The Physics of Productivity: Newton’s Laws of Getting Stuff Done

In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton published his groundbreaking book, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, which described his three laws of motion. In the process, Newton laid the foundation for classical mechanics and redefined the way the world looked at physics and science.

What most people don’t know, however, is that Newton’s three laws of motion can be used as an interesting analogy for increasing your productivity, simplifying your work, and improving your life.

Allow me to present this analogy as Newton’s Laws of Productivity.

Newton’s First Law of Productivity

First Law of Motion: An object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force. (i.e. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.)

In many ways procrastination is a fundamental law of the universe. It’s Newton’s first law applied to productivity. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

The good news? It works the other way too. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. When it comes to being productive, this means one thing: the most important thing is to find a way to get started. Once you get started, it is much easier to stay in motion. [1]

So, what’s the best way to get started when you are stuck procrastinating?

In my experience, the best rule of thumb for getting started is the 2-Minute Rule. [2]

Here’s the 2-Minute Rule adjusted for productivity: To overcome procrastination, find a way to start your task in less than two minutes.

Notice that you don’t have to finish your task. In fact, you don’t even have to work on the primary task. However, thanks to Newton’s first law, you’ll often find that once you start this little 2-minute task, it is much easier to keep moving.

Here are some examples…

• Right now, you may not feel like going for a run. But if you put your running shoes on and fill up your water bottle that small start might be enough to get you out the door.
• Right now, you might be staring at a blank screen and struggling to write your report. But if you write random sentences for just two minutes, then you may find that useful sentences start to roll off your fingers.
• Right now, you might have a creative block and be struggling to draw something. But if you draw a random line on a sheet of paper and turn it into a dog, then you might get your creative juices flowing.

Motivation often comes after starting. Find a way to start small. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.

Newton’s Second Law of Productivity

Second Law of Motion: F=ma. The vector sum of the forces on an object is equal to the mass of that object multiplied by the acceleration vector of the object. (i.e. Force equals mass times acceleration.)

Let’s break down this equation, F=ma, and how it can apply to productivity.

There is one important thing to note in this equation. The force, F, is a vector. Vectors involve both magnitude (how much work you are putting in) and direction (where that work is focused). In other words, if you want to get an object accelerating in a particular direction, then the size of the force you apply and the direction of that force will both make a difference.

Guess what? It’s the same story for getting things done in your life.

If you want to be productive, it’s not merely about how hard you work (magnitude), it’s also about where that work is applied (direction). This is true of big life decisions and small daily decisions.

For example, you could apply the same skill set in different directions and get very different results.

Note: the idea for this image came from artwork created by my friend, Oliver Emberton, in his wonderful post titled, “Life is a game. This is your strategy guide.” Thanks Oliver!

To put it simply, you only have a certain amount of force to provide to your work and where you place that force is just as important as how hard you work.

Newton’s Third Law of Productivity

Third Law of Motion: When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body. (i.e. Equal and opposite forces.)

We all have an average speed that we tend to perform at in life. Your typical levels of productivity and efficiency are often a balance of the productive and unproductive forces in your life — a lot like Newton’s equal and opposite forces.

There are productive forces in our lives like focus, positivity, and motivation. There are also unproductive forces like stress, lack of sleep, and trying to juggle too many tasks at once.

If we want to become more effective and more productive, then we have two choices.

The first option is to add more productive force. This is the “power through it” option. We gut it out, drink another cup of coffee, and work harder. This is why people take drugs that help them focus or watch a motivational video to pump themselves up. It’s all an effort to increase your productive force and overpower the unproductive forces we face.

Obviously, you can only do this for so long before you burn out, but for a brief moment the “power through it” strategy can work well.

The second option is to eliminate the opposing forces. Simplify your life, learn how to say no, change your environment, reduce the number of responsibilities that you take on, and otherwise eliminate the forces that are holding you back.

If you reduce the unproductive forces in your life, your productivity will glide forward naturally. It’s like you magically remove the hand that has been holding you back. (As I like to say, if you eliminated all of the things distracting you from being productive, you wouldn’t need tips on how to become more productive.)

