One habit for positive change
In The Power of Habit authore Charles Duhigg cited research that found a correlation between making your bed and following a budget. I have thought quite a bit about this connection. The theory is that making your bed each morning is one small victory, one step toward control, which builds strength to take other steps, too.
Automate habits
Instead of thinking each day about making your bed; the more it is just a habit the easier it will be to maintain. Every day you don’t want a to-do list three pages long with making your bed at the top. Instead much of our daily activities can be automated. We don’t want to have to think too much about what we do. It’s better to just do it.
More decisions = fatigue
Moreover, the more decisions we make each day, the more we wear down our will power. Once again, just having a system, just a few key habits is essential, and it builds outward into other positive changes.
A habit of planning
Behavioral finance research has found an interesting link between people who plan with to-do lists or keep a list of goals and retirement planning. It seems a bit obvious, but it goes a little deeper.
Planners think about consequences
People who start their day with a plan even when operating outside their plan, still think more about decisions and weigh the consequences.
So…be a planner, find a planner
Write a to-do list and work on your retirement plan. I’m here to help. Advisors bring planning experience and a knowledge of investments that can help keep you on track. 410-810-2475