Buzz
It feels great to check things off the list, but sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking we're tackling important tasks when we're actually just doing things that don’t matter — like buying things we don't need.
Brooklyn Bread, a personal finance blog, offers this advice:
If you're able to delay a purchase and it's not saving you money in the moment, it's wise to hold off.
But my overactive mind convinces me that I'm being productive when I make a purchase now... Like constantly checking emails or impulsively buying things can create the illusion of productivity.
If I truly wanted to make use of that brief free time, I could have planned dinner for the next few days. That would have been more productive and saved me money by avoiding takeout. I'm trying to be more conscious of purchases my mind labels as 'getting things done.'
This post really resonated with me. Since moving to a new place, I've been spending a lot on Amazon. Buying a few home items here and there gave me a false sense of accomplishment. Checking things off my shopping list made me feel productive. The problem? I was wasting a lot of time, and the cost of this ‘productivity boost’ was starting to add up.
This isn't to say you should never purchase things you desire or need. However, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking shopping is productive, which can be financially harmful. To learn more, check out the full post on Brooklyn Bread via the link below.
Photo by Robbert Noordzij