Most people try to power through and hammer their way past the barriers. The problem with this strategy is that you’re still dealing with the other force. I find it to be much less stressful to cut out the opposing forces and let your productivity naturally flow forward.

Newton’s Laws of Productivity

Newton’s laws of motion reveal insights that tell you pretty much everything you need to know about how to be productive.

1. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Find a way to get started in less than 2 minutes.
2. It’s not just about working hard, it’s also about working on the right things. You have a limited amount of force and where you apply it matters.
3. Your productivity is a balance of opposing forces. If you want to be more productive, you can either power through the barriers or remove the opposing forces. The second option seems to be less stressful.

10 steps to reducing your credit card debt

Do you owe more money on your credit cards than you have in your emergency savings? You're not alone -- and the situation isn't hopeless.

Credit card debt is a huge weight on Australian’s finances. According to a recent survey, close to half have more credit card debt than emergency savings.

Issuers have added to the problem. Mailboxes have been filled with credit card offers as issuers aggressively market lucrative rewards and balance transfer cards, especially to consumers with good or excellent credit scores.

Consumers need to stop running up large account balances and getting themselves in a financial pinch, like they were in 2008. Here are 10 tips for reducing credit card debt starting now:

1. Know how much you owe for all credit cards debts. Write down a debt summary that includes the creditor, monthly payment, interest, balance due, credit limit and due date for each loan.

2. Contact your creditors to see if you can negotiate a lower interest rate. The less money you pay in interest, the more money you can use to pay off your credit card balance as well as other bills.

3. Pay off the card with the highest interest rate first. Continue to pay the minimum on your other cards until you pay off the card with the highest rate. Then focus your effort on the card with the next highest rate.

4. Pay more than your minimum payment. Your minimum payment is usually only 2 percent to 5 percent of your balance. At this rate, it will take you many years to pay off your debt. Start with the card with the highest interest rate and try to at least double your minimum payment

5. Balance transfer offers are currently very attractive, so consider transferring your balance to a card with a lower rate. If your rate is above 12 percent, look for a card that offers 0 percent for at least 12 months. To take full advantage of this 0 percent interest, pay as much as you can above the minimum payment each month.

6. If you have a credit card balance, stop using that card for anything other than emergencies. Use cash instead. If you carry a balance, you are paying interest for every purchase, including clothing, entertainment or dinner. Factor that in to each purchase. Paying with cash will not only save money on interest, but will also reduce the amount you spend.

7. Pay your bills on time, every time. Not only may you have to pay a late fee, but late payments can also appear on credit reports. Negative information such as this can result in lower credit scores and higher interest payments.

How to avoid the most common money mistakes

8. Give yourself a realistic timetable to pay off this debt. It took time to accumulate this credit card debt, and it will probably take even more time to pay it off.

9. If you are in danger of missing a payment, or defaulting on your credit card loan, contact your credit card issuer as soon as possible. Your issuer may work out a payment plan with a lower rate or monthly payment if it will help keep your account out of default.

10. Work with a money coach such as Money for Life to get your debt under control. A money coach can help you become aware of the behaviours that lead to money problems, provide someone to be accountable to and help you to develop strategies that will lead you to financial independence.

3 Reasons Bill Gates could get a Message to Garcia

If the world depended on a man, who would you trust? If a message had to get through to save your country, who would you trust to take it?

A book written in 1899 and Bill Gates don’t seem like a likely combination; however, when I discovered “A Message to Garcia,” it challenged me to think of who I would put my money on to get a letter to Garcia today. Who would I trust to do a job that would change the world? I could think of no greater person than Bill Gates.

Throughout history, “A Message to Garcia” has been one of the most powerful books ever written on leadership. It was written in one hour. It is only nine pages long, and yet there have been over 100,000,000 copies sold, and it has been translated into 37 languages and made into two movies. This book has been held up by US, Russian, and Japanese militaries and businesses for over 100 years as an example of the perfect leader.

We have all heard of Mission Impossible. It is something we have become familiar with seeing in movies. The hero, often a retired CIA agent, is given a secret mission, which would be impossible for mortal men. However, the hero is no mortal man. His influence overcomes mere men, the most beautiful women, and incredible obstacles. In the end, he saves the princess and the world from the evil dictator.

