Happy April!!! The light at the end of the tunnel seems to only be getting brighter and brighter as we kick of the second quarter of 2021.

The real estate market is busy, busy, busy, so it’s only appropriate that our first call this week is related to investment property.

After that we help out a young couple trying to figure out what the financial priority should be. Overall they’re in pretty good shape, just need to clean a few things up.

In hour two I'm so excited to welcome back Cal Newport to the show, who joins us to talk about his latest book, A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload.

Modern knowledge workers communicate constantly. Their days are defined by a relentless barrage of incoming messages and back-and-forth digital conversations, a state of constant, anxious chatter in which nobody can disconnect, and so nobody has the cognitive bandwidth to perform substantive work.

There was a time when tools like email felt cutting edge, but a thorough review of current evidence reveals that the "hyperactive hive mind" workflow they helped create has become a productivity disaster, reducing profitability and perhaps even slowing overall economic growth.

Equally worrisome, it makes us miserable. Humans are simply not wired for constant digital communication.

We have become so used to an inbox-driven workday that it's hard to imagine alternatives.

But they do exist.

Have a money question? Email me here.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

Welp, here we are again folks, starting yet another month. Where on earth has the time gone? Four full months now of the pandemic and it seems like not much has changed. One thing that I know hasn’t changed is the amount of questions coming in from you guys. So let’s get to it!

If there’s ever a time to disconnect and take a breath, this is it. With all the non-stop zoom videos and conference calls, it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and worn out.

Digital minimalists are all around us. They're the calm, happy people who can hold long conversations without furtive glances at their phones. They can get lost in a good book, a woodworking project, or a leisurely morning run.

They can have fun with friends and family without the obsessive urge to document the experience. They stay informed about the news of the day, but don't feel overwhelmed by it. They don't experience "fear of missing out" because they already know which activities provide them meaning and satisfaction.

Man oh man, that is music to my ears! That’s why I’m so excited about our latest guest, Cal Newport, with us to talk about his latest book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.

Now, Newport gives us a name for this quiet movement, and makes a persuasive case for its urgency in our tech-saturated world. Common sense tips, like turning off notifications, or occasional rituals like observing a digital sabbath, don't go far enough in helping us take back control of our technological lives, and attempts to unplug completely are complicated by the demands of family, friends and work.

What we need instead is a thoughtful method to decide what tools to use, for what purposes, and under what conditions.

Have a money question? Email me here.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.