embrace the importance of an early start.

It’s not just a matter of stashing cash. Follow these simple tips for a rundown on everything you need to know on how to start saving for retirement.

Why Start in Your 20s?

Even though people in their 20s are likely earning less right now, they’re still in the best possible position to start saving for retirement. Creating a solid nest egg is less about how much you can save; it’s when you start to save.

The power of time and compound interest is what gives twenty-somethings the advantage when it comes to saving for retirement. This is when interest is added onto a principal sum and then that new amount builds interest, leading to more significant growth over time.

For example, $50 put away every month for 45 years at age 20 at 7 percent interest compounded annually will yield $172,499.71. Even though you only physically saved $27,000 over those 45 years, you earned $145,500 in compound interest.

See Also: How to Make Saving as Exciting as Spending

If you wait 10 years to start saving for retirement, you’ll have to contribute $103.50 monthly to receive the same sum at age 65. That’s more than double of what you had to save if you started earlier. You can do the math on compound interest using this calculator available from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

How Twenty-somethings Can Start Saving

● Make it automatic. Make your contributions automatic, whether you choose to save for retirement through an employer-based program (like a 401k or 403b) or your own IRA. Set up automatic transfers from your paycheck or checking account into your retirement account to remove any temptation to spend that money.

● Contribute enough to get an employer’s match. Many companies that offer workplace-related retirement programs also offer a matching program. For every dollar that you contribute to your retirement, they will put in a certain percentage. For example, if you put in 6 percent of your salary, they may add in 50 percent of that 6 percent for a total of 9 percent of your income going toward retirement.

● Put all raises toward retirement. One way to increase how much you save is to put all salary raises into your retirement account. Every time you get a raise or promotion, you should increase how much you put toward retirement and not upgrade your lifestyle. This approach can also be used for windfalls, like tax returns and inheritance.

● Aim to save 10-15 percent of your salary. Most experts recommend saving between 10-15 percent of your salary toward retirement in order to have a comparable lifestyle in your golden years. You may be willing to downsize in retirement, but starting in this range will give you a head start in case you hit an unexpected financial speed bump.

● Start slow. It’s OK if you can only afford to save $50 a month right now. Remember, the power of compound interest will turn that $50 into a much greater figure later on. Don’t be so discouraged about your inability to put 10 percent of your salary away that you don’t save anything at all—a trap that far too many young people fall into.

● Open a Roth IRA or 401k. There are two types of retirement accounts you can open: Roth or traditional. If you open a traditional IRA or 401k, you’ll be able to claim contributions on your taxes, but will have to pay taxes when you take out the money later on. Those opening retirement accounts in their 20s are better off using Roth accounts. You won’t receive any tax benefits now, but you’ll be able to withdraw that money tax-free when you need it.

See Also: Are Men Or Women More Successful At Saving For Retirement?

● Delay Social Security. It’s important to delay receiving Social Security benefits until age 70. You’ll receive an extra 8 percent in yearly benefits for every year beyond the full retirement age you wait to get Social Security. That’s free money you get just for waiting.

 

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Our minds naturally hate change. Change makes us uncomfortable. Anything that involves risk or confrontation makes us tremble.

Despite the negativity, feeling uncomfortable is one of the signs of adaptation and growing. It may feel bad but, in reality, it’s  actually a good indicator. In order to keep it from making you feel inadequate and filled with doubt, here are some of the ways you can ease the discomfort it causes.

Find an Outlet

Write about what is making you uncomfortable

This is my favorite method and is perhaps the most useful out of these options. Writing about what is bothering you, even if you do not reach any sort of positive conclusion, is helpful. Writing helps to release tension, organize your thoughts, and expel negative emotions. Think of it as a massage for your mind.

Learn to love a certain form of exercise

It doesn’t have to be especially intense; it can just be walking. I would, however, recommend something more intense and competitive. Such sports and exercises can motivate you to push past your limits to become more comfortable in extreme situations.

Just meditate

 

This is a form of spiritual exercise that you shouldn’t miss. Meditating can give you an overabundance of benefits that can help you be more comfortable with any situation.

By learning to be in tune with your breath for a few minutes each day, you can decrease your anxiety and stress. It can also improve your concentration and overall brain function and make you more appreciative of those around you.

All of these benefits make feelings of uneasiness easier to manage. They can help you not only in surviving through the discomfort but to thrive in it, too.

Celebrate small victories

When we make progress towards our goals, we are often consumed by overthinking. We take one step forwards and then two steps back. Because of this, progress is almost never fast or easy.

However, despite how slow we feel, there are still signs of progress that can be seen on the outside. You may not be able to see the progress you have made, but others will surely notice them.

Stay connected with other

No one can be the best version of himself on his own.

You need to share your journey with people who support you and your journey. Connection with others can make each step towards your goals more fulfilling.

From your perspective, it is difficult to see how you have changed over the course of pursuing your goals. You may even see stagnancy. But for the eyes of the people around you, they can see your progress and it appears much more simple for them.

Purge yourself of excess habits and goals

Your mind is not built to learn several new habits at once. Although it’s conditioned to pursue several goals at a single time, having too many things to adapt to at once can discourage and tire you easily.