The truth is, there really was such a hero, and he did save a large part of the world…and that’s how this book originated.

Rowan was an American Army Officer from West Virginia. In 1899, the Civil war in Cuba took a major turn when unknown forces sank the American battleship Maine in Havana harbor. America entered the war, but to succeed, they required the support of the insurgent forces.

The leader of the insurgent forces was General Garcia. He was hiding in the Oriente Province in the most eastern region of Cuba. It stretches across 14,641 square miles (37,920 km2) and consists of various mountain ranges with the Sierra Maestra region having Cuba’s highest mountain peak and elevation in Pico Turquino. No mail nor telegraph message could reach him.

The US president must secure his cooperation, and quickly, but how? who? Someone said to the President, “There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan will find Garcia for you, if anybody can.”

Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia. “The fellow by the name of Rowan took the letter, sealed it up in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, and in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat. He disappeared into the jungle and in three weeks came out on the other side of the island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia.”

The book became the stuff of legends.

·        After publication, reprint orders began trickling in, which wasn’t unusual. The trickle became a flood, prompting Hubbard to ask which article triggered the interest. It was “the stuff about Garcia,” he was told.

·        Then, a telegram arrived from George H. Daniels of the New York Central Railroad asking for a price on 1,000 copies of the Rowan article in pamphlet form. Hubbard didn’t have the capacity to fill the order, so he granted permission to reprint. Daniels eventually printed and distributed half a million copies under the title, “A Message to Garcia.”

·        One copy found its way into the hands of Prince Hilakoff, Director of Russian Railways, who had the booklet translated and given to every railroad employee in Russia.

·        The booklet spread to Germany, France, Spain, Turkey, India, and China.

·        Japanese soldiers found the booklet on Russian prisoners during the war and had it translated, distributing it to every Japanese government employee. Over 100 million copies of “A Message to Garcia” were sold, achieving a larger circulation than any other literary venture in the lifetime of the author.

The United States won the Spanish-American War. As a result, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam to the United States and abandoned all claims to Cuba (which became independent in 1902).

Rowan, by then Colonel Rowan, was decorated for his achievement by the commander of the United States Army, who said, "I regard this achievement as one of the most hazardous and heroic deeds in military warfare."

The forward of the booklet says, "This was undoubtedly true, but it is for his fine moral character, rather than for his military prowess, that Lieutenant Andrew Summers Rowan will always be remembered."

I believe in every generation there must be people who could deliver a letter to Garcia, people who can change the world, people who can make a difference, and one of those is Bill Gates.

Reason 1 - Bill Gates continually puts himself in the right place.

A number of years ago, Bill Gates was interviewed by Larry King. He said this: "I was in the right place, at the right time, and luck had a lot to do with it. However, there were many others in the same place as I was when computers began to gain popularity."

If you want to be a world class actor you don’t go to Diomede, the most remote city in Alaska to live. You go to Hollywood. If you want to develop an App that will make a billion dollars you go to Silicon Valley to live. You put yourself in the right place.

People who want to be great leaders need to put themselves under a great leader. They need to be trained by great leaders and learn from great leaders.

Bill Gates wasn’t in the right place by luck alone. He was in the right place because he had been preparing himself since he was 13. His parents saw his potential and put him in a leading school, one of the first to have a computer. That’s where he began working on his first computer and developing programs for it. He became so good that the school asked him to write programs to schedule students in class. He then went to Harvard.

Reason 2- Bill Gates sees the future and researches his subject with a passion

Great leaders not only put themselves in the best possible place to be trained, coached, and mentored, but they have vision. They see the future and then they learn all that is possible about their subject.

In the interview, he said, “I had a long-term vision of how the personal computer would revolutionize every facet of life. Once again, there were many others with the same vision I had."

There may have been many others who also had a vision, but Bill Gates' vision was bigger than building a computer or a software program. His vision was global—he had a vision to change the world.

Reason 3: Bill Gates is a man of massive and immediate action.

In the interview, Gates said, "I took massive, immediate action. This is where the rubber meets the road.”

