8 Ways to Spend Your Idle Time Productively

No matter what business you are in, you need some idle time away from the business from time to time. This is the time you can use productively doing some other highly beneficial things different from what you normally do in your business. Only highly productive people see time as a very valuable asset. Even though highly limiting, with just 24 hours per day available to us all, it pays to strive to make every single second count. Regardless of your workload, you are sure to have a few idle time gaps here and there. It is smart to choose to spend your idle time wisely and make every second count. Here 8 ways you can spend your idle time if you opt to make it productive.



01. You can spend it in reflective thoughts. This is a way of recalling things in your thought process. You can think back on your life, your business or any project at hand you are handling. That way, it is possible for you to come up with creative ideas to make progress. That is one good way to use your idle time productively.

02. You can listen to subtle music and audio books. Subtle kind of music always provides the inspirational effects for you to think and recall positively. This kind of music you can always get in portable Compact Discs. Good audio books are like having someone read a book for you, at your convenience. Listening to audio books is very relaxing and the message easy to assimilate. You get to soak in information without straining your eyes when listening to audio books. Acquiring new knowledge has become easier with increase in technology which audio books represent. With audio books, you can listen and learn while traveling, exercising, strolling in the woods, hiking or relaxing on the beach.

03. You can set new goals. To be successful at anything, you must first set clear goals of what you want to do. People who write down their goals are far more likely to do them than those who simply think about a goal, or those who have no goal at all. Setting goals helps save you a lot of time in the future. If you use your spare time to clearly record your daily and long-term goals, it will cut other distractions and give you an objective to focus on. Hence, time that would be otherwise spent on mindless diversions is productively used.

04. You can exercise. A sound mind in a sound body is what everyone needs for success in business. No matter how busy you are, you need to exercise if you want to live long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Beneficial routine exercise is what your body needs to help you out in your business. Using your idle time to exercise is one good way to use it productively.

05. You can learn a new language. Advancement in technology has made it quite simple to learn a new language. With Compact Discs, downloads, and podcasts you can begin your journey to becoming bilingual or multilingual. These are skills which come in very handy if you do business across many countries of the world. If you are an employee, knowledge of other languages makes you more marketable. Gone are the days when it was necessary to sit in a classroom to learn foreign languages. These days, you do it easily with the aid of technology in your idle time.

06. You can learn to play a musical instrument. This is one way to acquire other skills in your idle time. Mastering a musical instrument is one great way to improve on your self-confidence and productivity. The better you are at it, the more confident you become and it is all something you can always do in your idle time.

07. You can touch base with friends and family. Many business people are at times so busy that they may find it difficult to spend quality time with friends and family. Earmarking your idle time to spend with your friends and family is one productive way to spend it. Even if you are unable to see them physically, you can touch base with them over the phone, email, Whats-app, Skype or even in a handwritten note or card. That in a way can help bridge the gap or make up for lack of your physical presence.



08 You can give a social/community service. In your idle time, you can always find a way to give something back to society. Real happiness comes from serving others by helping to put a smile on their faces. So, instead of sleeping away your idle time or watching TV, you can help teach someone how to read or write, play a musical instrument, acquire some sporting skills, or even help some elderly persons run errands and do some chores. These activities are not overly demanding of your time but they are highly rewarding and a great way to spend your idle time productively.

Top 10 Car Maintenance Tips That Save You Money

I own a car. I guess you own a car too. Millions of people all over the world own and drive cars. Some cars are sleek, beautiful and expensive. Some are beat-up, ugly and cheap but they all take us from one place to another. Since they are utility assets and very handy to us in the performance of our daily chores, it is imperative that our cars are kept in a good state of repairs and maintenance at all times. Many of us earn limited incomes. That is why we usually have very tight monetary budgets to guide us to spend our earnings from month to month. When it comes to money, a saving here and there is usually beneficial and available for diversion to an area where there is a shortfall. That is how millions of people all over the world live their daily lives. Taking very simple steps to look after your car helps you to save plenty of money some of which may appear insignificant at first glance. A cumulative annual estimate of these savings usually amazes many people because it becomes substantial at that level. To save money on the maintenance of your car, you need to do the following regularly without fail. That way, you could save 20%-30% on your cost of car maintenance annually.

