How 15 Minutes a Day Can Change Your Life

How 15 Minutes a Day Can Change Your LifeHow 15 Minutes a Day Can Change Your LifeA few weeks ago, I was feeling overwhelmed, disengaged, and exhausted. Every half-hour block of every day was accounted for, but I didnt feel like I was really getting anywhere. Instead, I found myself leaping out of bed at the first annoying ding of the alarm to speed-shower, dress, and get myself out the door so I could plow through another day- and hopefully get closer to finding some quiet and calm.I confided in a few of my Mentor Masterclass coaches, who all suggested the saatkorn thing Create a morning ritual, and give yourself a few minutes in the morning to collect your thoughts, breathe, and prioritize your day. Each time I heard the suggestion, I loved it in theory. But since I felt like I barely had enough time to wash the shampoo out of my hair, I didnt know how I was going to make early morning sun salutations happen.So, I didnt do anything- until I got so desperate that I decided it was wo rth a shot. One morning I set my alarm for 10 minutes earlier than I usually do. Then, instead of sprinting out of bed when it went off, I grabbed my notebook from my side table and wrote whatever came into my fuzzy morning brain. I took 10 long, deep breaths. I wrote down my three big priorities for the day. Then I got out of bed. Ive been doing it every day since, and its changed everything. If youre feeling overwhelmed, having trouble focusing, or just looking for a few moments of quiet time, a morning ritual is a great place to departure. Heres what you need to know to create one.You Dont Need a Lot of TimeIn fact, I wouldnt suggest carving out more than 15 minutes for your morning ritual- at least in the beginning- so that you dont overwhelm yourself with yet another thing to do. But, I suggest you set your alarm for earlier than usual, instead of trying to cram those 15 minutes into your already-packed morning schedule. Itll give you a better chance of actually doing it.Do it First ThingThe point of a morning ritual is to anchor in some peace and calm before the chaos sets in. If you let the chaos get to you first (by, say, reading your emails), youll dilute the experience. When you prioritize your sanity, youll realize that everything else can, in fact, wait a few minutes. Keep it SimpleIf youre not sure what to actually do as your morning ritual, hone in on something that will help you get grounded- and dont overthink it. For example, take a few deep breaths, make your favorite green smoothie or oatmeal, write down your 1 goal, or read your favorite blog. It doesnt have to be complicated- it just has to work.Dont Do More Than 12 ThingsYou want to give yourself enough space to enjoy and be fully present in each activity. After a few weeks, if you find that you have an extra few minutes and want to add in another element, go for it.Since starting my morning ritual, my days are more productive. I dont start the day feeling like I have a big ball of who-kn ows-what to get through- I know exactly what needs to be done and in what order. Ive been taking better care of myself, because those extra 10 minutes help me figure out how Im actually feeling and how I can adjust accordingly. Am I cranky? Ill bring a good book on the train. Am I dehydrated? Ill remember to drink more water throughout the day. Most importantly, taking control of my morning- honest to goodness- helped me feel like I was taking back control of my life, which helped me enjoy it more.And, well, thats the whole point.Need a little personalized guidance on creating a morning ritual? Check out my (super awesome) coach, Casey Erin Wood, and her upcoming teleclass on how to do just thatPhoto of coffees courtesy of Shutterstock.