In the book “A Letter to Garcia,” Hubbard says, "By the Eternal! There is a man whose form should be cast in deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college in the land. It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this or that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies; do the thing—carry a message to Garcia!”

In this interview Bill Gates finished saying, “If you're in the right place at the right time and have a vision to see where a new technology is going, but don't take action ... you'll never be successful... Without all three components in place, you're doomed."

Please click here for a free copy of “A Message to Garcia”

13 Ways to save money

Here is a list of 13 ways to save money. Each of these suggestions are simple little moves you can make to improve your financial situation. Some of them take just a few minutes, others might take an hour or two, some of them require a bit of regular effort, but they’re all incredibly simple – anyone can do them. Each of them also save significant money, especially over the long haul, and when combined together these tips can save you a lot of money now.

1.      Switch your bank accounts to a bank that respects you. You shouldn’t be spending your hard-earned money on maintenance fees – you also should be earning reasonable interest on your accounts.

2.      Turn off the television. One big way to save money is to watch less television. There are a lot of financial benefits to this: less exposure to guilt-inducing ads, more time to focus on other things in life, less electrical use, and so on. It’s great to unwind in the evening, but seek another hobby to do that.

3.      Turn a critical eye to your “collections.” Most people collect something – what do you collect? Is it something that consistently brings you joy? Or is it something that you just do out of habit at this point? Does the collection itself have value? Could you perhaps “trim the fat” from this collection by getting rid of duplicates or getting rid of the items you no longer use? Also, could you perhaps cut down on your spending on that hobby? Focus on trimming the things you don’t feel strongly about – if you dig into things that bother you, you’re going to eventually relapse.

4.      Make your own gifts instead of buying stuff. You can make food mixes, candles, bread, and all kinds of other things at home quite easily and inexpensively. These make spectacular gifts for others because they involve your homemade touch, plus quite often they’re consumable, meaning they don’t wind up filling someone’s closet with junk. Even better – include a personal handwritten note with the gift. This will make it even more special than anything you could possibly buy, plus it saves you money.

5.      Master the thirty day rule. Whenever you’re considering making an unnecessary purchase, wait thirty days and then ask yourself if you still want that item. Quite often, you’ll find that the urge to buy has passed and you’ll have saved yourself some money by simply waiting. If you want, you can even keep a “thirty day list” where you write down the item and the day you’ll reconsider it, but I prefer just to keep this one in my head – that way, I often just forget about the unimportant things.

6.      Write a list before you go shopping – and stick to it. You should never go into a store without a strong idea of what you will be buying while in there. Make a careful plan of what you’ll buy before you go, then stick strictly to that list when you go to the store. Don’t put anything in the cart that’s not on the list, no matter how tempting, and you’ll come out of the store saving a bundle.

7.      Invite friends over instead of going out. Almost every activity at home is less expensive than going out. Invite some friends over and have a meal, then play some cards or other games and have a few drinks. Everyone will have fun, the cost will be low, and the others will likely reciprocate not long afterwards.

8.      Instead of throwing out some damaged clothing, repair it instead. Don’t toss out a shirt because of a broken button – sew a new one on with some closely-matched thread. Don’t toss out pants because of a hole in them – put in a patch of some sort and save them for times when you’re working around the house. Simple sewing can be done by anyone – it just takes a few minutes and it saves a lot of money by keeping you from buying new clothes when you don’t really need to.

9.      Don’t spend big money entertaining your children. Most children, especially young ones, can be entertained very cheaply. Make a game out of ordinary stuff around the house, like tossing small coins into a jar, even. Realize that what your children want most of all is your time, not your stuff, and you’ll find money in your pocket and joy in your heart.

10.   Clean out your closet. Go through your closets and try to get rid of some of the stuff in there. You can have a garage sale with it, sell it on Ebay or Gumtree - all of which turn old stuff you don’t want to use any more into money in your pocket.  If you don’t want to sell it, give it to a charity op-shop  Not only that, it’s often a psychological load off your mind to clean out your closets.

11.   Drink more water. Not only does drinking plenty of water have great health benefits, water drinking has financial benefits, too because water is the cheapest drink in the house. You’ll also find yourself feeling a bit better as you begin to get adequately hydrated (most Australians are perpetually somewhat dehydrated).

