I admit that times have changed drastically since I was young, and that certain maxims that I was raised to believe and follow are long past useless. But I offer a handful of lessons that I believe are still worthwhile:
- When purchasing an appliance or piece of furniture used to store or keep stuff in, including foodstuffs, one should consider going tall. Floor space is usually limited and its use should be maximized. For instance, while a tabletop style desk is very attractive, it is not very practical. My desk (which admittedly is old-fashioned like me) is stuffed with business and correspondence files, office supplies and personal items I like to keep handy but out of sight. In the long run, having the extra storage space is worth the extra expense. The same holds true for refrigerators, freezers, shelves, etc.
- Try to handle routine e-mail, text messages and snail mail only once… at least until you get older and need more time to settle on the correct action. Mail comes in every day. Try not to let it stack up. Handle it. Legal documents or those with serious import deserve a more thoughtful approach and a little extra time. But don’t let it drag on.
- Keep a TO DO LIST. Update it daily.
- Unless you’re a teenager, invest in quality, classic clothes, not one year wonders. They cost a little more on sale, but you’ll get a lot more mileage out of them.
- Organize personal and business files with tax reporting in mind. This includes hardcopy, digital and telephone files. Determine ahead of time where and how the bulk of your communications and financial and business files and records are to be kept. I keep annual records for taxes as well as what I refer to as legacy files which cover multiple years like insurance policies and investments. I keep legal files (wills and proxies) and medical files. I’m not perfect, but I’m getting better at this. Organization is crucial, especially as one ages. Discipline pays off. Less time is lost in searching for documents. Trust me. No matter how organized you are, over the years, you’ll spend an incredible amount of time searching for documents.
- Keep important records safe from fire, theft, flood, computer crash and all types of loss or misplacement.
- If you are married or have a child, execute a will, no matter how young you are.
- Prepay final arrangements when you reach 65 years of age, if not before.
- Exercise regularly.
- Save for your retirement from the get go. If you are in your twenties, it’s conceivable that you could live twice as long as you anticipate.
- And don’t forget the old saw: If I’d known I would live this long, I would have taken better care of my teeth!
Good Luck.