4) Lifestyle Design (Building Sustainable Routines)
Design your environment (make good choices easy)
Your environment shapes your behavior more than your willpower. For sleep: keep your bedroom at 60-67°F, invest in blackout curtains, and remove all light sources (even small LEDs affect sleep quality). For work: set up your desk ergonomically—90° angles at elbows, hips, and knees, with your monitor at eye level. Poor posture causes neck pain, back pain, and headaches that compound over years. For lighting: bright, cool light in the morning (helps you wake up), warm, dim light in the evening (signals sleep time). Get a programmable smart bulb. Keep your desk clear—visual clutter increases cognitive load and stress. Every object should have a home. If you want to exercise more, put your workout clothes next to your bed. If you want to read more, put a book on your pillow. Make good choices the path of least resistance.
This is a purely financial question: would you rather pay a little every month or a lot all at once?
- If you hate surprise bills and want to know exactly what your budget is, choose a plan with a higher premium and a $0 or low deductible. This is great for people who don't have large savings.
- If you have a healthy emergency fund (at least $5,000 - $10,000), you can choose a low-premium plan. You save money every month, and if you do get sick, you use your savings to cover the initial costs.
Record your progress
Mark this subsection complete to track your progress.