WELLNESS TIP: START THE DAY WITH POSITIVE ENERGY. Avoid tackling busy or dreaded work first. While it can be tempting to “warm up” your day with busy work or your least favorite tasks, Rettig says it’s a better idea to start with something important that’s likely to yield a positive outcome. “For example, make the one or two sales calls you think are the most promising,” she says. “Accomplishments motivate you for the rest of the day.” - Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand

Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand:



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WELLNESS TIP: AVOID ANSWERING THE PHONE UPON WAKING UP. With caller ID, most of us have some idea who is calling when the phone rings. Unless you’re someone who handles crisis work or makes sales calls for a living, get the most out of your morning by turning off the phone, suggests Rettig. “The phone can be highly interruptive,” she says, adding that even short calls can distract you and take you off track. - Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand

Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand:



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WELLNESS TIP: EXERCISE UPON WAKING UP. Procrastination begins in the body, says Rettig, and deskwork helps foster it. Morning exercise gets the blood flowing and makes you more alert. If you don’t like to sweat or can’t fit in a long routine, simply start your day by stretching, twisting or dancing. “It’s important to work out the stiffness in the body, especially if you sit all day,” she says.

Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand:



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WELLNESS TIP: AVOID TURNING ON THE TV UPON WAKING UP. For many people, the morning routine looks like this: Take a shower. Watch some TV. Eat breakfast. Watch some TV. Walk the dog. Watch some TV. “The television stretches out our morning ritual and distracts us from our mission,” Rettig says. “Don’t get anesthetized by the TV – leave it off.” If you need background noise, she says music on the radio is better. Save talk radio for your morning commute.-

Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand:



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WELLNESS TIP: AVOID GOING ON-LINE UPON WAKING UP IN THE MORNING. Checking email or social media when you wake up is a common way to start the day, but those few minutes you think you’ll spend online often turn into an hour or more. Rettig suggests staying offline until 10 a.m. “It’s easy to get sucked into the vortex of the Internet,” Rettig says. “Protect the morning for the work that’s important to you, then be available for others later in the day.”- Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand

Ways You're Sabotaging Your Mornings - Yahoo Finance New Zealand:



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: HAVE A 6 MONTHS EMERGENCY FUND & CONTRIBUTE TOGETHER. Every couple gets hit with the unexpected at some point, whether it’s a job loss, illness or even natural-disaster-related repairs. An emergency situation can put even more stress on a relationship if there isn’t a cushion of money to get you through the ordeal.

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart: "And don’t think it can’t happen to you: In a poll conducted by Bankrate.com, only 24% of those surveyed said they had enough to cover six months of expenses. Spare yourselves the future drama, and commit to building at least six months’ worth of expenses for those “just in case” moments. Figure out how much you can sock away each month, and then contribute together."



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: COMMIT TO AN INVESTMENT FUND FOR THE FUTURE. Now, for a Valentine that represents your long-term goals. There’s nothing that says commitment more than saving up for a future home or the globetrotting you’ll do in retirement. Whatever the ultimate objective, starting an extra nest egg outside of your retirement savings helps you to both picture a future together.

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart: "As with your special-occasion fund, connect the account to a specific, future goal and determine when you want to accomplish it. This will not only remind you of the goal, says Faherty, but it will also help determine the best investment vehicle and asset allocation to fund"



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: WHEN DONATING, MAKE IT A BOTH DECISION AS A COUPLE

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart: "Love begets love, and giving back can be a gift that warms both of your hearts. Have a heart-to-heart about the societal ills that concern you both, and then research charities that are working to address those problems."



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: GIVE HIM / HER A GIFT CARD REDEEMABLE TO CASH THIS VALENTINE'S DAY!

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart: "Often one partner assumes the heavy lifting when it comes to managing household finances. If your significant other is typically the one who makes sure that the bills get paid on time, Faherty suggests offering a Valentine that lets you switch roles for a period, so you can both be involved in money matters."



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: SET ASIDE A HONEYMOON FUND. "What’s more romantic than having an account labeled “Second Honeymoon” or “My Sweetheart’s 40th Birthday Bash”? Once you’ve set up a separate bank account for a short-term goal that you share, create a priority goal folder for it in your LearnVest Money Center, so you and your honey can watch the money grow. After all, those shared experiences could be what gets you through the challenging times."

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart:



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: GIVE HIM / HER YOUR LIFE INSURANCE POLICY. Ensuring that your partner is taken care of in the event that something happens to you—and vice versa—offers the gift of peace of mind. “You never know where the road of life will take you, and planning ahead for illness or death as well as having life insurance can help couples be ready,” says Mitchell Adel, a certified elder law attorney and managing partner at Cooper, Adel & Associates, a law firm specializing in estate planning and elder law.

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart: "Life insurance is especially important if you think that your loved one might have difficulties meeting monthly living expenses and paying one-time costs in the event of your death, like funeral expenses, as well as such longer-term bills as a mortgage—not to mention just the general cost of raising children."



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WELLNESS TIP FOR COUPLES: BE BOTH INVOLVED IN FINANCIAL DECISION. That’s because fighting about money is why most married couples split up, according to a study by Kansas State University researcher Sonya Britt. She found that couples who argue over money early on in their relationships were at a greater risk of divorce—regardless of their income, debt or net worth levels. By meeting with an adviser, you’re making sure that both of you are involved in financial decision-making, and that you are on the same page when it comes to your bigger goals and how you’ll reach them. - Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart

14 Financial Valentines to Give Your Sweetheart: "Normally, telling your significant other that you both need professional help isn’t a great sign for the longevity of a relationship. But signing up for a couple’s consultation with a financial planner may be a gift that actually increases your relationship’s long-term staying power, says Jennifer S. Faherty, a Certified Financial Planner™ and founder of Redbird Partners."



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