12.   Cut back on the convenience foods – fast foods, microwave meals, and so on. Instead of eating fast food or just nuking some pre-packaged food when you get home, try making some simple and healthy replacements that you can take with you. An hour’s worth of preparation one weekend can give you a ton of cheap and handy meals that will end up saving you a lot of cash and not eat into your time when you’re busy.

13.   Give up expensive habits, like cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. Those habits cause money to flow away from you with nothing in return. Call up your fortitude and work hard to kick the habits and you’ll find that money staying in your pocket instead of burning up and floating away.

10 Steps to Getting Out of Debt

1

Stop increasing your debt. If you have any credit cards that are maxed out, cut them in half. If you have more than one remaining credit card, cut them up. When you finish, you should have no more than one credit card. Also cut up any "convenience" cards, such as fuel cards, department store cards, etc. You will use your one credit card only to buy "emergency things", and things that you know you will be able to pay off in a short amount of time until you can get your spending fully under control.

2

Record your spending. The idea of writing down what you spend is a concept most people find annoying at best and useless at worst. However, this is actually your key to getting out of debt. You're in debt because you spent money you didn't have. If you're like many people, your debt didn't come from one single huge purchase; it was trickles of spending amassed over time. Avoiding more debt starts with knowing what you are spending your money on. Each day for one month (at least), write down every penny you spend, no matter how small.

3

Categorize your spending. Categorize your monthly expenses into logical groups of "Must have," "Should have," and "Like to have." "Must haves" are things that will cause harm if you don't buy them, such as food, rent, medicine, pet food, etc. "Should haves" are things that you need, but can do without for a little while, e.g., new clothes for work, gym membership, etc. "Like to haves" are things that you don't need, but enhance your life, e.g., magazine subscriptions, newspaper, weekly coffee with friends, IM on your phone, etc. By doing this, you'll have a good idea of what you spend your money on, and you'll be able to figure out where you might need to cut back on spending. You don't want to eliminate all of the "should haves" and the "like to haves," but take a look at those first. One of your expenses will be paying off your debt. You will want to always pay more than the minimum required, otherwise it will take an extremely long time to eliminate your debt. For example, a single credit card with just a $1,000 balance and 19% interest will take about five years to pay off by making only the minimum payment of $26. Paying the minimum, you will spend $1556.40, with the Total Interest Paid: $556.40. Paying only the minimum payment will equate to giving them 55% more than you actually borrowed.

4

Make a budget based on your spending record. Write down the amount you spent in each category of spending last month as you budget for spending for the next month. Don't sweat if you feel like the amount is too much. For now, just write it down. If you spent $250 on clothes last month, write it down. If you spent $200 on gas for your car last month, write it down.

5

Figure out your debt paydown fund amount. Looking at your new budget, you're going to be able to see areas where you might be able to cut back. You might also see categories where you need to increase spending. In doing this step, no one is suggesting that you come up with budget amounts that are unlivable. Think about going on a diet. If you try to restrict your calories excessively, what's the first thing you want to do? Chocolate mud cake here you come, right? The key here is to be realistic. Are you paying money for a gym membership you never use, despite your best intentions? What about the $4 a day, every day, morning coffee you get before work, or your 5-cans-of-Diet-Coke-a-day habit? Chances are, your budget has some fat that can be trimmed. At the end of this exercise, you should have come up with a figure, a number of dollars that can be put toward debt paydown. Make a note of this figure. Day-to-day, if you don't want to keep taking note of all your expenditures, just write down what you spend in the categories you are trying to cut back. This will give you a very clear idea of how well you are doing, and, if you know you're going to go over your budgeted amount, it may help you decide to hold back on a purchase.

6

Figure out how much you owe, to whom, and on what terms. Debt can often feel overwhelming because you really don't have a clear idea of how much in debt you really are. Gather your bills, and make a simple list or spreadsheet of all the debts you have. Write down all the pertinent facts, including name of the creditor, your total balance, your minimum monthly payment, and your interest rate.

