How to Simplify Your Life?

Let's face it, life has become way too complicated. Between spending huge parts of our time at work, paying our taxes, making sure everything in the house is in order, fixing our cars, making sure our kids are ok, working for their future and dealing with the ever increasing demands of technology from us, sometimes we just feel like screaming: "Enough! Leave me alone!".  But life doesn't uncomplicate itself, we have to do that, and so, with the goal in mind of having a simpler life, you can have it without moving to some remote countryside and milking cows.Here's how:

1. Get up 20 minutes earlier: If you find your morning tight on time, try to go to bed a littler earlier and get up 20-30 minutes before your usual time. You'll be surprised how this little addition of time can start your whole day better. 2. Be 10 minutes early for meetings: It's hard to be late when you're planning to get there early, and it'll some of the pressure off. You'll also have time to smooth out your thoughts and think about what you'd like to say. 3. One thing at a time: Don't be fooled by those around you who brag they can do it all. Everyone has a problem concentrating on several tasks at once, or even pay attention to one while you're thinking of another one. Try to put your entire focus on the most urgent issue. Finish it and then move on to the next. You'll be surprised how much faster and more efficient you are at problem solving when you're solving one problem at a time. 4. Ask yourselves some questions: Stop yourselves from time to time and ask: "Am I making things more complicated?" and "how can I simplify the problem?". Sometimes we miss simple solutions because we don't stop to look around us. 5. Ask yourselves: "Will this still matter in five years?", most of the time, it won't even matter in 5 months or 5 weeks. If you find yourselves facing a mountain, maybe check it's not a mole hill. 6. Write down everything: There is no memory that doesn't 'leak' from time to time. The few minutes you spend writing things down will be worth having those things out of your head and memory, resulting in less pressure. 7.Remember that there is something greater than yourselves: We don't know everything, nor are we always right. There are always going to be causes bigger than ourselves. 8. Enjoy the simple things: Sometimes we need to stop, shut our eyes tightly, and then open them again and truly FEEL the moment we're in, the way it looks, the way it sounds, feels, smells and tastes. This is the meaning of living in the moment, and enjoying things that are so basic we hardly really pay them attention anymore. 9. Drink a glass of water: Water is the essence of life, and sometimes we might be better off drinking than binging on junk food that will just increase our anxious feelings. 10. Kindness is a blessing returned: Be kind to others. One day you may be old, sick and in need of kindness yourselves, knowing that you were kind to others and that they want what's best for you is a load off, and will reduce the fear you feel about the future. 11. Simplify your life by simplifying your home: A cluttered house is a cluttered mind, some say. Try and keep a place for everything in your house, keep it clean and tidy. It may seem unrelated, but a clean house makes us feel good about ourselves and helps us concentrate on what's important. 12. Stop and find the roses: Instead of speeding from thing to thing, try taking some extra time with certain tasks, relationships, work and personal projects. That extra time will give you confidence and help you discover things you may miss when you're rushing about. 13. Spend some time with simpler folk: Spending time with those that lead a simple life will help you simplify your own. Their slower pace and calm will leak into your own life, and you'll learn some of their tricks for simpler living.  14. Ask advice from those who have been there: When you encounter a problem, remember that most of them are not new, they have been challenging others as well. Turn to those who have been there, and ask for their advice. Sometimes it takes a village to get through life. 15. Forget about perfection: Don't try to do everything perfectly, you'll probably not succeed. Let go of the illusion of perfection and focus on what you have that is good and true. 16. Take a breath of fresh air a few times a day: Like a smoker on smoke breaks, take breaks to go out and get some fresh air. You'll be surprised how quickly those anxious thoughts can die down while you take a minute to disconnect from anxiety and reconnect with the world around you. 17. Take 30 minutes on the weekend to plan your week:Weekends are a great time to relax and take a little time to plan out what  you are going to do this week. Make a list, it'll help you remember and you'll feel more calm dealing with the coming week's challenges. 18. Ask people around you more questions: Sometimes, the things that make us anxious could be solved with a simple question. Don't be afraid to get answers you may not want to hear - in the long run, it'll help to know. 19. Take some time to be lazy: If you can simplify your lives a bit, you may find out you have some spare time. Take some of it to relax, you deserve a little laziness. 20. Remember life is longer than you think: You may change your mind a couple of times throughout, you may grow as a person and want different things, love different people. Accept this fact and you'll see how things so bothering you as much.