Before you decide to pursue a new goal or adopt a new habit, you should first get rid of the excess habits and goals taking your time and energy. Ridding yourself of these things can help ensure that your new habits can actually be adopted and sustained.

Complete tasks you are good at

If you are feeling especially uneasy, one of the easiest ways to get back on track is to do something you’re good at. It’s a simple way to feel fulfilled and get back into a more positive mindset.

Pursuing a goal that makes you uncomfortable can be frustrating, so you need to mix challenging pursuits with fun and easy goals. This brings me to the last and possibly most important method to get more comfortable.

Have fun–for heaven’s sake. HAVE SOME FUN.

 

Completing goals goes against the very nature of having fun. It gives you so much pressure that you feel confined, stiff and uncomfortable.

Engaging in activities that give you fun won’t stop you from achieving your goal. In fact, it can get you back to your spontaneous and creative mindset. It can put you back in control of whatever it is you need to finish and be more comfortable in situations that would normally make you feel uncomfortable.

Joseph Pineiro
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A lot of people exude an irresistible charm when they speak. It makes us eager to hear what they have to say. At some point, it can even make us envious of their popularity and command of respect.

If you are aiming to establish the same things for yourself, here are some tips you should know about how to make people instantly like you:

1.Say Their Names

Dale Carnegie’s book ”How to Make Friends and Influence People” is a bestseller and has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Its success is a reflection of how strong people’s drive is to become influential and respected.

To quote Dale Carnegie:

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person , the most sweetest and most important sound in any language”.

Nothing pleases anyone more than hearing his name. It’s an indirect way of saying that in spite of all the things in his head, you remember him because he is important. Yes, it’s a simple act, but it can make a lot of difference.

The tip: Say people’s name often using their first names.

2.Avoid Distractions

One key thing to remember when building a relationship with another person is to avoid any distractions, including your cell phone. Checking your phone from time to time or playing with it during a conversation can send the wrong impression to the other person. It can show you’re bored or not interested in the conversation.

The tip: Switching off your mobile phone during a conversation can make the other person feel important. It’s a good way of creating a positive impression.

3. Maintain Eye-contact

Maintaining eye-contact shows the other person that you are listening. Now, you’ve probably done this a couple of times already, like when you fix your eyes on your teacher or when you’re nodding intently in agreement.

We all know that the eyes are the windows to the soul. So, when you maintain eye contact while speaking, it makes the other person feel important. In initiating eye contact, however, it’s important that you keep it friendly. You don’t want to end up giving the other person the creeps by staring too long or too hard.

The tip:There’s nothing better than letting someone know that you are there to hear whatever he’s going to say. When you’re communicating with someone, pay attention and lend an ear. You can even try tilting your head a bit.  It’s a universal sign of paying attention.

4. Avoid Being Too Critical

It’s totally fine if you don’t agree with everything the other person has to say. However, to ensure a good relationship, it’s essential that you respect and appreciate their opinion.

 

“Criticism is dangerous because it wounds a person’s pride, hurts his sense of importance, and arouses resentment.” – Dale Carnegie

The tip: Don’t argue. Keep in mind that you don’t have to accept; you just have to listen.

5. Smile

A smile can change everything. In the words of Dale Carnegie:

“Actions speak louder than words. A smile says, ‘I like you. I am glad to see you.”

The tip: You’ll never know when your smile can make someone stronger, so make sure to flash one from time to time. It can even make someone’s day.

6. Give Out Small Blandishments

 

Don’t we all love compliments?

Giving out blandishments can create the impression that you are paying close attention to the person you’re speaking with. In giving out words of flattery, make sure you are sincere. You don’t want to sound like you compliment everyone you see.

“The difference between appreciation and flattery? That is simple. One is sincere and the other insincere. One comes from the heart out; the other from the teeth out. One is unselfish; the other selfish. One is universally admired; the other universally condemned.”

The tip: Appreciate people for the noble and little things they have done. Nothing will please them more than having someone recognizing and appreciating their work.

7. Be Sympathetic

If there’s one thing people don’t have much these days, it’s time. People are always in a hurry that they look like they are constantly in a race.

That being said, it will mean a great deal if you can take some genuine time to lend an ear and listen to someone’s problems.

“Three-fourths of the people you will meet are hungering for sympathy. Give it to them and they will love you.”

The tip: Offer genuine condolence. It is an unspoken token of care when you set aside time to listen to someone’s grief. Depending on the circumstance, you can offer them some advice or try to cheer them up.

Pro-Tips: 3 Things You Should Avoid In Starting A Conversation

1. Don’t just speak; you should listen, too

Don’t rule over the conversation and do all the talking. You should also let the other person speak. After all, it’s a refreshing feeling to pass the chance to talk about yourself and just listen to what the other person has to say. It will make the conversation a lot more interactive.

 

“Why talk about what we want? That is childish. Absurd. Of course, you are interested in what you want. You are eternally interested in it. But no one else is. The rest of us are just like you: we are interested in what we want.”
― Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People

The tip: Ask questions about the person. A good example to start with is to ask how his day was. It can show that you’re not only listening ,but you’re actually interested and concerned.

2. Don’t fake interest

Although it’s good to pay attention,  you should still avoid faking interest. It isn’t only irritating to people, but it can also show disrespect.

