I think it’s pretty safe to bet that most people who use an email service receive some kind of spam message.  It could be forwards from friends of friends or it could be random ads for useless products.  Either way, we all receive messages that we don’t want.

I recently acquired a few good tips regarding this issue – filtering and unsubscribing.

In GMail, it is easy to filter messages.  Simply type in the filter name and parameters and it’s done.  With other email clients, it isn’t so easy.  If you are unsure if you can filter your messages, I would suggest doing a search and finding out.  Filtering your messages can remove a lot of junk right away.  No need to wait or cherry pick; it is filtered and processed accordingly.

Another way to reduce inbox clutter is to unsubscribe to all of the site-specific ads that come in that you never look at.  You probably bought one thing from Old Navy online and now you get at least three to four messages a week with news and updates.  For most emails from retail stores, you can click the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email.  This also works for social networking sites and other places where you need to log in to access data.

I used to get around 20-25 emails a day before I cleaned up my inbox.  Now, if I’m lucky.  I get 5.  With fewer emails, I have more time to do other things and have less distractions.  I suggest giving it a try.

Do you have any inbox clean-up tactics that you use?  If so, share with us in the comments!

I’m proud to say that yesterday, my girlfriend and I celebrated our three year anniversary.  The time has flied by since July 26, 2006 but I can, without a doubt, say that the past three years have been the best of my life.  I’ve only lived just over two decades, but from what I’ve experienced, they’ve been the best.  I’ve learned a lot along this journey, too.  I haven’t arrived at this point wondering, “How did I get here?”  I know how I got here and I know why these have been the best three years of my life.

1.  Saving Isn’t A Bad Thing.

Before dating my girlfriend, I was horrible with money.  Yeah, I had a few investments but nothing serious and my savings account was a joke.  However, when I came into contact with her high values concerning money, my empty pockets began to overflow with money.  I learned how to manage my money and realized that saving money isn’t a bad thing.  Simply because I have it, doesn’t mean I need to spend it.  In the past three years, my savings account has become a comfortable emergency fund, I have begun saving for retirement, and I am more aware about the whereabouts of my money.

2.  Laziness Is For The Birds

In the years before I met my girlfriend, I was not the most productive person on the face of the Earth (not saying that I am now but…).  I had no desire to do anything – I wouldn’t work very hard, I wouldn’t get done my school work, and I would hardly help around the house.  If you looked up lazy in the dictionary, you’d find me.  It was getting to the point to where I was promising people something and never, ever delivering.  However, my relationship with my girlfriend began to change things.  I saw her high level of respect for her job (although she didn’t like it all the time), she displayed a desire to learn, and she kept promises.  I knew I needed that and I adopted those values as my own.  Now, three years later, I can proudly say that I give 100% each day I am working, I have changed jobs and promoted, and I have a 3.85 GPA while pursuing an online degree.

3.  The World?  I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ World!

This is one of the hardest things I used to struggled with – approval from “the world.”  Now that I look back on it, I don’t even really know what I considered “the world.”  Sure, everyone wants to be accepted by their friends and family but I knew that no matter what I did, those people would accept me.  Once I started dating my girlfriend, I ditched that thinking and realized I needed to become Eric, not everyone else.  I dropped the fashion trends, I stopped watching all of the shows and movies everyone else was watching, and broke the mold of routine and lived for once.  I didn’t have to be like everyone else.  I needed to be me.  Now, I have started a blog with consistent readers (thank you, guys), began to volunteer at my church more, and climb the corporate ladder.  Those things may not appear to be daring or bold, but they are for me compared to who I once was.

So, there you have it.  Three years; three truths.  I have learned a lot more and continue to learn as we progress through our relationship and progress as people.  As those lessons come, I will continue to share them.  Here’s to three years of reflection and here’s to many, many more.

What can you reflect on?  How have you grown as a person in the last 2 or 3 years?  Let us know in the comments!

One of the things that I struggle most with is clutter.  I can never seem to create a clear workspace, either at home or at the office.  However, after reading some helpful blog posts and testing out some ideas, I found a few ways that you can create that clear work space that will foster great ideas and reduce distractions.

Move It Out

One of the things that I found helpful was to move everything on top of my desk to somewhere else.  Or, at least try.  There are some things that must stay on top of my desk, i.e. my computer, but other things can find a home elsewhere.  With less on the surface of my desk, I have fewer distractions and the area simply looks cleaner, which raises my self confidence and productivity levels.