Planning your retirement

Retirement is not something that just happens to other people – all of us will experience it at some point in time. However, not all of us can confidently say that we are well prepared for it. And, unless you work for the government, as a private sector employee you will have to support yourself during retirement because the government will not help you.

There is a high possibility that many of us might be under-funded to finance our own retirements. Even if you are young and retirement could be 30 years away for you, now is the best time to start thinking about your retirement.I hope that this article is very useful for those who are above 40 years.

What does retirement mean?

At a most basic level, retirement means that you will no longer be actively working or earning any salary income. As a result, you need to live off the savings that you would have made during the peak of your income earning years. During the peak of your economic life, you accumulate assets through your savings. During your retired years, you decumulate this pool of capital.

With improvements in the medical sciences, our generation is expected to live longer. If we assume that the average person retires around 55 - 60 years of age, they could still have another 20 – 25 years to live. This means that their savings have to last them for approximately 2 decades or more, when they do not have the capacity to work or are unemployable.

When is the best time to start planning for retirement?

Start early is the mantra that all financial advisors chant when it comes to retirement planning. The reason for this is that one ought to use one’s earning capacity today to accumulate savings that we can then consume during our retired years. If we don’t start early, funding one’s life for 20 – 25 years during one’s retired years can be very challenging. Our earnings capacity will deplete as we age. So, it’s best to take advantage of our earnings capacity today to protect our future when we are not actively earning.

Additionally, recognize that around the time that you plan to retire might also be the time that you have other additional needs to fund major goals such as paying for your child’s education abroad, or their marriage or taking care of your parents’ healthcare needs. So, be prepared to have enough capital to be able to simultaneously finance these different goals.

How can inflation ruin my retirement?

Inflation is like a silent tax that all of us pay. Rising prices raise the cost of living and over time reduce our standard living if our incomes do not rise commensurately. During retirement, as we have no salary income, all our passive sources of income such as retiral funds, investment or rental income, must earn us a higher rate of return than the long term rate of inflation.

Over a 20-year period during one’s retirement, the cost of living can easily double as a result of inflation. So, whenever we plan retirement, one must keep in mind having investments that can help offset the negative impact of inflation on one’s retirement savings.

What instruments should I invest in towards my retirement?

If you are young, the best instruments to invest in towards your retirement are one’s where you can expect long-term capital appreciation that will help offset the risk of inflation. You can afford to take more risk with your investments, because retirement is a long while away. If you are middle-aged and closer to retirement, you might want to reduce your exposure to risk and be invested in instruments that can earn you a more secure return because retirement is just around the corner.

The following are some instruments that are relevant for retirement planning:

- Retiral accounts at work – PF and EPF

- Equities – either through direct stock holdings or through mutual funds

- Pension plans – either pure pension plans or insurance cum pension plans

- Annuities – through which you invest today so that you can get a recurring payback after you enter retirement till the time of your death

- Investment property – that can earn you rent during your retired years

How should I think about healthcare needs during retirement?

Just like an aging car increasingly needs constant servicing and attention to protect against regular wear and tear, we will also need constant attention towards our health as we age. Look around, and you will see aging relatives who are getting health procedures done such as heart operations, joint replacements, removal of organs and so on. These are natural side effects of aging. However, the cost of healthcare is rising at a double-digit percentage, and chances are that by the time we enter retirement, common medical procedures might cost double of what they do today.

One must be prepared with enough funds to take care of one’s health during retirement. Additionally, one must ensure that one has a basic amount of health insurance coverage on an ongoing basis. Getting health insurance gets more expensive and tougher as one ages, especially after the age of 65.

How much money do I need to retire?

This is a very personal question and relates to the kind of lifestyle that you want to lead during your retired years. At a minimum, most people need 60% - 100% of their pre-retirement income each year to finance their retirement. For example, if at retirement you are spending say Rs 50,000 per month (or Rs 6 lakhs per year) towards your lifestyle, then you would need anywhere between Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 per month (60% - 100% of your pre-retirement income) during your retirement.