The tip: Be genuinely interested. Having things in common to talk about will help.

3. Do not try to force your opinion

People have their own mind and sense of judgment. No matter how right you think you are, trying to force your idea or sense into them will only make things worse for you.  Even if they are wrong, you shouldn’t be the one to point a finger.

The tip: If you are highly unable to stop your tongue, be polite when you object to something. Never force your opinions on anyone.

How do you turn a small talk into an interesting two-way conversation? Do you have any more tips to share?

 

 

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Whether you’re a first-time or frequent flyer, there’s a lot left to learn about the process of flying. From curb to check-in to sitting in your seat and taking off, the following 5 tips — and the below infographic, chock-full of information — will make flying easier and more transparent.

1. Checking in is Important

Unless you’ve chosen — and, potentially, paid for — your particular seat on the plane, you must be sure to check in before you actually head to the airport. A few years ago, airlines were found to have blocked off up to 40 percent of seats so that customers would have to pay a premium to get them.

Of course, not everyone is willing to pay an extra $20 or more for a particular seat, so the hidden or up-charged areas could potentially become available at a normal price to those who check in fastest. If that’s not incentive enough, checking in saves you face time at the airport, since you don’t have a see a gate agent to receive your seating assignment.

2. Buy One Ticket at a Time

Imagine that you’re traveling in a group of four and searching online for four airline seats. If the travel site you’re using only has three free at a discounted rate and another at a normal fare, guess which price you’ll see for all four?

That’s right. Most airlines will present a boosted fee if your request includes more than what they have available at the lowest price. Next time you fly, book each ticket individually so that you all get as much of a discount as possible.

See Also: 8 Reasons why travel should be a part of your life

3. Plan Your Trip on the Airline’s Schedule

It probably comes as no surprise that flights on Friday incur higher travel fares than other days of the week. When it comes to flying, the cheapest days to book your flight will usually be Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday.

You can take this a research a step further by applying it to your next round-trip voyage, especially if you’re planning to take a nice, long vacation. Price-wise, it’s smartest to leave on a Thursday and return on Monday — it’s typically 20 percent cheaper than flying out on a Friday and returning on Saturday.

See Also: 5 Steps To Reinvent Your Life By Traveling

4. You Can Make Security Faster

There’s nothing quite as daunting as arriving to the airport on a time crunch and seeing a sprawling line for security. Fear not if you have obtained your TSA Pre-Check clearance, though, as it allows you to step into a separate line for pre-checked customers.

The program costs $85, and your clearance lasts for five years. By submitting the required documentation, receiving Pre-Check and inputting your personal TSA ID number when purchasing your tickets, you will have a special mark on your boarding pass that allows you certain privileges not given to traditional flyers. For example, you can keep your light jacket on as you pass through security.

5. Don’t Wait for Lost Luggage

We don’t mean that you should immediately give up on a bag that doesn’t show up on the belt. Instead, don’t waste any time in reporting your missing baggage to airline personnel.

In most cases, airlines have very strict policies regarding lost and stolen baggage, which means you have a very small window in which to report your goods as gone. Giving word right away means that they will be more likely to maintain their liability and reimburse you for what’s lost.

Obviously, these aren’t the only tips and tricks to know next time you board an airplane. However, knowing these five little behind-the-scenes hints might make you feel more ready to take to the skies — and less likely to have the airlines take you.

Now share our very useful and informative list of flying hacks to your loved ones. Happy trails!

Source: Stsintelli

 

 

 

 

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Romance in the digital age has certainly changed.

Gone are the days of waiting for weeks for a love letter to arrive from a loved one who’s currently (or indefinitely) far away. The digital has creeped into all spheres of our lives, including love, and it has made it possible for us to instantly accomplish and experience what we want.

Just like how we use online photo editing tools to prepare photos for sharing with friends, chatting and calling services to connect with business associates from another continent, or cloud storage sites to instantly archive or access important documents, so do love birds today use different technology to win someone’s heart or profess their love again and again.

The abundance of awesome web tools and apps for romance makes it a little difficult to quickly find appropriate ways to approach someone, but on the other hand, it guarantees that there’s definitely a neat piece of love software for everyone. There are tools and apps that can appeal to all the senses and all types of people, so depending on whether your crush is an audio, visual or tactile person, you’ll choose your “weapon” accordingly.

Words & Pictures

For centuries, people have expressed their love via love letters. Todaym handwritten letters are rare, but the joy of receiving them hasn’t diminished, which can explain the popularity of ecard sites.

The problem with typical ecards sites is that they usually provide ready-made templates, so you don’t much freedom to personalize your card. Try using card making websites that offer a range of card shapes, graphics, text options and other design features, so users can create a unique card from scratch without spending more than a few minutes in the process. Try free sites like Cherami.Cards or Canva.com.

Music & Poetry

If you’ve seen the movie “Begin Again”, you know that technology can be used for recording a song and sending it to your loved one so they can listen to it on their phone, tablet or computer. It’s always a good idea to do it sober, unlike Keira Knightley in the movie (though it seems her love song project turned out to be a success).

If you’re creative and romantic, you can use free tools like Audiotool or Ujam to record your own love song or recite a poem. However, if you’re not that tech-savvy, you can simply use Spotify to create a playlist of all the songs your loved one will enjoy after a long workday.

