In 2012, I realized I had a problem. My iPhone made me twitchy. I could feel it in my pocket, calling me, like the Ring called Bilbo Baggins. It distracted me from my kids. It distracted me from my wife. It distracted me anytime, anywhere. I needed to take control. This post originally appeared onMedium. Infinity in my pocket was too much. I wanted to get control, but I didn’t want to give up my iPhone altogether....

Financial independence is a fancy phrase that essentially boils down to “Money doesn’t rule my life.” This concept differs slightly from living frugally. The “Burger Flippin'” Rule| Free to Pursue viaRockstar Finance Photo byAndrew Malone.

Your photos might be revealing your location without you realizing it. Here’s how to ensure your phone doesn’t log the location of each photo you take. (Hat tip to Ghacksfor the inspiration on this post). So if you already have these disabled, be sure to send the instructions along! Android Users: In Android, you’ll find the necessary prefs in your Camera app. Your steps might differ slightly depending on which app you use....

Self improvement is a good thing, but a lot of us forget how much we need self-acceptance. Tiny Buddha’s Melissa Dinwiddie reveals her journey toward self-acceptance. Having striven for perfectionism for so long, it wasn’t an easy one. The truth is, we’ve heard before thatthere is a strong link between self-acceptance and happiness. Hit the link below to read more about Melissa’s journey toward self-acceptance and happiness. Why Life Is A Lot More Fun When We Stop Trying to Be Perfect| Tiny Buddha...

TactioHealth might be the most detailed health tracking app we’ve seen yet. it’s possible for you to trust Tactio in professionally taking care of the privacy of your personal data. This policy describes the boundaries of what Tactio can do with your data. Check out the links below to try it out. TactioHealth(Free) | iTunes App Store TactioHealth(Free) | Google Play Store

Here are eight traits that most successful people have as determined by years of research. The list of successful, influential people he interviewed goes on and on. Work:Really hard. Focus:On one thing, not everything. Push:And keep on pushing yourself. Ideas:Come up with some good ones. Improve:Keep improving yourself and what you do. Serve:Serve others something of value. Persist:Because there is no overnight success. To go more in-depth with the eight traits of successful people,check out this TED-Ed playlist....

Whether you’re laid off or fired, losing a job sucks. Here are the financial moves you should make when it happens. Create an Emergency Budget You probably know what an emergency fund is. When wewrote about the topic of emergency fundsrecently, one reader suggested an emergency budget. This is a backup budget to implement when your finances are squeezed (e.g., losing your job). An “emergency budget” will minimize the amount you should probably withdraw from your emergency fund, too....

Self-control is hard to learn. Keeping yourself on task, forming a habit, or even just avoiding certain foods sometimes feels impossible. Over on The New York Times, author Pamela Druckerman suggests using if-then statements to reign things in. The secret of self-control, he says, is to train the prefrontal cortex to kick in first. Done repeatedly, this buys a few seconds to at least consider your options. The point isn’t to be robotic and never eat chocolate mousse again....

When we’re dating, we’re often very detailed in our observations of our partner. We’re specific in our appreciation of the person’s appearance or deeds. As we get used to the relationship, we’ll forget that specific praise. You might take them for granted, so you might consider going back to those old ways. Kids need to hear, “Great job sharing your toys!” I decided to model this behavior myself before asking my partner to make the effort....

The mesh grille on speakers can be a dust magnet. Instead of cleaning them with a rag, try using a lint roller. How to Clean Speakers| POPSUGAR Photo byKiran Foster.

Some of us are currently employed, but seeking new employment. Putting an email address in your LinkedIn summary encourages more networking opportunities. If you already know the person, they can send you a message through LinkedIn. They can also send apremium “InMail"message, but that costs them money. Example: “I’m fascinated by all things digital marketing and enjoy meeting like-minded people. Feel free to contact me at[email protected]. How to be “Open to New Opportunities” Without Tipping Off Your Boss| The Muse...

This week we’re looking at five of the best, based on your nominations. Here are your top five, in no particular order. Google Translate Most people are already familiar with Google Translate. you’re able to translate entire web pages or documents easily as well. you’ve got the option to read morein its nomination thread here. you’re free to read more about itin its nomination thread here. Linguee Linguee is less of a translation service as it is a translation dictionary and search engine....

Beans are an inexpensive ingredient, but often need soaking and boiling. Soaking the beans the night beforereduces gas, but it’s optional for most beans. In the winter, I use apressure cooker. Either method isn’t much harder than opening up a can of beans, but is much cheaper. Check out the link for the cooking details and the warning regarding cooking kidney beans with this method. How To Cook Beans in the Slow Cooker Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn| The Kitchn...