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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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Imagine the life you really want to be living. What does it include?

For many people, the answer includes traveling to new places, eating good food, visiting friends and family, and living in a comfortable environment. 

Well, all of those things require financial planning skills!

Jennifer Barrett, financial expert and author of the book Think Like a Breadwinner, joined me on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop. We talked about how to rethink your approach to finances in order to create the life you really want.

1. Look at the shorter-term.

Jennifer says that many of us think that all we need to think about is saving for retirement and having a rainy day fund. But that view is limiting — you’re leaving out all the things you want to do before retirement!

Jennifer suggests having short-term savings goals that line up with your life goals. Do you want to have children or start a small business? Well, both of those things require money. Jennifer says it’s a good idea to align your investment plan with the amount of money you’ll need for the milestones you want to achieve.

2. This doesn’t have to be hard.

For many people, especially women, the messaging we’ve been getting is that financial literacy is complicated. But Jennifer says that’s just not true!

When it comes to investing in the stock market, Jennifer suggests checking out the S&P 500 list of companies. Those investments will probably be safer for beginners. If you’re struggling to decide which stocks to buy, let your interests guide you!

Jennifer’s grandmother actually led the way for her on this one — she invested in companies whose products she used or was interested in!

You don’t have to move around your stocks, either. Jennifer says that leaving your investments to grow until you need them is probably your best bet. 

3. Set yourself up for success at work.

Jennifer has some productivity tips for work, too. You can try focusing on “promotable work” — the things you do that will help you get to the next stage in your career.

Spending your time and energy on what researcher John Williams calls “office housework” (like ordering food for meetings) is probably not the best use of your time. Those tasks often fall to women because they want to be helpful. But that means missing out on productivity and promotions. 

You don’t have to be rude or unhelpful — just balance your time and priorities so that you are not doing unseen labor.

Want more money-making tips? You can watch our full conversation here.

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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