
Tools, practices and methods
The world is full of amazing tools that may be perfectly suited to accelerate our journey, but often we only discover them through chance encounters, and can lose years being stuck in sub optimal loops.
Our endeavor is to catalog a growing list of tools and eventually match them to you based on your context.
The 10-second rule
The 10-second rule is a simple guideline that suggests if you hesitate for more than 10 seconds when faced with a decision, you should go with your gut instinct or initial reaction. It emphasizes the importance of trusting your intuition and making swift decisions rather than overthinking or second-guessing.
The Four Ds of Decision Making
The Four Ds of Decision Making is a framework designed to guide individuals through the process of making effective decisions. Each "D" represents a key step in the decision-making process.
The Goldilocks Rule
The Goldilocks Rule embodies the essence of balance, suggesting that optimal experiences lie in tasks or challenges that are neither too easy nor too difficult, but just right. It draws inspiration from the classic fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," where Goldilocks finds the perfect porridge, chair, and bed by selecting those that suit her preferences perfectly. This principle applies across various aspects of life, guiding individuals to seek out challenges that match their skill level while offering opportunities for growth and engagement. By striking this delicate balance, individuals can maximize their performance, motivation, and overall well-being.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
The Sunk Cost Fallacy is a cognitive bias where individuals continue to invest in a decision or project based on the cumulative prior investment (sunk costs), even when it is not rational to do so. In other words, people may feel compelled to continue with a course of action because of the resources they have already invested, even if the future benefits are unlikely or the costs outweigh the benefits.
The Endowment Effect
The Endowment Effect is a psychological phenomenon in behavioral economics where people tend to assign higher value to items simply because they own them. In other words, individuals tend to overvalue objects in their possession compared to the same objects not owned. This can influence decision-making in various contexts, such as buying, selling, or trading goods.
The Daily Spending Limit Method
The Daily Spending Limit Method is a budgeting approach where individuals or households set a maximum amount of money they can spend each day. This method helps in managing expenses by imposing a strict limit on daily spending, encouraging individuals to be more conscious of their financial choices and prioritize their purchases accordingly. By adhering to this limit, individuals can better control their finances and avoid overspending.
Zero-Based Budgeting Method (ZBB)
Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is an approach to budgeting that involves building a budget from the ground up, starting with a zero base for each budgeting period. In both personal finance and organizational contexts, this means that every expense must be justified and approved, regardless of whether it was included in previous budgets.
Cash Flow Budgeting Method
Cash flow budgeting is a financial management approach that focuses on tracking and managing the actual inflows and outflows of cash in a given time period. This budgeting method is particularly useful for individuals, businesses, or organizations to understand how money is moving in and out of their accounts, ensuring they have enough liquidity to cover their financial obligations.
The Financial Vision Board
Crafting a Financial Vision Board entails creating a visual representation of one's financial goals, aspirations, and strategies. It serves as a tangible tool to manifest dreams into reality by combining images, words, and symbols that reflect desired financial achievements and milestones. This personalized board acts as a constant reminder and motivator, fostering a proactive approach towards financial planning and decision-making.
The 30-Day Rule
The 30-day rule is a personal finance strategy where you wait 30 days before making a non-essential purchase. The idea is to avoid impulse buying by giving yourself time to consider whether the purchase is truly necessary or just a fleeting desire. If after 30 days you still want the item and can afford it within your budget, you can go ahead and buy it. Otherwise, you save the money. This rule helps prevent unnecessary spending and encourages mindful consumption.
The Zeigarnik Effect
The Zeigarnik Effect is a psychological phenomenon that suggests people remember incomplete or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. This effect highlights the human tendency to remember and prioritize unfinished tasks, creating a mental tension or "cognitive dissonance" until they are resolved. It's important because it can influence motivation, productivity, and task management. Understanding this effect can help individuals structure their work, manage their time more effectively, and maintain focus on important tasks until completion.
10-3-2-1-0 Formula
The 10-3-2-1-0 formula is a simple method for optimizing sleep and productivity. It involves counting down from 10 to 0, with each number representing an action to take before bedtime. Starting at 10, individuals should begin winding down by turning off electronic devices and dimming lights. At 3, they should finish any tasks or preparations for the next day. By 2, they should complete any personal hygiene routines, such as brushing teeth or washing face. At 1, it's time to get into bed, and finally, at 0, it's time to close your eyes and drift off to sleep, aiming for a restful night's rest.
Debt Avalanche Method
The debt avalanche method is a debt repayment strategy that involves prioritizing and paying off debts based on their interest rates. In this method, you focus on tackling the debt with the highest interest rate first, making larger payments towards it while paying the minimum on other debts.
Debt Snowball Method
The debt snowball method is a debt repayment strategy that involves paying off debts in a specific order, starting with the smallest balance and progressing to the largest. In this approach, you focus on eliminating the debt with the smallest outstanding balance first, regardless of the interest rate associated with each debt.
The 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule
The 50/30/20 rule is a budgeting principle that recommends dividing your after-tax income into three main categories: allocate 50% to essential needs such as housing and utilities, 30% to discretionary wants like entertainment and dining out, and reserve 20% for savings and debt repayment, encompassing contributions to savings accounts, retirement funds, and debt reduction.
The Envelope System
The envelope system is a budgeting method that involves allocating and managing cash for different spending categories using physical envelopes. This system is designed to help individuals and households control their spending, prioritize financial goals, and avoid overspending in specific areas.
Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower Matrix is a productivity tool that categorizes tasks based on their urgency and importance. It helps users prioritize activities by placing them into four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. This matrix assists in making effective decisions and managing time more efficiently.
Digital Detox
Adopt a digital minimalism lifestyle for enhanced well-being and focus on meaningful priorities.
Begin by decluttering your digital space, removing unused apps, and organizing digital environments.
Set boundaries on social media, email, and digital tools, favoring quality interactions over constant connectivity.
Cultivate offline activities and hobbies to create a healthier balance between digital and physical aspects of life.
Floating Therapy (Sensory Deprivation Tanks):
Floating in this tank induces a sensation of weightlessness and relaxation. The buoyancy of the saltwater fully supports your body, alleviating the typical pressure felt on muscles and joints. This experience, coupled with the serene, dimly lit environment inside the tank, encourages both body and mind to unwind. It creates a sense of tranquility akin to being in a serene, secluded space where tensions and concerns can be temporarily released, fostering a profound feeling of peace and comfort.
Pareto Principle(The 80/20 Rule)
The Pareto Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 rule, suggests that roughly 80% of results often come from 20% of causes or efforts. It highlights the disproportionate relationship between inputs and outputs, emphasizing that a small portion of factors typically contributes the most to outcomes. Applied in various fields, including personal finance, it helps identify crucial areas for focus, resource allocation, and optimization to achieve more significant impact with less effort.

Help us build this list, please suggest any tool / method or practice that you know.