See Also: Four Ways to Help Your Guy Get A Clue About Romance

Games & Adventure

A great way to keep the flame alive, especially in long-distance relationships, is through playing online games together. The games don’t have to be related to love and romance. They can even be classics like Dungeons and Dragons (the online version, of course).  

This way, couples can choose their avatars, go on quests and fight villains, all the while chatting to make the best game strategy and to slip in some playful, romantic phrases. The same can be applied to any type of online game: murder mystery, Scrabble, Facebook game apps, etc.

Chatting in Secret

Some couples need to keep their relationship a secret for whatever reason. Perhaps they are hiding from parents, a jealous ex-partner, or they are celebrities and they just don’t want to have all the world talking about their private lives. Secret couples can connect online in many ways – via social media networks, email, games, chatting services, etc.

But there are mobile apps that are created precisely for this reason like Couple, Avocado, and You&Me just to name a few. These apps allow lovers to share photos, videos, messages, funny and cute stickers and they can insert suggestions for date nights. 

See Also: Tips In Choosing A Restaurant For A Romantic Date

There are people who fear that the digital age will destroy our relationships and our ability to connect, but let’s be optimistic and try to use all the Internet’s great potential. Who knows, maybe we’ll reach new heights in loving another person with the help of technology?

 

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“We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in.” -Arianna Huffington

A lot of the top advice on “work-life balance” angers me and probably will anger you too.

Let me explain…

There’s a concept on work-life balance that every college student has heard. It goes something like this:

Your life has different parts you have to juggle. You HAVE to sacrifice at least one of these to succeed at the others:

• Career/School Success
• Sleep Time
• Social/Personal Life and Family Time
• Health and Fitness

There are different variations of this principle, like the Burners Theory, but it’s the same basic idea. I’ve coined my own really cool name for it: The Four Horsemen Principle (it references the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, implying an “apocalypse” if you don’t handle them well).

Now, here’s what pisses me off. It’s completely FALSE.

A lot of the most read articles and content on this topic simply tell you that you have to accept that you have to give up a part of your life. This idea is ingrained into American culture: “you have to work 15 hours a day and sacrifice your health, sleep, and family time to make it.”

Ask any Sillicon valley entrepreneur or Hollywood actor. Heck, just look around at your peers and you’ll find one who brags about their lack of sleep.

It perpetuates a needless cycle of self-harm.

If you think spending time with your daughter Sally is a part of your success, then are you really successful if you’ve made millions but haven’t spent her in the last two weeks?

People think taking time to sleep or exercise takes time away from succeeding in your career. But sometimes, it helps you succeed more in your career. Don’t take it from me, take it from this guy…

The youngest billionaire in the history of humankind and founder of Facebook and Asana wrote a post about this. The “too-long-didn’t-read” summary is that he argues he would’ve succeeded with Facebook even faster if he had slept more, exercised more, and ate less junk food. He said these bad habits lead to less productivity, needless fighting, emotional outbreaks, less energy, and less focus.

What is best way to solve these work-life balance hurdles? I’m not saying I have it solved, but here are some steps to master The Four Horsemen.

Note: You don’t need to do all the steps. Every step on its own helps.

Step 1: Kill Multiple Birds With One Stone

My initial response to The Four Horseman Principle was to question everyone’s assumptions.
“Can I succeed and keep all four horsemen?” I pondered.

Here is how everyone else thought:

“Life is filled with compromises. If you want to excel in your work and social life, your health and family life will decline. If you want to be fit and a great parent, then you may be forced to kill your career potential. You are free to choose which four horsemen you want, but you have to realize that you will never reach your potential for all of them.”

So I thought, “Is there a life hack I can use to destroy this flawed belief?”

Perhaps I could fuse health and work or social or family time. “What if I exercised at work with a standing desk or treadmill? What if I joined social fitness groups like Crossfit?”

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Believing that you will be healthy with a little extra standing is like believing you are a smart because you bought a book and left it on a shelf. Plus, not everyone can convince their boss to do something like this.

You can get fit while keeping in touch with friends by choosing fitness activities. You can find an active event for your family to go to rather than one where you bond over junk food. There are ways of truly mastering two horsemen in the time it takes everyone else to master one.

See Also: The New and Modern Way Companies Are Increasing Productivity

Step 2: Outsource Career and Family/Social — Get Someone Else To Help You.

The billionaire Sir Richard Branson was asked when’s the last time he shopped for groceries. He said he hadn’t in years. He has an assistant do it.

If your time is worth $1,000 an hour, you’ve lost out on $1,000 you could have made AND an hour of your time if you spend it on a low-level task like grocery shopping. Instead, pay someone $20 to do it for you and you’ve just bought back some of your life AND set up an opportunity to make 1,000 more dollars.

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

Your parents (and mine too) don’t do this because they lived with a moderate salary and it was mathematically correct to do your own groceries, laundry, car repairs, and plumbing. You end up saving more by doing it yourself. But once you start making some serious cash (which you should strive to do if you aren’t), your level of thinking should evolve.

We outsource small parts of our problems already. We buy fast food and dinners from restaurants so we don’t have to make it. We pay to have our grass cut to save time. We get our oil changed so we don’t have to learn how to ourselves.

