HOW TO ‘SHUFFLE’ YOUR WAY TO RESTFUL DREAMS GOODBYE, SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
A good night’s rest is one of the keys to a healthy life, but if counting sheep isn’t working for you, a psychology-based sleep hack can help quiet your most intrusive thoughts. Cognitive shuffling is a technique that aims to disrupt your thought patterns by focusing on random words to help your mind relax. It’s like shuffling a deck of cards — rearranging all the ideas to quiet the noise so you can sleep. Get ready to finally catch some z’s with this clever strategy to take you into dreamland.
five letters long and doesn’t cause an emotional reaction. Now, think of three words that start with the first letter of the word — like rain, road, and rosy. Repeat this for each letter until you finish the word you first chose. As you think about the words, spell them out slowly and visualize them. This practice resets your mind as you focus on something other than thoughts or feelings that keep you awake.
imagine them. Create visuals in your mind so you can drift off to sleep. You can also use your heartbeat as your guide. Think of a non-emotional word like “horse,” and on each heartbeat, think of a word that starts with the first letter. The trick is to keep each word random, going with the first image that comes to mind.
SHUFFLE OFF TO SLEEP To turn this trick into a sleep triumph, get into bed, turn off the lights, and try to relax. As you lie there, think of a non-emotional word, like “rest,” or a similar word around Cognitive shuffling gently nudges your brain away from worries and wandering thoughts that cause insomnia, easing you into a calm state. When you embrace random words and images that distract you from intrusive thoughts, you give yourself permission to get the rest you need. Sweet dreams are just a shuffle away! BETTER BUDGETING MIND MOVIES Another method of cognitive shuffling involves conjuring different imagery in your mind to help you escape random thoughts or leftover anxieties from the day. As you lie in bed, think of random words like “cow” and THE BENEFITS OF THE 50/30/20 RULE
For many people, getting the most out of their hard-earned money can be a challenge. Thankfully, the 50/30/20 rule is here to help! This simple budgeting rule is straightforward, easy to remember, and
WANTS What good is life if you can’t enjoy yourself? The rule says you should apply 30% of your after-tax income toward your wants. This portion can be spent on everything from tickets to see
useful (if you stick to it). According to the rule, you should take 100% of your after-tax income and allocate it in three different ways: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings. For more on how to use the rule, read on! Needs Half of your money should be put toward necessary expenses: groceries, utility bills, health care expenses,
your favorite sports teams, a premier “Jurassic Park”-themed pinball machine, or eating out at a restaurant. However, it should only apply to things you want to spend money on immediately — not long-term investments.
SAVINGS The last 20% is the money you save for a rainy day. It can be cash you are saving for a dream vacation, money invested in a 401(k), or simply put into a savings account. Any long-term investment you make will fall into this category.
loans, mortgages, and other payments. However, you may need more than 50% of your money to cover your mandatory expenses, and the remaining money should be split between wants and
savings as evenly as possible. Your needs could also require less than half of your after- tax income. In this case, use the leftover money to pay down loans and debts so you will have more money to dedicate to savings and wants in the future.
While the 50/30/20 rule is not an exact science, it is worthwhile for budgeting your money responsibly and equitably!
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