One of the best things you can do for your life is to automate the regularly occurring stuff. Once these tasks are off your plate and out of your head, it’s a good idea to get busy learning from the many sources available in the digital world. From videos to teach you how to crochet to professional improvement training, there are many ways to make your time incrementally more effective, which can lead to big gains over time.
Automate Savings
Set up an online savings account that pulls out of your stick-and-brick bank account five days after your payday so you have to leave money in the bank. Not only can you get in the habit of seeing a remaining balance if that’s been a challenge, but many online banks offer a higher interest rate.
Get Something for Nothing
Pay everything from rent to utilities with a credit card that gives you points back for something you’d buy anyway. First, set up all of these payments so they’re on a yearly budget so you don’t face any big surprises. If you love to travel, gather airline or train travel points. If you need a new car, get a card from an automobile company.
Secondly, set up automatic payments to cover your total bill amount and wipe out the debt on that credit card every month. This will
- help your credit rating
- reduce the number of payments you have to track and schedule a month
- get you free things you would have paid for anyway
If something goes south and you can no longer pay that credit card off in full each month, pay the bills directly until things get better.
Use a Budget App
As you strive to consolidate your finances, use a budget app for any spending outside your regular expenses. Track where your dollars go with the tool of your choice, then sit down with your paychecks and take a serious look at your time budget.
We have a bad habit of thinking that budgeting is all about money, but in the end, our time is more valuable than our dollars. People have found money on the sidewalk, but time is hard to scavenge. When looking at your spending budget, carefully study up on how much time is going into the things you’re buying by tracking your take home pay.
If your take home is $500 a week and you spend $100 a week on transport and food, then 20% of your working life is going into getting to your job. Could you make less money but have more time with a job closer to home? With a budget app, you can quickly review where your life hours are being used and consider choices that suit you better.
Get Better at Selling
For professionals, it can be tempting to think that knowing your field is enough. However, sales are itself an art form. To get better at it, consider enrolling in an online sales training course. If at all possible, work with a sales trainer who trains folks from all different industries.
Sales training is one of those things that can help you in a lot of other areas of life. Need to convince your kids to prep for the morning before they go to bed? Share the story of a really bad morning so they understand the negatives. Then offer the prize on what a little work the night before can do for the morning.
Use Mindfulness Tools
Mindfulness tools, like guided meditation and timers, aren’t just about getting into a Zen space. These tools can actually help you cleanse your mind and brain of the toxins that build up during the daily struggle of life.
If you have a hard time dealing with your own errors, such as turning the thought “I made a mistake” into “I am a mistake” consider using a mindfulness tool that helps you focus on your action and making a positive next step instead of internalizing the error.
New gadgets are more than just toys. With the right tools in place, a lot of your life can be run from your phone. If you need a boost to grow your business, remain focused on your technical skillset but strive also to get better at connecting with your clients by selling more effectively.
