Post Grad laziness strikes even the most outstanding student. It can be rough, this thing that you’ve been striving for, for the past 3-8 years has finally been accomplished and it can seem like you’re hurdling into the real world without actionable skills for the future. Before you disappear in the never ending abyss that is real life adulthood, relax, your student skills can be re-applied as real-life hacks. Because you’re so #adult.
1. Budget like mad
Have you ever been so broke that you have to sit yourself down for a real serious conversation about how you’ve got to start saving, but repeat the same baloney spending habits week after week? Either you’re really broke and not making enough money or you are bad at budgeting. Unless you ended every semester dead broke, you’re probably a secret budgeting pro. Don’t forget those skills just because you have more money.
If you’re truly broke, look into another job or start asking for the wage that you deserve. If you’re the type of broke that comes from long weekend escapes and lavish breakfasts and long dinners out after a day of shopping, then a budget and planning your activities could be good for you.
Start with basic budgeting, take the past 3 months and separate out where your money goes. Anywhere from 25-35 percent should go to bills, and that includes things like paying off your student loan, about 10 percent should go into savings, whether you’re putting away for your retirement or just using a basic-b savings account.
If you’re anything like me, organizing some of the biggest non-essential expenses will help you realize where all your money is going to (books and wine and fuzzy things to put on your body). That awareness is all some people need to stop their spending issues and start saving. Other times, it’ll make you realize that maybe you have enough fuzzy things and wine and books and should be spending more time on going out and talking about those books and fuzzy things.
Or, perhaps you will see the amount that you spend on unnecessary items and you could realize that just cutting out your daily four dollar Skinny latte means saving 120 bucks a month! Which is enough that over the course of year, you could buy storage locker and fill it with 17 bottles of 10 year old RedBreast whiskey or 7 pairs of bangin’ heels! Seeing your expenses on a slightly larger format can really put ‘small daily luxuries’ into perspective and help you save in the long-run. Having money on hand makes life a little less stressful, and unexpected bills less of an issue.
2. Take breaks from work
You took breaks from school and you went hard on them. They helped replenish your brain and brought you some much needed time away. While you won’t get as many breaks in the working world, using the ones you do have is vital to your success and health.
Taking breaks means more money and more productivity. It might seem rather arbitrary, but the 52 min working/ 17 min break schedule is one of the most productive work-sprint schedules around right now. You should also take full advantage of your holiday pay. Relaxing is a great way to get more work done.
You can take a couple days off and still get the max productivity out of yourself. Taking breaks helps you relax as a person, reduces stress, and increases your output potential. Plus those budget tips from the last section can help you cut out the costly expenditures from around the house that are preventing you from having really great vacations. Use your time away from work like a brain reset. Every now and again you have to step away from doing the same thing and get the most out of yourself. A happy worker is a productive worker and vacation makes you happy.
3. Care about the same stuff
Giving makes people happy. Hobbies make people happy. You are people. You might have volunteered, sat in on a few on-campus protests or sent letters out to a dozen lawmakers as part of your own fury against some new legislation. Or you were just really into Vining yourself fighting air.
Whatever your hobby was, continuing with those pursuits can help you de-stress and live happier. Continue caring about the same stuff, even if it isn’t quite as easy to pick up or find a collective like it was in college.
Keeping the same hobbies and activities are a great way to keep your stress level down and fill your hands with something other than wine and tear-crumpled student loan bills. Hobbies are a great way to refill your vitality, connect with other people who like what you like, and focus on your passion for a moment. Caring about the same passions you did in college will help your well being and give you a good habit for life. Unless your hobby was something terrible, like binge-drinking, light-arson, or holding cult meetings.
4. Turn some of your hobbies into cash money
You can also turn your college hobbies into full-blown careers that make you cash money. Everyone likes money. It means more things. You might have dabbled in this a little before you graduated, selling your crafts on Etsy or mug-cake mixes around the dorm. After college you can go full scale. Make your passion into your career.
If you’re good enough at your hobby, or have enough passion to fill all your free time with it, you can make money while doing that thing that you love. Your political passion can combine with your PR-degree to start off an exciting political career. Or your love of flying drones around campus can be used with the EPA and other environmental agencies that depend on drones.
Even seemingly silly hobbies can pay off, like this woman who loved tea parties. She used that love to create the most extravagant tea experiences for her guests. Keeping a hobby is not only good for your soul, but it can be good for your wallet too.
5. Don’t give up on learning
You spent a long time gathering information when you went to college. You probably felt a certain degree of freedom when you stopped having to gather knowledge as fast as possible. And began to use that knowledge in your real life. But continuous knowledge consumption is good for growing your brain and getting continuously better. Just adjust what you need to know.
Personal finance is a huge mountain of maybes and decisions for you to get started on when you start earning money. Should you start saving for the elderly you, when should you start saving, and how much should you put together for your retirement? The biggest obstacle is knowing where to start looking for your missing knowledge. Can you write a resume? Do you know what it takes to purchase a home? Could you give someone basic directions around your town? Basic life knowledge comes little by little, but a proactive effort really helps the pace. Plus exploring your town could be a fun Sunday activity. Endless learning is one of the freest, most entertaining sections of life.
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with your friends and family. After all, sharing is caring!