01. Ensure your car is road-worthy. Many people drive cars that are not expected to be on the road again, either because of the ages of the cars or their poor maintenance records. A car is a machine, and just like any other machine, it has an economic life span depending on its maintenance records. It is always advisable to rest any car that has become too expensive to maintain. The bottom line is cost. You can always trade in your old beat-up car for a newer model if the cost of maintaining it has become prohibitive.

02. Tune up your car regularly. This should be done at least once a month. A poorly tuned-up car uses up to 30% more gasoline each year. It is cheaper to pay for and regularly tune-up your car than to let it be. This you can do at your regular car maintenance garage if you can not do it yourself. Your regular car maintenance Engineer or Mechanic may even at times tune-up your car for you free of charge.

03. Regularly change the oil and oil filter in your car. It is not enough to just change the oil, you must ensure you use high-grade oil as recommended by your car maintenance Engineer. Follow the owner's manual religiously and change your oil at 2000-4000 kilometers of regular driving depending on the make of your car. More frequent oil changes play a very significant role in extending the life span of your engine. Any time you change oil, ensure the oil filter in changed too. These oil change expenses will more often than not pay for themselves in savings on repairs and engine wear.

04. Check your tire pressure regularly. Tire pressures should be checked at least once a month. Low pressure tires cause "drag" in your car which makes it to require more gasoline to maintain speed. You can lose up to 4%-6% in gasoline mileage for every pound of under-inflation. Compared to the cheap cost of keeping your tire pressures inflated to recommended standards, gasoline loss through low pressure tires is considerable.

05. Check your engine air filter every month. A dirty air filter shortens the engine's life and reduces gasoline mileage up to 10%. You can clean up the filter by removing it and blowing accumulated dust particles off it with an air hose, or you can replace it when you notice significant damages to it.

06. Use only recommended tires. Ensure you use the right type of tires for your car as recommended by the manufacturers. Alternatively, steel-belted radial tires have a wide acclaim for safety so you can use them but you must make sure such tires are not expired. Using good tires with the right tread and radial size can increase your gasoline mileage from 5%-10% per year. This amounts to plenty of savings.

07. Check fluid levels regularly. These should be checked every morning if the car is old and once a week if fairly new. Low battery water shortens your battery's life. Radiator coolants, automatic transmission fluid, brake and clutch fluids are fluids that must be available and in the right viscosity and gauge to enable your car function properly. Any one of these fluids that is short or empty can lead to improper functioning of your vehicle. That can expose it to brakes failures and other problems which could lead to engine damage or even crashes. Engine damage is by far more expensive to repair than these routine maintenance checks.

08. Use only recommended gasoline for your type of car. Unless your car is so old and completely beat-up, it is proper to use unleaded gasoline. Even though in many advanced countries, there are various grades and prices of gasoline, a costlier gasoline adds no specific advantage except it is your car manufacturers' preference. Take the advice of your car maintenance Engineer because for most cars, premium gasoline offers no significant benefit. Unless your car has a high-performance engine or your car manufacturers recommend high-octane gasoline, use the less expensive one. You can save 5%-10% on fuel costs annually if you use the right fuel that is of lower cost.

09. Ensure your car tires are balanced. You can add thousands of kilometers to the life of your tires by having them balanced twice a year or even more often if you drive regularly on rough roads. In addition to destroying the tread, improperly balanced tires can wear out your shock-absorbers and damage your suspension system, leading to higher expenses or even accidents.

10. Ensure your car tires are properly aligned. Check your tire alignment regularly say about four times a year depending on the type of roads you drive on. Poor alignment leads to uneven wear on such tires particularly the front tires. It can reduce the life span of tires and may expose them to other more dangerous damages. Compared to the cost of buying new tires regularly, the cost of regular tire alignment is insignificant.

Budget stretching is inevitably everyone's concern these days. Saving costs therefore particularly on essential and regular expenses is a smart thing to do particularly in these hard times. You can save plenty of money on your car maintenance expenses if you take these tips to heart. That aside, it is good to think safety all the time even while lowering costs. I wish you a happy and cost-effective motoring.