Keep It That Way

Probably the hardest part of cleaning your desk is keeping it that way.  It seems like the next day I’m at work, I just pile more stuff on the surface of my desk and I’m back to square one.  Instead of trying to clan your desk off at the beginning of the week or in the middle of the week, why not do it on your last day in the office that week?  You can take home certain items, throw away others, and not have to be bothered with your work area for a few days.  Then, once you get back into the office, your desk will feel like new because you feel like new.

When talking about cleaning, I must caution you: Out of sight does not mean it is not there.  I often take things off of the top of my desk and throw them into my drawers.  This is just as bad.  When you remove things from the top of your desk or clean it out for the week, reorganize your drawers and discard anything that you can.  Clean drawers will help you to stay organized and focused, especially when you really need to find that important document from six months ago.

If you are anything like me, you probably have about 100 thoughts going through your mind at any given time, especially before you go to sleep.  “How can I be more efficient in this area?  Did I remember to email everyone about Saturday?  Are there any chores that I didn’t complete?”  Well, I’ve found a good solution to such thoughts.

I recently bought a 500 pack of blank notecards and decided that I would use them as my “notes to self.”  Surprisingly, the concept worked out and I have been a notecard fanatic ever since.  I keep my notecards in various places so I can always write my idea or thought down when I need to.  I have a stack at the office, a stack near my home computer, and some placed in my car.  No matter where I am, there is a stack of notecards a pen.

This slight change in my note-taking system has helped me accomplish more, focus my attention on certain tasks, and have more free time.  I no longer have to sit around and wonder what I should be doing.  I have a list and an agenda to guide my thoughts and actions.

It’s not often that positive things are said about Social Security.  Normally statements like, “There will be none left for Generation Y” and “You will need to work until you die” are heard.  Well, don’t let those comments phase you.  It doesn’t have to be that way.

Sure, it could be true that by the time Generation Y is old enough to collect Social Security, there won’t be any left.  That only means that Generation Y (and anyone else who is interested) needs to start taking matters into their own hands.  Don’t want to get duped in the long run?  Create your own Social Security.

The tax rate per pay check for Social Security is 6.2%.  So, that means that whatever you make in gross pay (before taxes) is subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax.  Let’s say that over a two week pay period you gross $800.  From that amount, $49.60 would be taken for Social Security.  The more you make, more is taken.

In order to avoid any financial folly in the future, I suggest making your own Social Security fund.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.  In order to do this, simply take the amount that is deducted each paycheck for Social Security (in our example it was $49.60) and place it in a high interest rate fund, such as an IRA.  Here is how our example would play out if we were to do this:

$49.60 every two weeks = $1,289.60/year
$1,289.60 each year for 15 years = $19,344

It’s tough to calculate the precise amount that would be in the IRA once retirement age came around but this Roth IRA calculator suggested that we would have $23, 153.62 after 15 years at a rate of 6.9%.

That amount may not seem like a lot but it is.  That amount could pay for some college for your children or it could be used to pay off some outstanding debt or other needed expenses, such as home repairs or assisted living bills for a parent.  Plus, this amount is the minimum that would be accumulated.  If the investment amount was changed when more salary was earned, a higher total would appear at the end.

It is important to note that this should not be the only way you are saving for retirement.  Put as much money as you can into your 401K, gather a few investments, and save money in a savings or money-market account.  Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!  This is an excellent way to save money, especially since it is such a small amount at any given time but don’t make it your only way to save.

It is a common misconception that exercising is easy, especially when you do it on a regular basis.  Anyone who has attempted to begin exercising can tell you that it’s not all roses and rainbows.  Starting a workout plan is difficult, especially when the “challenge” looses it’s luster.  But, keeping goals and a “want” list can keep you motivated and successful.   I learned this the hard way.

A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to be a “more fit” person.  Not necessarily bulk up, but just stay healthy.  I would eat right, exercise at least 5 times a week, and get in better shape.  I’m not overweight or on the verge of any serious conditions, but it was something I had always wanted to try and had never done.  It seemed like the perfect time to test the fitness waters.

Wrong.  Not so much.

