Wasting Time, It's Serious Business

Do you know how to NOT waste time? Really think about your answer first. In a culture of social media “pings” and feeling like everything has to be done NOW …. more of us actually waste time versus being productive.

The Eisenhower Box method has been tested again and again. It is the best method to use when preventing time from being wasted while boosting productivity. So, what is the Eisenhower Box method?

Basically, this method states one should separate actions based on four possibilities. The possibilities are:

Urgent and important (tasks you will do immediately).

Important, but not urgent (tasks you will schedule to do later).

Urgent, but not important (tasks you will delegate to someone else).

Neither urgent nor important (tasks that you will eliminate).

If you look at every single item that comes across your desk, iPhone, tablet, etc. and apply one of these four possibilities to it – you will not waste time. The Eisenhower Box method is all about assessing and addressing by making an immediate decision on every potential and actionable item.

For today, start apply this method and notice how much you get done and how quickly it gets done. I promise you the productivity in your life will go up and you still will have more time left at the end of the day.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Investing Small Money 101

You don't have to have tons of cash to invest wisely. You can use "small money" to become wealthy. There are a few tricks. Make sure to consult with your financial adviser before making any rash decisions with money. However, I am listing my tricks of the "small money" trade below.

Start with paying yourself. We all pay bills and have financial obligations. But, we often forget to pay ourselves. Take 17% of your net pay or profit and put it aside for yourself. Don't touch this money. It can help you gain a line of credit or act as collateral later down the line.

Look into buying stocks using Dividend Reinvestment Plans ("DRIPs") or Direct Stock Purchase Plans ("DSPs"). These plans are easy to use and only require $50 dollars to start. You also want to seek out mutual funds with a low minimal purchase. Some mutual fund companies will allow investors to start investing with small deposits, but you'll have to agree to an automatic investment plan whereby you let them deduct a fixed amount from your bank account every month for the purpose of buying additional stock.

If you can afford to set aside a thousand dollars (or more) consider a CD. This stands for Certificate of Deposit. The concept is to loan your money to a bank. The bank has a certain amount of time to pay you back with a higher interest rate. It is like a savings account but you can't withdraw the money during an emergency. The plus side is the interest on a CD is larger than that of a savings account.

You can use "small money" to grow major wealth for yourself.

Until next time,
Twyla