I Took A Pay Cut Ive Never Been Happier

I Took A Pay Cut Ive Never Been HappierI Took A Pay Cut Ive Never Been Happier According to Tolunas Women at Work survey of 1,000 women aged 25 to 35, only 30 percent of respondents currently hold what they would consider to be their Dream Job. Whats mora, 55 percent say that they would take a drastic pay cut to land it. We hear from a woman who did just thatThis isnt a story about how money cant buy you happiness, although I might touch on that a little. Its about how halving my salary meant I could finally afford designer shoes. Its about learning to spend well. Its about a very smug term that keeps coming into my head recently - mindful spending.When I quit a full-time job to go freelance , I had expectations to be happier, have more time to myself and actually see my son when hes awake. What I didnt expect welches to feel richer. I thought I was swapping money for time - finally, at 33, realizing the latter was the more precious commodity. I expected to be po orer and I made my peace with it.But something happened that I never expected - now that I earn less, I have nicer clothes and better holidays. Ive swapped debt for a savings account and I enjoy spending more than ever.I first started earning real money when I was 21 and got a job in an advertising agency. They offered me $22,000 I took the job immediately (funny how we feel okay admitting what we first earned, but become sheepish as we get older). Even 12 years ago, a$22,000 salary in London was tough. An older colleague told me, In advertising, youre underpaid for the first half of your career and overpaid for the second half. He was right. After a few years, a job move meant doubling your salary. Jump agencies a few times and youre earning very good money. bedrngnis that I knew it - I thought everyone was earning the same kind of money. I had no idea the advertising industry paid well until I left it.That was the crux. I was earning a hefty amount of money each month but didn t know it. If you had asked how I felt about my salary, despite being in the top one percent of UK earners, I would have said it wasnt enough. I rocketed through thousands a month, with little to show for it at the end other than a pile of once-worn H&M shirts. I earned enough to never really have to think about money. Enough to buy cocktails and not drink them. Enough to book holidays I never went on. Enough to never send back anything I bought on the internet. It was mindless spending.I never budgeted or planned how to spend. Money just plugged holes I created. Id quickly buy a new pair of sneakers I didnt particularly like because Id left mine at home and there was a lunchtime run at work. It was almost like I gave money no value. It was just something to churn through until it was replaced at the end of the month.But you must have bought loads of nice clothes? friends now exclaim. I didnt. Nice things require time, attention and a thought process. When you give yourself 20 min utes to buy a pair of jeans because you find yourself in front of Liberty between meetings, you are not going to come out with something nice. Theyll be made with lovely denim, the selvedge hard stuff. But they wont fit. Youll still buy them because you need new jeans and you feel like you deserve a treat, and dropping $300 on a whim is doable. Then theyll sit in your wardrobe, youll try them on every morning and always take them off just before you leave the house because they dont fit. Another $300 bites the dust.It sounds like you had zero respect for money, diagnoses Dr. Joan Harvey, a psychologist who specializes in occupational psychology. Its true. You would think because I worked really hard for the money Id respect it, but the only consequence of spending stupidly was having to go to work every day, which Id already resigned myself to. Dr. Harvey continues Which means you probably didnt respect your time, either. People often dont realize that budgeting doesnt just mean the y could have spare money. It could mean more spare time. Nail on the head, Joan. It sounds ridiculous but it took me a long time to realize my spending habits were keeping me trapped in a stressful full-time job . Theres a lesson here - if you dont respect how you spend your time, youre not going to respect your money, because they are completely interlinked.Before I left full-time work, I heard my 22-year-old nephew talk about time the way my peers talked about money. He negotiated time off in his new job the way I had negotiated my salary . He works four days a week and has long holidays when he can tour with his band. Theres nothing like seeing your little nephew rock life to make you realize youre not quite living the dream. That and the realization I hadnt seen my young son awake for four days in a row were the wake-up calls I needed to quit.Once I knew money wouldnt be flowing in with any regularity, I put myself on a strict budget. I started challenging myself to get throu gh a day and only spend a fiver. The thrill of succeeding was greater than any buzz Id gotten from whacking down my credit card. It also taught me what I could survive without - Bounce protein balls, M&S prawns, black cabs, ASOS deliveries and flat whites among them. And the things Im happy to work for - Kiehls moisturizer, beer and childcare.Right now Id rather have time to spend with my son or on passion projects that dont pay well than buy another pair of jeans. I see that plonking my card down for a round of Aperol Spritzes no one really wanted actually cost me an hour of sitting in a boardroom. Freelancing allows me to dial up or down how much I work, so now when it comes to spending I always think, Am I willing to work an hour or a day for this? My conversion rate is time.This article was originally published on Refinery29 . It is reprinted with permission.