Outsourcing bits of your life lets you buy back time and use it better. Can you use the same concept on a horseman and use that extra time to better another horseman?

For a lot of us, your career is the biggest horseman. It’s where we spend most of our time and it’s the last horseman to get ignored. Anyone can outsource parts of the career horseman.

Tim Ferriss is one example of a CEO’s who built systems to let him live a 4 hour work week. He outsources the low level work of his business so he can focus on only the tasks he can do.

Family is another example. Working mothers can outsource the family horseman by paying for a nanny. Calling it “outsourcing” might sound too corporate, but people don’t worry -it’s natural. People do this already.

Other than the obvious, think outside the box. If you’re making a lot of money, for example, but don’t have time to spend with your family, you can pay for a Fast Pass to skip the lines when all of you visit Disney World. Or pay extra to go to a less crowded area to have higher quality one-on-one time.

The benefit of outsourcing is you keep a horseman alive without using your time. But removing yourself completely has a downside. In the book Rework, the author brings up a great point: most people will end up feeling bored and without purpose after several months of sitting on a beach or playing golf all day.

Also every parent I know would rather spend time with their child than outsource it completely to a babysitter.

So what’s the lesson?

Career is the main horseman you want to outsource. Family is the one usually you don’t want to outsource too much. Partially outsourcing it is the way to go. 100% is almost always too much.

Step 3: Make the Most of Your Time

One of the most tragic things I see is that most people never reach their potential. It can be easy to make the excuse, “If only I had more time, I could get rich or get jacked or spend more time with Sally.”

One way to tackle this issue is to change your focus from wishing you had more time to optimizing the time you have. In other words, acknowledge your constraints. The question to ask yourself is, “Assuming a time limit, how can I be as efficient as possible?”

For instance:
Assuming I can only work 8 hours a day, how can I make the most money possible?
Assuming I can only exercise for 30 minutes a day, how can I exhaust my muscles more in that time?
Assuming I can only spend 1 hour a week with friends, how can I make it the best experience?

This type of questioning pulls your focus towards something positive (getting everything you can out of all you’ve got) rather than something negative and unproductive (complaining about not having time).

All throughout my life, I’ve always met someone who’s bragged about getting zero sleep.

They’ll say, “I did another all-nighter to study for the test.” Or they’ll say, “I only slept 2 hours last night. I’m the CEO.”

We’ve gotten to a point in society where it’s literally glorified and looked at as impressive.

I’ve had a full college course schedule, while working a part-time job, an internship, running a high-traffic website, sitting on a few extra business courses, and still had time to sleep at least 8 hours a day and play video games. Not because I’m super human. I just did what needed to be done quickly.

I did an all nighter once just to try it out and it was a complete waste of time. Every hour that past, I got more and more unproductive as my mind turned to mush until I wasn’t doing a thing.
You don’t have to do that.

We’re all guilty of stretching out time we don’t need with long deadlines and flashy tactics. There was probably a school essay you had to write where you ended up doing the whole thing the night before. You didn’t need the 6 month window.

For me, it’s the Fitness Horseman. I’m guilty of stretching out a workout to take over an hour when it should only take 15 minutes.The fitness YouTube AthleanX (over 1 million subscribers) says that “if you work out right, you can’t work out long.” This is because it doesn’t take long to do exhaust your muscles if you do it right.

Step 4: Have Different Seasons

Break your time into seasons. We naturally do this already, but being aware of it can make you better at it.

What if, instead of chasing a perfect work-life balance, you divided your life into seasons that focused on a particular horseman?

Think 100% success at 2 horsemen and 80% success at the other two.

The importance of your horsemen may change throughout life. When you are in your 20s or 30s, it can be easier to exercise and develop your career. The health and career horsemen are galloping. The sleep horse is dying (literally) because maybe you’re building a visionary business and have hard-working competitors.

A decade later, you might have a baby and suddenly, the fitness horseman slows down a bit while your family horseman starts sprinting. Another decade passes and you visit old friends you put off. The Social horseman starts trotting. And the sleep horseman is a welcomed friend.

Caution:

My whole point is that you can master all the horsemen. It’s not impossible. Therefore, don’t take this too far and start creating a season of 0% all horsemen but the Career horseman. That would negate the whole point I’m trying to disprove.

I am simply saying that there are moments in your life where compromise may be inevitable because you are doing something game-changing. Here are a few examples:

• Elon Musk sleeping 5 hours a day and working the other 19 because he’s building a tech start-up in a billion dollar industry against tough competitors in a fast-pacing industry.
• Will Smith working through lunch and the weekends to become one of the world’s most respected actors.

For average to above-average people, it’s totally possible to master all horses. For game-changers and visionaries, a season to life could be useful.

For people below average, a season can simply be an excuse.

We all know someone who is failing at every horseman because he’s staying up way too late to play the 5th hour of a video game and watch more Netflix.

Where are you right now?

Step 5: Decide When Enough is Enough For A Certain Horse

Set a specific number of dollars you should hit when enough is enough. For example, many travel hackers say that you can live like a king across many countries with $50,000 a year because of the low cost of living. Maybe that’s your magic number.

