Why Aren’t You Doing These 5 Simple Things?

Community Manager — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:15:00 GMT

Look, we understand your to-do list is long. Same here. But some things just never seem to get done, right? Time for some gentle prodding: make 2013 the year you add these five simple steps to your usual to-dos. Most only take a few minutes of time to complete. Happy more productive 2013.

Daily: Wake up earlier. This may not go over well with the night owls in the crowd but rising and shining even 15-30 minutes earlier each day will jumpstart your day. More time equals less stress and better organization. You can even use the extra minutes for exercise or other wellness activities such as mediation or journaling.

Weekly: You've got mail!...somewhere. Check your spam folder weekly for emails that have gone astray. And if you have multiple email accounts, do a weekly review to make sure important messages aren't being missed. Finally, take 10 minutes at the end (or beginning) of each week to free up your inbox by clearing out old emails and responding to outstanding items.

Monthly: Max out your 401(k) contributions. Each month countless employees leave money on the table in terms of matching funds from their employers. If a reduced paycheck is daunting, cut costs elsewhere to make up the deficit. There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but free money? Yup, it exists.

Yearly: How's your credit history? If you're like many Americans, you have no idea. Given that identify theft is increasingly on the rise, staying on top of your credit history is critical. Once a year, use the three main credit bureaus--Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion--to both monitor and protect your credit. Many experts caution that credit monitoring is just the first step, and advocate signing up for two years of a free credit freeze at each of the three main credit bureaus. With a freeze, no one can look at your credit profile without having you first allow the ban to be lifted. So crooks can't open accounts or buy items under your name.

Extra Credit: Overachievers, we know you love to add a little extra to your routines. How about a thirteenth mortgage payment versus twelve? Did you know that by adding just one extra payment annually, you can shave as much as five years off on your loan? For homeowners in your fifties, this can mean one less expense during retirement. Now that's golden!

Beyond Folders : productivity, organization tips

Why Aren’t You Doing These 5 Simple Things?