Reclaim your agency - relax

Fuming over waiting is only scratching the surface, and is short-sightedness towards a symptom. We need to dig deeper and look for the cause, asking oneself the reason for the wait.

We can then begin to ask ourselves who the beneficiary of the waiting game is. We can sometimes benefit ourselves from waiting, as it builds our patience, and also helps others(as in case of a traffic light).

We hate waiting as it breaks the day’s flow, putting us in limbo. This wait mode is what gets to us, as it pulls us to the present moment, which we are trying to avoid most of the time by remaining distracted in the world. This time can be used to unlock the default mode of our brain, using daydreaming and our imagination network.

We need to embrace this forced present tense of our lives, that holds us in front of ourselves. This precious time is full of infinite possibilities to make the future even better.

• You feel the need to reward yourself after a hard day of work by buying new clothes/accessories or eating out.
• Lifestyle creep controls your expenses. When your income increases, you buy a new car or a more expensive house.
• You reserve your credit card for unexpected expenses instead of using an emergency fund.
• You rationalize using a credit card to buy things you might not purchase with a debit card.
• When something is on sale, you feel the urge to buy it, even if you wouldn't have otherwise bought it.
• You follow social trends.
• You don't think you have money to invest or the time for it.

Consumers will remain consumers, even if their income increases.

• Negative spending habits can destroy your financial life, and disrupt your mental health and relationships.
• Credit card debt can put stress on the quality of your life an contribute to unhappiness.

To give books the attention and time it deserves in your life, you need to make it a higher priority. It means you have to change your habits and routines to allow more reading.

Sometimes, your reading needs only a little encouragement to displace something that should be lower down on your list. For example, to forgo watching television and reading a book instead.

• First consider why you want to read more books. Reading should be enjoyable for you because you find them entertaining, calming, stimulating, and fascinating. Once the habit is set, you can also read other things you "should" read.
• Change your surroundings to make it easier for you to grab a book. Reading apps can be prominent on your phone. Physical books should be in places that you most often frequent.
• Create modest reading goals. Permit yourself to start with reading one page a day. Once the habit is established, you can increase it.
• Once you have laid the foundation for your new reading habit, create an action association, such as reading on the train to work or with your mid-morning coffee or dinner.