Without a definitive number, it can be an endless chase for money, fame, or awards.You never know when to get off the Career Horseman and spend some time on the others because enough is never enough.

Cara DeLevigne, Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Alba, Alicia Keys, and Lady Gaga are some of the most followed stars on Instagram and Twitter. They’ve all taken time out of their lives to speak to women about needless career exhaustion from chasing needless additional career success.

Cara’s speech emphasizes one of the biggest lessons I’m trying to spread: Modern society has made us think that wealth and fame will bring you happiness. Science has shown that it’s just a small part. Don’t kill yourself from exhaustion just chasing these while compromising on everything else.

There’s plenty of other successful celebrities who have come out with this revelation after learning the hard way, but this message doesn’t seem to spread. Most of the younger generation are still enamored by the idea that overwork is the only way to go.

Ask yourself if childhood memories are creating false beliefs you hold to.

If you had a lack of opportunities when you were young, that memory often pushes you to take on more opportunities than you can handle.

Cara is a great example. She used to have a very difficult time getting any opportunities until the world suddenly fell in love with her iconic eyebrows and she had more than she could handle. When her thighs started manifesting spots from exhaustion, her modeling agency shipped her off to a hospital for a quick-fix of needle injections (instead of letting her rest).

Maybe your childhood imprint is something different. It could be a chase to prove something to your parents that was (and never will be) satisfied.

These women all emphasize two big points that they had to learn the hard way:

• Be willing and comfortable to say “no” to requests.
• Modern society over-hypes the happiness and results that career, success, wealth, and fame will bring to you. Don’t sacrifice too much to chase more and more of this.

This doesn’t only hold true for the career horseman; it holds true for all of them.

The multi-millionaire behind Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, wrote a book on sleep called The Sleep Revolution after she collapsed from exhaustion from overwork. In the book, she argues that everyone should get at least 7 hours of sleep a night for optimal performance.

As far as family time is concerned, I’ve realized that there is a clear threshold where relatives (teenagers especially) are tired of seeing you. In fact, they’re annoyed by your presence. You become the overbearing, embarrassing parent or sibling.

Sometimes adding more family time adds diminished returns because they’ve seen more than enough of you already.

Learn to dial it back to focus on other horsemen when it’s clear this horse is getting overfed. Does your child really need your fourth hour of “family time” for that day? Is three enough when you’ve been doing this everyday of the week for years?

Step 6: Make it A Priority and It Will Become One

Gary Vaynerchuk said in an interview that he never missed a game of the Jets even during the busiest time of his entire life. During that time, he was literally building a 100 million dollar wine company and working 12 hour days every day of the week. H

ow? He made Jets games a priority no matter what.

Ever hear a girl or guy you like say, “I didn’t have time to text back.” You knew instantly that it was a lie.

In the back of your mind, you said, “I don’t care if you’re falling off a cliff.  If you really like someone, you will make time to text back.” We all know it.

It’s the same principle with each horseman. If you tell yourself “I will sleep 7 hours today no matter what”, you will. Making more money can wait.

And it truly can. You don’t need millions of dollar to pay for shelter and food. It can wait.

Conclusion

It is possible to master all four horseman of the work-life balance Apocalypse. There will be occasional times where you may have to compromise but that’s really for the hustlers who are trying to change the world.

We all know someone who sucks at all the horsemen: they stay up until 2am, aren’t doing well at their job, haven’t seen their family (or any friends) in months, and don’t know what a gym is.

We all know someone who is exhausting himself by working 13 hour days at work and assuming that’s the only way it can be.

Perhaps it’s not that simple. Maybe you can achieve the same results by working more intelligently.

Finally, I know people who seem to have most or all the horsemen mastered, like online entrepreneurs John Chow or Pat Flynn:

They drop their kids off at school everyday.
They can take hours off work every day if they want.
They make more money than 99% of people on earth.
They run 5+ miles a day.
They sleep like a baby.

This just proves that it’s not always a “this or that” situation.

If you make it a priority, it will happen. Rather than assume you have to kill a horseman, ask yourself if you can manage them better.

The post How To Conquer The Four Horsemen of Productivity Apocalypse appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Do you have “phishing awareness”?

You may have heard about internet ‘phishing’ and wondered whether you should be worried. Or worse, you may have been unlucky enough to have been victimized in the past. Either way, it’s important to know how to protect yourself from this pernicious type of internet fraud.

So, what exactly is ‘phishing’?

Phishing is a fraudulent internet activity aimed at tricking you into divulging personal details which can then be used against you.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you won’t be fooled. Many highly cautious and tech savvy users have fallen victim to the scammers.

These unscrupulous folk will go to great lengths to lull you into a false sense of security and gain your trust. Being phished could result in the theft of your personal details – account information, credit card numbers, PIN numbers, passwords and much more.

How does ‘phishing’ work?

Phishing expeditions are typically carried out in the form of a spam email that appears to come from a perfectly legitimate source, usually a website or other source that you have regular online dealings with. It could be your bank or credit card or other finance company, an internet provider, an online retailer, your employer and even the government.

The email will ask you to confirm your personal information, often by asking you to click on what looks like a bona fide link to the company website so that you can update your details. When you click through, though, you are directed to a spoof site set up with the sole purpose of capturing your data. Chances are that you won’t suspect a thing and won’t notice the fact that the site is fraudulent.