My working out lasted about two or three weeks and then I became tired and worn out.  My eating choices continued to be healthy but I wasn’t as tough on myself as I was when I was working out.  This rut lasted for a few months until I realized recently that I needed smaller, more visible goals to keep me going out of the gate.

These smaller goals needed to be the lifeblood of my fitness plan.

Sure, my goals to be a healthier person and to get in better shape were great, but they didn’t have any physical dimensions – I couldn’t rely on them to get me exercising on a morning that I didn’t feel like doing anything.

More tangible goals, like the ones listed below, are great for those tough days when you know you should be exercising but really don’t feel like it.

Here are some of the goals I’ve put into place for my workouts and exercise times.  Remember – these goals are always going to change as I accomplish them.  Keep giving yourself new goals.

• Biking/running/walking routes that I have never traveled.
• Daily changing the workout routine that I do.  I even make it to where I’m not doing the same workout routine in back to back weeks.
• Trying to exercise with other people at least once a week.
• Participating in at least three different exercise styles each week (i.e. running, biking, tennis, working out, etc.)

These are only a few of the small goals that I’ve come up for myself in relation to exercising and staying in shape.  These goals are tangible.  I can see the results from them each day.

Having smaller, more visible goals will help you get through those moments when you don’t want to exercise and they will prove to be a vital part of your routine.

I know that I’ve already posted my “Friday Finds,” but since I had a few minutes, I decided to blog about a Redbox code I just found.  Until July 7, enter 7HE79B at your local Redbox and you will receive one free night.  From what I have gathered, this code can be used multiple times with the same credit card.  Make sure to return the movie by 9:00PM the following night so you aren’t charged!

eBay has a great daily email with some hot deals on their site.  Each deal includes free shipping and is far below the regular retail price of the item.  If you’d like to subscribe, click here but if you’d rather not, check out the link below for today’s daily deal email.  Enjoy!

eBay Daily Deal Email – July 3, 2009

No, this is not one of those spam/infomercial blog posts.  The title did elude to that, but I’m sorry, that’s not what I’m aiming for.  Instead, I want to share a few things I picked up from an interesting article about exercise and keeping your body in one piece – literally.

When you exercise, your body uses two important things to keep you moving and healthy – carbs and proteins.  The carbs help you stay energized (consider it like the gas in your car) and the proteins allow for your muscles and tendons to repair themselves once you have strained and flexed them (like the oil in your car).  Without these two things, you aren’t going to have a great time exercising.  You’ll be tired, sore, and you might injury yourself.

How do you make the most out of your exercise time?  I’m glad you asked.

1.  Eat Before

You should never work out or exercise on a completely empty stomach.  A lot of people wake up in the morning and begin their workout right away but it really shouldn’t be done like that.  Take 5 minutes to eat a banana, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or maybe a half of a bagel.  Don’t pig out but just make sure you have something in your stomach.

2.  Eat After

According to the article I read, your body only has a small window of time when it rebuilds and restores all of your muscles once you put down the last barbell or put away the tennis balls.  Make sure that you eat a snack or meal that is abundant in carbs and proteins, such as pasta, peanut butter and jelly, turkey with cheese, any assortment of nuts/berries, or a protein bar.  This will help your body repair your muscles and will give your stomach the satisfaction it needs.

3.  Stretch

It’s crucial to stretch before AND after a workout or any form of exercising.  Stretching helps to ease your muscles in and out of your joints and will enhance your flexibility.  Stretching before a workout could be dangerous but only if you overstretch, causing muscle tears and other injuries.  Make sure you just do a light stretching routine before exercising.  Most people wonder why you should stretch after a work out.  Take this advice from wellnessletter.com:

“Stretching improves flexibility, which allows you to move your joints through their full range of motion. Flexibility is a key element of fitness; it can enhance physical performance and relieve muscle tension and stiffness. You should stretch after a warm-up and/or when cooling down after a workout, since it is easier and safer to stretch a warm muscle than a cold one. Warm-ups bring blood to the muscles and make injuries from stretching less likely.”

Well, that’s it – at least for now.  As I learn more and gain more experience working out and exercising, I’ll be sure to post about my tips and tricks.  For now, be sure to get enough proteins and carbs and don’t forget about stretching.  If you don’t remember anything else, remember this:  Don’t overdo it.  Don’t eat too many proteins or carbs or stretch too much.  You’ll be hurting your body more than you will be helping it.