7

Start paying it off. Take the debt paydown figure of money you trimmed from your budget in step 4, and apply it to debt repayment. It's a good idea to prioritize the debts to which you are going to apply this extra money. Do you have debts that are past due and the creditors are hanging out on your door step demanding your first-born? Do you have debts with exceedingly high interest rates? Consider these top priorities. Let's say you determined in Step 4 that you could comfortably trim an extra $250 from your monthly budget to go toward paying debts, and that from your list of debts in Step 5, you owe $2,000 on a store credit card that has an interest rate of 19.5%, $1,000 on a Visa with an interest rate of 17.5%, and $25,000 in personal loans with an interest rate of 9%. You would want to pay the minimum on your low interest rate debts, and apply the bulk of your $250 to the highest interest rate, in this case, your 19.5% store credit card, despite the fact that the actual cost of the personal loan interest is highest. Also, consider that if you are already paying a minimum payment of $50 on that high interest card, if you start sending $300 per month (the minimum you are already paying plus your debt paydown figure), once it is paid off, then you will have increased your debt paydown figure. The next creditor can get the amount they are already getting plus the $300. Each debt gets easier to pay off than the last.

8

Wash, rinse, repeat. Just kidding, but you get the idea. This process gets easier. Once you've figured out your spending and what debts you owe, keeping it up gets easier and easier. You'll refine your budget over time, increase the amount of money you can pay yourself (see tip below) and the amount you can put toward debt. Continue to pay off each debt in your priority list. As you pay off convenience cards and high interest credit cards, call those credit card companies and cancel those accounts.

9

Don't give up. Chances are you didn't get into debt in a day, and you won't get out of debt in a day. Quick fixes don't last, but learning how to manage your money can bring great peace into your life, and you can spend your mental energies on more fun things.

10

Get a money coach. It can be really hard trying to get out of debt all by yourself and all too easy to slip back into doing the things that got you into debt in the first place. A money coach is someone to be accountable to and who will keep you on track. To find out more contact me today.

http://www.moneyforlife.com.au/10-steps-getting-debt/

How Mark lived by spending nothing for two years

In November 2008, Mark Boyle gave up money for more than two years. The business and economics graduate quit his job with an organic food company and set up home in a donated caravan on a Somerset farm.

He volunteered at the farm, grew his own food, cooked on a wood-burning stove and generated electricity through a solar panel, bought for £360 before the experiment started.

“I got to the point when I was looking at all the big issues in the world, such as deforestation and sweatshops, and I realised they are all symptoms of a deeper cause; a separation from what we consume. The most potent tool we have in terms of separation and an illusion of independence is money,” he said. “I wanted to see if it was possible to live without money, and how it would affect me.”

He admitted that when he started he was seen as “a bit of a joke”. “I used to get a lot of criticism,” Donegal-born Mr Boyle said. “When you challenge money, you challenge a lot more than notes and coins. You challenge a whole perspective on the world.”

However, the 34-year-old said support had increased over the past few years. “I’m sure some people still think it’s a bit of a joke,” he said. “But when I started in 2008, just before the financial crisis hit the headlines, I was mostly taking criticism. But since then most people are incredibly positive about what I’ve done.

“It is just people who don’t have that much money, wondering how they are going to survive the next year. Money isn’t as secure as they thought it was when times were booming.”

He said few people will want to give up money completely, although there has been an increase of that in the past year.

The vast majority of people were simply interested in how they could spend less. “I think that’s a sensible approach,” he said.

He said the first few months of living without money were “definitely the hardest period”.

“I came from a very conventional background and everything was new to me,” he said. “How I eat, how I get from A to B, and how I brush my teeth. All these things were new, and I felt the lack of perceived security that money gives us.”

He cooked food – grown, donated or foraged – on a rocket stove outside the caravan. He bathed in a river with soap made from the plant soapwort, and made his toothpaste from washed-up cuttlefish bones and fennel seeds.

He travelled around on foot or by bicycle. Instead of a flush toilet, Mr Boyle had a compost lavatory – still one of his top tips for people wanting to emulate his moneyless lifestyle.

“After two or three months I just started to trust that everyday my needs would be met somehow,” he said.