How to trick yourself into sticking to a budget

How to trick yourself into sticking to a budgetHow to trick yourself into sticking to a budgetBudgeting and money management is bedrngnis an innate skill that were born with. Yes, some people are naturally more disciplined and organized than otherbeis, but that doesnt mean theyre always great with money. However, even if money matters elude you, you can still take control of your finances to put yourself in a healthy situation and build a good life. Sometimes, doing that requires you to trick yourself into it. No one approach works for everyone, but some of these tips might work for youGet clear on your numbersThe first step to financial success is always to figure out where youre starting from. You cant implement a budget or new habits if you dont do this first. Figure out how much money you have coming in every month, and get clear on how much money absolutely needs to go out. This includes things like rent, utilities, student loans, etc. Whatever is leftover can be allocated into your spending budget, savings goals, and extra debt payments. Once youre clear on these numbers, you can create your budget and set up tools to help you stick to it.AutomateAutomation is key when it comes to financial management. It removes human error from the equation by taking the action for you. That way, you cant forget or actively avoid paying your bills or building up your savings. Set up auto-pay for your utilities, credit cards, and subscriptions. Make sure you keep track of when these payments are due so that you always have enough money in your bank account to cover them. You should also automate any savings youre able to contribute to. Set up your 401k deduction with your employer, and make sure a portion of your paycheck deposits directly into your savings account(s).Set up a spending accountOne of the more genius ideas Ive heard of is opening a checking account that is allocated specifically for everyday spending. Then there is a separate checking account that covers b ills, like rent and other expenses. In this scenario, you would set up your paycheck direct deposit to split into the two accounts based on your bills and your spending budget. Ideally, you would leave your bills debit card at home and only use the debit card that goes with your spending account. Once you run out of money, you have to wait until you get paid next. That can be a motivating factor in keeping your spending down as the weeks go by. It also makes it so that youll never accidentally spend the money that you need to pay your bills.Use cash onlyMaybe youve heard of the envelope method of budgeting. Basically, it means that you set a budget for each spending category each month. Then you put the cash for each amount in an envelope dedicated to that specific category. You only use cash for spending, and once you run out in one area, youre done spending on that category. Abedrngnisher, simpler approach is to take out cash at the beginning of each week and use it on your everyd ay spending until its gone. Once its gone, you cant spend more money until the next week starts. This can be painful, but it will show you where you tend to overspendUse apps that move your money for youIf you know you wont save or invest money on your own, take advantage of all the great apps out there that will do it for you, likeAcorns,Digit,Qapital,Qoinsand more. Many of these apps will use a round-up method to put small amounts of the everyday money that you spend into a savings or investment account. If that approach doesnt appeal to you, you can also choose the exact amount that these apps move for you each month.I have a client who usesDigitnot just for saving money, but for setting money aside for rent during the month. She used to find herself strapped for cash and stressed out at the end of the month when rent was due. Then she set up Digit to pull half of her rent from her mid-month paycheck so that she wouldnt spend it without realizing. The app holds the money in a sep arate account until its due. Now, at the end of the month, she always has enough money to pay her rent and doesnt have to worry about it.Disconnect your cards from online accountsHave you ever made a purchase on Amazon without even thinking about it because your debit or credit card information was already programmed in? Youre not alone. This convenience makes it much easier to spend money impulsively. If you had to stop and type in your credit card number everytime you wanted to make a purchase, youd probably be more discerning. So disconnect your cards so that you have to think twice about that purchase.Delete apps from your phoneHave you ever deleted the Twitter or Facebook app from your phone so that you wouldnt use them so much? This helpful approach can also apply to shopping apps. I once had a client who would open up the Sephora app on her phone when she was bored. This immediately led to her buying makeup that she didnt need and couldnt afford. I suggested that she delete t he app from her phone to remove the temptation, and within days, she realized she had no urge to buy from Sephora anymore. Figure out your most tempting app and delete it from your phone. See how your impulse spending changes afterwards.Budgeting is not a one-size-fits-all system. What works for you might not work for someone else. Its important to know yourself and your habits so that you can know exactly what you need to trick yourself into sticking to a budget. So, what kinds of tricks would help you?Thisarticlewas originally posted on MaggieGermano.com.MaggieGermanois a feminist and financial coach for women. She helps women improve their relationship with money so they can take control of their financial future. She does this through one-on-one financial coaching, workshops, writing, and speaking engagements. She also foundedMoney Circle, which is a safe space for women to talk about money without feeling judged. Its a way to create community and openness around personal financ e. Passionate about many issues affecting women,Maggieis a member of theWomens Information Networkand was trained as a salary negotiation facilitator byAAUW.