Things You're Allowed to Do
This post is directly inspired by Milan Cvitkovic's, found here. I hope to expand and update this list over time.
Professional
- Become an expert in a specific topic by researching it, then publishing your thoughts online
- Interview even if you're not actively looking for a job
- Negotiate your salary and equity
- Negotiate for other types of compensation
- Signing bonus
- Part-time/flexible employment
- Remote work arrangement or work from a different location
- More vacation
- Education stipend
- Ask for a raise and/or promotion
- Use work time to level up your skills
- Read
- Write
- Take courses
- Aggressively protect your time
- Block your calendar for deep work
- Decline meetings
- Quit your job
- Change industries, job functions, etc.
- Take a leave of absence from university
- I did this during college – in general, it's easy to spend some time away from school and then come back
- Ask for a job/internship that doesn't exist
- Save lives by donating a portion of your income
Interpersonal
- Ask for exactly what you want
- Requires working to figure out what you want
- Focus on if you enjoy spending time with people, rather than whether or not others like you or are enjoying themselves
- Spend time with the people who make you feel good
- Stop spending time with people who don't
- Reach out to people you admire
- Fly to visit friends
- Travel for a specific event you're interested in
- Honor commitments to yourself
- Schedule active relaxation time
Housing & Travel
- Rent a house or apartment in multiple cities
- This is often cheaper than buying a second home
- It also gives you the flexibility to have a primary residence in a lower tax jurisdiction
- Not have a lease at all and become a digital nomad
- Move to a low-cost area to extend your personal runway
- Continue renting instead of buying a house
- Invest what you would have spent on a down payment
- Solo travel
- Take a staycation
- Purchase multiple flights and decide at the last minute which one you'd like to take
- Cancel the flights you don't take and retain the value as flight credits
- Obviously this doesn't work with basic economy fares, Spirit Airlines, etc. – do your own research
- Pay for a flight at a more convenient time
- Pay extra for a direct flight
- Open credit cards for sign-up bonuses
- Ask for retention bonuses when the annual fee is due
Health
- Hire a coach
- Get comprehensive bloodwork done
- Meet for a physical activity instead of for a meal or drinks
- Self-experiment to determine your optimal:
- Diet
- Sleep routine
- Type and timing of training
- Pick up a new sport or form of physical activity as an adult
- Bonus – these often have a community aspect as well
- Continue training while on vacation – many gyms will have a daily or weekly rate
- Evaluate your body composition, not just your weight
- Schedule your training in your work calendar
- Get free or discounted therapy, gym memberships, etc. through your health insurance
- Develop a journaling practice
- Meditate
- Read the Torah, Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, etc.
- Read the Great Books
Miscellaneous Ways to Make Life Easier
- Buy back your time with money
- Pay someone to clean your house
- Hire a private chef
- Buy multiple items and have them in the places you use them the most
- E.g., place phone chargers and pens in multiple rooms in your house and in your backpack for travel
- Pay for quality items
- Clothing
- Technology
- Appliances
- Not have an opinion about the latest outrage
- Not follow the news at all
- Change your mind
- Ask for a fee to be waived
- Pay to opt out of advertising
- Not have a TV, or otherwise design your environment to reflect your priorities
- Use your local public library
- You can generally put something on reserve if it's not in stock at your location
- They also often have many resources beyond books
- Enroll in community college
- They often have accessible, affordable classes
- You're now eligible for student discounts
- You also may have access to academic journals and free newspaper subscriptions