For those who prefer to put Colgate on their toothbrush, Mr Boyle advocates websites such as Freecycle and Freegle, where goods and services are given away or exchanged.

There are also websites such as Liftshare, which matches journeys and cars to save on petrol. If you want to reduce your spending on the high street, Mr Boyle suggests organising a clothes swap with friends or neighbours.

He set up a “Freeconomy” community online in 2007, where skills and tools are shared. “It’s not about having to go off and live in the woods, you can do it from your house,” he said.

Mr Boyle wrote a book, The Moneyless Man, during his time living without money. His latest book, The Moneyless Manifesto, is available free online and contains practical advice for people who want to live on less money.

Mr Boyle, who returned to the monetary world in 2011, is currently housesitting at Emerson College, an adult education centre that runs courses in a range of areas from biodynamic agriculture to storytelling .

He has just won planning permission for a straw bale, timber frame, passive-solar house in Devon, which he hopes to start building in June using the proceeds from his book sales.

Although it may seem ironic that Mr Boyle has made money from living a moneyless lifestyle, he said he was always clear that the profits made would go towards this new project. “We are working towards living in a localised gift economy, meeting all of our needs through gifting and growing our own food,” he said.

There is also a moneyless wedding to plan with his fiancée, Jess. “I’m not sure how it will work,” he said. “It’s a big conversation to have, how you put on a wedding for free.

“We want to show that people don’t have to get into masses of debt to have a really fun wedding.”

Luckily, his fiancée shares his views about living on less. “The time I lived without money, I've never been happier or healthier,” Mr Boyle said. “It had its ups and downs but it was a whole new way of being in the world. I want to get back there as quickly as possible.”

Susan’s story – From full time to part time

In 1996, I quit my high-paying job in media relations for a production company that produced shows for resorts, casinos and cruise ships around the world. I was a single mum with a daughter I needed to get through her last years of high school, then college. I was burned out on teaching full time, which I’d done for 15 years before my 18 years in show business, and couldn’t make enough money by just teaching to do what I needed anyway. 

So what to do to make as much money as I was making in show business? And what about health insurance?

It was a scary time.

Both of those careers took 50-70+ hours a week, but I could work from home for many of those hours. So I wanted to put something together also where I could continue to be home as much as possible and be active in my daughter’s life.

So here’s how it evolved.

First, I shed the image of myself as a media relations director or a teacher.

Then I put together a patchwork of five part-time jobs.

I took a daily paper route, became the daily gatekeeper for two parking lots, remodeled my garage into a bed and breakfast cottage, began substitute teaching so I wouldn’t have to make lesson plans or grade papers, and kept a part time media relations job.

My days looked like this:

Up at 4AM. Deliver 300 newspapers by car (my daughter would come with me on Sundays to help with the big papers). Open the gates to the parking lots by 6AM. Make a breakfast for the bed and breakfast by 7AM. Substitute teach from 7:30AM – 3PM. Clean the cottage after school with my daughter for the next occupants by 4PM. Work on publicity by phone, email and fax while my daughter did her homework. Close the gates with my daughter at dusk. Constantly monitor the phone for bed and breakfast bookings and substitute teaching jobs. Bed by 9PM for both of us.

I made $1,000/month as a paper carrier, $600/month as the gatekeeper, $100/night with the bed and breakfast, $100/day as a substitute teacher, and $1000/month as the part-time publicity person. Almost more money than I could make as a teacher or media relations director combined.

I signed us both up for Basic Health insurance. And I paid fewer taxes than ever because I had so many write-offs.

I also cleaned houses and did before and after school child care for a while, but soon gave that up since I was making more money than I needed to make.

I’m retired now, I just wanted to write and paint and putter.But retirement suddenly got more expensive than I planned. So I took a job two days a week delivering the local bi-weekly paper for $500/month. And do occasional copy editing. And sell the occasional painting. And apply for and receive the occasional grant for writing or painting.

And I still have time to putter. Once a part timer. Always a part timer.

It’s still possible to earn a living  part time – and a good living at that. Don’t discount part time jobs. There’s a part time career there somewhere in these hard times. Be creative and open in your thinking, and put together your own part time puzzle.