So, in the above example, assuming you retire at between age 55 – 60 years, you will need a lump sum that can create Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 of monthly income, keeping in mind that inflation will push this number higher every year, for the next 20 years or up to the time that you live. You must ensure that you do not outlive your savings, otherwise you will not have money to support your lifestyle and might have to rely on others to support your daily lifestyle.

If you want to retire early, say in your 40s, then recognize that you will need to ensure that your retirement savings last you that much longer as you are expected to live till 80.

Three point action plan to prepare for your retirement

1. Estimate your lifestyle costs: Ask yourself what kind of a lifestyle are you interested in during your retirement and how much you will need to support that keeping in mind that inflation will increase the cost of lifestyle between now and your retirement. Recognize that if you want to maintain something close to this, you will need adequate funds support this for at least 20 – 25 years during retirement.

2. Start saving now: Starting early is the best activity for your retirement planning because it allows you to benefit from compounding of capital. Even if you can put away small amounts of money, every little bit helps. As a matter of discipline, set aside 10% of your income towards your retirement if you are young, and up to 40% if you are middle-aged. You need to create a pool of capital that can get you a lump sum when you start your retirement that will constantly create income during your retired years.

3. Create passive sources of income: In retirement your earning capacity through active work goes down. So use your earnings today to create passive sources of income that can help you meet your income needs during retirement. For example, you can invest in property that can earn you rental income. Or, you can buy investment instruments that can give you dividends or interest income over time.

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If you fail to plan, then you are planning for failure.

So,better to plan for your retirement as given above and enjoy the last part

of your life happily and peacefully.

The Ten Commandments of Cell Phones

  Cell phones have made communication so much more convenient and simple. With the benefits of cell phones there are also some negatives to them.  This article is designed to provide some basic cell phone etiquette as 'Ten Commandments of Cell Phones'.  

By maintaining good cell phone etiquette we will keep more of the benefits of the cell phones while cutting down on their potential negative use. 

1. Thou shalt not subject defenseless bystanders to cell phone conversations. When people cannot escape the banality of your conversation—on a plane, train, bus, cab, or at a restaurant—spare them. We are just not interested, you boorish twit.

2. Thou shalt not set thy ringer to play "La Cucaracha" every time thy phone rings. Or Beethoven's Fifth, or the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive," or any other annoying melody. Is it not enough that your phone goes off every other second? In addition, any phone that announces "INCOMING CALL" should be tossed in a toilet.

3. Thou shalt turn thy cell phone off during public performances,in theaters, during speeches and meetings, family dinners, at weddings and funerals and on first dates.

4. Thou shalt not wear more than two wireless devices on thy belt. Techno-jockeys attempting to look like they are carrying Batman utility belts are not cool.

5. Thou shalt not dial while driving. This madness must stop.Put the phone down and just drive. There are enough people in the world who have problems mastering driving a vehicle by itself.

6. Thou shalt not wear thy earpiece in the presence of thy friends and coworkers. This is similar to wearing headphones connected to a CD player—it's just rude.

7. Thou shalt not speak louder on thy cell phone than thou would on any other phone. Phones have sensitive microphones, and it's gotten to the point where you can tell if someone is calling from a mobile phone simply by their volume of speaking, not how it sounds. If your signal cuts out, speaking louder won't help.

8. Thou shalt not grow too attached to thy cell phone. For obvious reasons, an addictive dependency on being constantly "in touch" is not healthy. At work, go nuts. Away from work, give it (and the rest of us) a rest.

9. Thou shalt not display thy cell phone on a restaurant table just in case it may ring. This is not the Old West, and you are not a gunslinger sitting down to a game of five-card stud in a Dodge City saloon. Be a little less conspicuous. If it rings, you'll hear it just as easily if it's in your pocket, purse or "holster."

10. Thou shalt not attempt to impress with thy mobile phone. Not only is using a cell phone no longer impressive (unless, of course, it's one of those really cool new phones with the space-age "Matrix" design, interchangeable 

multi-colored face with a laser-linked heads-up viewer and solar battery charger), but when it is used to impress, said user shall be immediately identified as a jerk.