The Domino Effect
By Melissa Tosetti
It's a common phenomenon that a sink full of dirty dishes is a catalyst for ordering takeout. The thought of having to wash the dishes before ever getting started on dinner is understandably discouraging.
That same type of procrastination can be found when it comes to tracking your spending and paying bills. A cluttered, messy desk is anything but inviting. If the above scenario hits home, this week, straighten your work space, making it as easy as possible to stay on top of your finances. Make Saturday the deadline to complete the task.
Do what you can to make your desk a place you would enjoy SPENDING time rather than a place where you DO time.
While you’re at it, keep an eye out for other "negative catalysts" that result in procrastination and harmful or expensive habits.
A few examples of catalysts that can create a negative domino effect include:
A cluttered, overstuffed closet becomes a catalyst for buying more clothes because we can’t see what we already have, so we assume we just need more. Schedule a Saturday morning to go through your closet and get rid of the clothes you no longer need or want.
We procrastinate filling our car with gas, thinking it will take too much of our valuable time, which forces us to have to stop at another time, potentially making us late for work, an appointment or to pick up the kids. Creating a ritual around filling your tank on the same day each week, even if there’s still ¼ of a tank left, minimizes this experience.
A “messy” calendar can have the same effect. “We pay to join social or business organizations, or sign up for events, and then don't go because we've over-scheduled ourselves for that day and we're exhausted or running late by the time the event starts. We miss out on the mental health-boosting benefits of networking and socializing. Then we kick ourselves while we're down for wasting the money,” says Beth Bridges, the Networking Motivator. Slow down and take your time when adding an event to your schedule ensuring you have plenty of time to enjoy and take full advantage of the occasion.
As busy humans, we experience these scenarios on a regular basis. Instead of continually getting thrown off, recognize them for what they are when they happen, brainstorm ideas for how to keep them from happening again.
Melissa Tosetti is a cash flow planning expert, founder of The Savvy Life and author of the international bestseller Living The Savvy Life.
For the past eight years, she’s worked with over 625 individuals and families to create Spending Plans.
To learn about the Spending Plan process, visit The Savvy Life’s Home Page. If you’d like to learn about how The Savvy Life works with financial advisors and their clients visit: The Savvy Life Advisor’s Page.