But how do they persuade you to click on the link?

This is where it gets even more devious. The email usually contains an urgent call to action – threatening you with account closure, warning of an overdue invoice or of unauthorised activity on your account, or simply asking for a security update or missing account information. What’s more, scam artists are very adept at using company names, URLs, branding, logos etc to make their emails look authentic.

It all looks very plausible.

The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) has been observing a truly shocking rise in the number of phishing attacks over the last few years, including a record breaking increase of 250% between October 2015 and March 2016. Latest figures show that about 123,000 phishing attacks took place in March of this year alone, the highest number ever.

How to protect yourself from ‘phishing’

In light of these worrying findings, it is more important than ever that internet users are fully equipped to guard against phishing.

Here are our 7 top tips to keep you safe online:

1. Make it a golden rule to never reply to emails that ask for confidential information.

Banks, official organisations and reputable e-commerce companies will NEVER request sensitive personal data via email. Scam emails often contain urgent calls to action in the subject line (e.g. ‘Your account has been suspended’, ‘Unauthorised activity detected on your account’). Also, they generally are not addressed to you personally (e.g. Dear Customer, Dear Account Holder).

2. If you’re not sure whether or not the email may be legitimate, it’s safest to contact the company direct by phone or via their website to double check.

Type in their web address (rather than clicking on a link) and be cautious about any phone number given in the email. Phishers often use links within the email to take you to a spoofed site with a similar and very genuine looking address (e.g. mybank-online.co.uk instead of mybank.co.uk).

3. Never click on links, open attachments or download any files from unknown, unrecognised and untrusted senders.

Some phishing emails or other spam contains spyware – software that is used to record your internet activities – or Trojans that will allow hackers access to the data on your computer. Don’t trust pop-up screens, enter personal information or click on one, and don’t copy a web address from a pop-up into your web browser.

In fact, even opening a spam email is a bad idea – it gives the sender confirmation that they’ve reached a live address.

4. The right way to deal with any ‘phishy’ emails you receive is to report them straight away.

Many companies have a dedicated security email that you should forward the suspicious email to so that it can be investigated and dealt with appropriately. Examples include internetsecurity@barclays.co.uk, stop-spoofing@amazon.com, spool@paypal.com, phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.

Once you’ve reported the email and forwarded it, delete it from your inbox forthwith.

5. The best way to keep your computer secure is by installing antivirus and anti-spyware software that will scan for malicious software on your computer and, if detected, disable it.

There are also spam filters to help protect you from receiving phishing emails. Finally, make sure your firewall is enabled and up to date at all times to block communication from unwanted sources.

6. It goes without saying that everyone should observe basic security etiquette for any online activities they carry out:

• Set strong passwords that are difficult to crack

• Don’t use the same password for all your online accounts

• Never share your PIN numbers or passwords with anyone, and don’t write them down.

• Never email any personal or financial information, even if you know the recipient. You just don’t know who may gain access to your (or the recipient’s) email account and compromise the security of your data.

• Be vigilant – remember that you could be the target of a spam or phishing attack anywhere online, so don’t be tempted to throw caution overboard.

See Also: Don’t Get Your Identity Stolen – Here’s How

7. Finally, check your online accounts and bank statements on a regular basis to make sure that no unauthorised transactions have taken place.

Report any suspicious activity immediately.

The post 7 Top Tips to Avoid Being Caught in a Phishing Net appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Buying insurance is an expensive but necessary purchase. Because the rates are often high for good insurance coverage, it can be tempting to purchase it directly from the insurance company, skipping the middleman insurance broker. However, insurance brokers will tell you it’s best to make use of their services.

What do insurance brokers do? Why is it better to have one? Read on and find out.

1. Brokers will help assess insurance needs

Customers purchasing insurance have different types of properties and different coverage needs. Whether the insurance is for a property, vehicle, business or other piece of personal property, there are a lot of variables in buying insurance.

While these options are available to any potential buyers online or in hard copy, it can take a lot of time and effort to sift through all of the possibilities with little prior experience. This is where a broker can assist.

Not only are brokers knowledgeable about policies, coverage and exceptions, but they are also much faster at pointing customers in the direction that is best suited to their needs. Customers who need special services or unique changes to their policies often find that brokers are able to make these adjustments much more quickly and easily than the customers attempting to directly contact the insurance companies.

See Also: What To Look For In A Good Health Insurance Plan

2. Brokers will obtain quotes and policy comparisons

Along with finding the right insurance plans, brokers are able to quickly and easily get quotes and make policy comparisons. Direct customers are able to make similar appraisals, but they often do not have the same software access that provides clear associations. Brokers are also sometimes able to find ways to combine different types of insurance to provide comprehensive coverage for reduced rates.

In addition, the quotes that brokers are able to offer may be significantly lower than the direct sales cost. Brokers are typically provided with special pricing by insurance companies because the companies trust the brokers.

Professionally trained brokers will properly insure their customers, helping the insurance save money by avoiding unnecessary claims. This savings is then passed on to the customers through the brokers’ quotes.

3. Brokers will explain terms, conditions and the fine print

Insurance policies can be difficult to understand. There are typically many pages of terms and conditions, often followed by exceptions and exclusions. A customer who purchases any plan will have access to that policy’s terms.

