Slow Down, Earn More, Enjoy Life - It's Easy When You Know How
We think of the rat race as a tiring and never-ending race, but it doesn't have to be that way. You can, in fact, slow down and enjoy your life more while earning more than you ever thought possible.
That's what you're going to learn in this post - with tips on how to manage your time better, make smarter decisions regarding your income, enjoy life more (and not feel guilty about it!), and get everything done that needs doing without feeling like a slave to the wheel (in the words of John Lennon). It's easy when you know how!
To be continued….
How to Limit Your Time Wasted
To start with, you have to set time limits for yourself. I will often use this little game, when it's my turn (I have to decide on how much time is left) :
Read the first paragraph (or so) of the book/article, then count how many minutes you spent reading it. Then read everything after that for another 30 minutes. Repeat until your reading time is up (this can be anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour).
This method allows you to spend the most amount of time reading, with the least amount of time spent deciding what to read next. You can schedule different books/articles into a specific part of your day, or you can decide on some time and stick with it, either way should work. You'll find that once you choose how much time you will spend reading, your mind will automatically want to finish everything it's reading in one session.
Also note that part of the reason I enjoy myself so much when I read is because I give myself a set amount of time to do so (even if it takes more than one session to finish a book). I don't let the book get in the way of my life, I don't get caught up on useless details, and I always have time to relax and enjoy what I'm doing.
How to Manage Your Time Better
I find that when I forget to manage my time properly, it becomes easier to go out running on a treadmill while watching TV or something else that would be much more enjoyable if done in private. But when you spend your time wisely, you'll get so much more done! Here are some ways to do just that:
Schedule your day - A lot of people write their days down on a calendar, this can work but I prefer a bit of paper and pen. I have a few blank pieces of paper that I write my daily schedule on, and every time I finish something, I cross it off the list. That way I'm not tempted to plan too much for the day; if I see something extra come up, or if there is extra time in my day, that's fine - but it's what needs to be done the next day and beyond.
Take breaks - This is going to sound like a cliche but it's true: You can't work all day without taking some time out for yourself. (If you can, then you're either superhuman or insane.) It seems that a lot of people burn out because they forget about this important part of working. I'm not saying you should take a break for an hour because you're tired; but you should use some of your spare time to take a short walk outside, stretch, or relax on the couch.
Take breaks (along with scheduling) are what allow me to work so hard when I do work. I get the maximum amount of work done in the least amount of time. And it's far easier to complete a task when you're relaxed and refreshed than if your stressed out and exhausted.
Don't waste time - Whenever I'm working on my computer, I'm either doing something productive or doing something mindless that will help me get back to work (don't forget about those breaks!). When I'm watching TV or playing a video game, I try to make good use of my time by getting ahead on projects or even doing something else that's related. If you use the time you spend on your computer in the right way (no internet surfing and such) it can really help out your productivity.
Motivate yourself - There are a few tips I use to motivate myself:
Set goals - This is extremely important if you want to motivate yourself. When you set goals for yourself, whether they be about writing, reading, time spent exercising/working out, eating healthy, or anything else you can think of, it will help keep you moving forward. If you don't have any goals, it will be hard to motivate yourself.
Use visual reminders - If you really want to keep yourself motivated and on track, put some visual reminders around the house (especially where you're working/browsing). Post-it notes work great for this, and so do things like clocks (whether digital or analog). If something moves too slowly, I use a stopwatch (or just my watch) to keep myself from wasting time.
Tell others about your goals - A lot of people won't admit it out loud but they do this anyway: They show their friends, family members, etc. that they've actually done something. I'm not saying you need to brag, but when you tell close friends and family members about your goals, it makes you want to reach them even more so.
To be continued…..
Make Smarter Decisions Regarding Money
A lot of people have a hard time making money decisions, especially if they're spending it on stuff that will never pay off (like a lot of video games and movies). I myself knew that I was wasting a lot of my money but for some reason… Well, let's just say "some things are hard to admit out loud. Anyway, here are some tips to help you keep your money down and still enjoy yourself:
Don't buy video games - In order to stick with this one, I had to change my view on video games. Instead of buying a game, I have decided to rent them from a video store. If I decide the game was worth it, then I will go out and buy it (this is usually only for my favorite games that are really hard to rent). So far this has worked out well for me.
Conclusion
There is no reason why you cannot improve your life and become more happy. And it's not hard to do at all. All you need to do is make the right choices. It may take a little time, but this will pay off in the end. Just choose wisely (and I hope you enjoyed this article) - please let me know what you think!
Special thanks to David O'Loughlin for helping me write this article. Check out his website on how to use your free time wisely, as well as join his site in order to get motivated by other people who also want to improve their lives!
Also check out my other articles (including the Psychology section).