How to Finally Solve These Difficult Financial Problems
Think back to the last time you sat down to complete a financial assignment. How did you feel before you log into your account or pull out your checkbook?
A. Underlined
B. disappointment
C. Calm and collected
Most likely you answered A or B (or both). And while a little anxiety about money is actually a good thing – it can inspire you to act together if you need to, or to ensure that you pay your bills on time – starting a financial task where deep stress, irritability or panic will only do it. much more difficult or painful and can lead to poor decisions.
Stress affects how people make decisions and, in particular, money problems can be handled irrationally. You want to believe you’re doing what’s best for yourself and your wallet, but how many times have you yelled at your spouse about credit card bills after a long day at work, or panicked about the health of your retirement fund after talking to a friend about their more lucrative employer?
If you have had a bad day at work or are facing relationship problems, evaluate how you are feeling before making any financial decisions or solving a problem on your to-do list.
“Physically make sure you are nourished, hydrated and well rested. Make sure you feel emotionally good – confident, energized and energized, ”suggests the Student Loan Hero . “Assess your mental resources such as willpower and mental capacity. If something is wrong, take a break and try to solve your problems before solving your money problems. “
What to do if money is the cause of stress
This is especially important if you are tired of the money task itself. No, don’t torment your money problems , but take some time for yourself and focus on what you need to do now, and not on every possible negative outcome that can presumably happen that will only exacerbate your stress levels.
“Deep breathing is a simple yet effective tool for increasing oxygen and staying present in the moment,” notes the Student Loan Hero. ( This article on panic attacks offers several useful breathing techniques.)
However, if monetary stress is something you constantly encounter, think a little before paying your credit card bill this month – this is only a temporary solution. Once you’ve succeeded in doing what you need to do, you can take stock of your financial anxiety more generally.
List your stressors
First things first: rip off the patch. The best way to confront what is causing you stress or anxiety is to go forward; ignoring it, or wanting to get rid of it, will only make the stress worse (and probably the amount you owe will make it worse as well). Open an account, log into your account and review your budget.
“Make a physical list of what you’re worried about – whatever’s in your brain in the wee hours of the night,” suggests Sara DiGiulio for NBC Better .
Then, rank your list in terms of what worries you the most (or just what your mind is most often occupied with). Maybe it’s a student loan bill or your tax return. Whatever it is, identify it and write down why it is causing you so much anxiety in a dedicated notebook or app. Keep your laptop close at hand and use it whenever you’re stressed. Write it down.
NBC Better also offers the following listing tactics:
Rate each item in terms of your control on a scale of one to 10. When you’re done, circle the things that you think are the most outside of your control — these are the areas you will focus on. Research shows it’s important to purposefully deal with anxiety caused by uncontrollable feelings , says John J. Medina, a molecular developmental biologist and affiliated professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
It’s better to acknowledge your most anxious tasks than to let them continue to fester beneath the surface.
Make a plan
Once you’ve done that, you can focus on putting together a plan to deal with the underlying stressor. As DiGiulio writes:
No matter what type of paycheck you bring home or your bank balance, having a roadmap of how you plan to save and spend is what will make you feel like you are in control of your finances and relieve stress.
Whatever the plan, it should take into account your overall financial situation (income, savings, debt, expenses and spending priorities) and outline the best way to achieve your goals based on your circumstances.
For example, if you owe money to the IRS this year, see if you can agree to a payment plan that can help ease your current financial burden. If student loans are stressing you, explore your payment plan options and call your service staff to see what they have to offer you. Once you have an idea of the options available to you, you can make better decisions (and, at least in my experience, knowing that I’m in control and doing research makes my mind easier).
Make changes as needed
Remember, just because you are setting a plan of action does not mean that it is set in stone. One of the best things you can do for your finances – and any other habit you try to develop – is to make changes when it’s not working. Mistakes are part of life, but correcting these mistakes, learning and developing on them is what will lead to lasting positive change.
So when faced with a setback or other stressful situation, take a breath, ground yourself, and remember that while you cannot change the past, you can control your future (or at least you can control aspects of it). Everything you are dealing with now is temporary.