However, sometimes it becomes necessary to get assistance in understanding all the legal language. An insurance broker is trained to read these documents and explain them in everyday words that make the conditions clear to all customers. These clarifications can help customers prevent filing incorrect claims and avoid misunderstanding coverage.

4. Brokers can make policy changes as needed

Life situations can require unexpected changes in insurance coverage. For example, an insurance customer might buy a new house, change marital status or sell a car. A direct sales customer can make these adjustments himself or herself by contacting the insurance’s customer service department but this can often require time on telephone hold and frustration from the customer.

In contrast, a broker is able to handle the headaches that often come from making these changes on behalf of the customer.

5. Brokers can provide assistance during a claim or settlement

When it comes time to file an insurance claim or to face a settlement, brokers can be a bridge between the insurance company and the customer. Brokers act as the customer’s voice, making sure that the claims are handled quickly and fairly.

When customers have questions about how to proceed with the claim, the broker can answer them. All claims can be handled by the customer himself or herself, but the broker can be very helpful throughout the process.

6. Brokers can provide peace of mind

Although many of these decisions can be handled directly by the customer, an insurance broker has the training to fully educate, answer questions and provide services in dealing with insurance companies and policies. While direct customers may stress over the details without anyone helping them through the process, brokers provide customers with the peace of mind of knowing that there is little risk with the broker’s assistance.

See Also: 102 Personal Finance Tips

In addition, insurance brokers are able to provide a high level of security for personal data. They are tasked with remaining discreet and maintaining confidential files for all of their customers. Although direct sales through insurance companies are secure, working with a real-life person often feels safer than entering personal data into a computer or offering it over the telephone.

Many brokers will answer policy questions and offer quotes over the telephone, but it is typically better to speak to them face to face so that there are no forgotten details or misunderstandings. There are benefits to both methods of buying insurance. In the end, deciding whether or not to use an insurance broker is a personal and individual choice.

The post What Do Insurance Brokers Do for You? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Hitting snooze on your morning alarm (again) is probably the worst thing you can do to start your day. Why? I’ve identified 4 main reasons:

First, by going back to sleep for another 10 minutes, you will actually feel more tired and groggy than when the initial alarm went off.

Second, you start your day with an utter and complete failure. You literally show yourself that you’ve got no self-discipline whatsoever. Not a very motivating and empowering start to the day, is it?

Third, you are already stressed out. It feels like you have to rush through your morning in the search of those lost minutes the snooze button stole from you. Feelings of calm, peace, and confidence are nowhere to be found.

Fourth, you are feeling guilty for hitting the snooze button. You are probably beating yourself up over it and building up a lot of negative energy at the start of the day.

Indeed, hitting the snooze button sucks. So here’s the #1 strategy that will make sure you never fall prey to it ever again:

(Note: Having an alarm clock without a snooze button doesn’t count if you just manually “snooze” by setting the alarm to 10 minutes later!)

See Also: Wake Up! Five Ridiculous Alarm Clocks

The simple strategy that can kill your snooze button addiction is called Implementation Intentions.

Implementation intentions are plans that take the form of if/then statements. They simply pre-determine how you will act in a future situation. The “IF” stands for the cue and the “THEN” stands for your pre-decided response to that cue.

“If [this happens], then [I will do that].”

You are essentially deciding in advance how you will act in a future situation. In our case, that situation is when the alarm clock goes off – we want to pre-decide that we get out of bed and don’t hit the snooze button.

The implementation intentions look like this:

– “If the alarm clock wakes me up in the morning, then I immediately get out of bed!”
– “If I’m thinking of hitting snooze, then I get out of bed right away anyway!”

We decide beforehand that we’re not going to hit the snooze button.

Now you may be wondering, “What’s the point of this? That certainly isn’t going to change anything, is it?” Well, actually it is going to change everything. It certainly turned me from snooze-button addict to someone who hasn’t hit snooze in over a year.

You see, implementation intentions are surprisingly powerful. They have been PROVEN in almost one hundred scientific studies to have a strong impact on our behaviors. In this case the behavior would be NOT hitting the snooze button.

Here’s one study that will hopefully convince you of using this strategy. Twenty drug addicts committed to writing a résumé before 5pm of the same day.  Why a resume? The staff in the hospital encouraged the drug addicts to write out their resumes in order to find work after the end of the treatment.

There were 2 groups:

– Group 1: They drew up implementation intentions for achieving the goal. They pre-determined when and where they would write the résumé.
– Group 2: They made no plans for achieving their goal whatsoever.

The results: At 5pm, none of the people in the 2nd group had written the résumé. Not a single one. What about the guys who created implementation intentions? Get this: 8 of them had written the résumé.

My point is, implementation intentions work. They will work for you, too. So here’s what I suggest you do: Write down the two previously mentioned implementation intentions and read them every night before going to bed. Of course, you can add your own variations as well.

See Also: 9 Simple Tricks to Supercharge Your Whole Day

You will be surprised at how effective this trick is – it will (almost) singlehandedly kill your habit of hitting that dreaded snooze button.

The post Use This Strategy to Never Hit The Snooze Button Again appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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