How to get a head start and making life easier in FFXIV is one of the best questions you need to ask yourself if you want to enjoy the game more without having to waste time. I guess you've been through a lot before while playing MMORPGs and other online games right? Having to give up is not the most heroic thing to do. You have to think of some of the things you have experience in the past and think of what you can do to make your start better.

Some of the things that bothers us the most:

1. Pushed to our limits
2. Having sleepless nights
3. Calculating the best and the worse strategies that you could come up with your own and wasting too much time and effort.

The Basics to make your life easier whilst playing FFXIV:

Know the game

Gather all the information you can before playing the game. One of the things you should know is that you begin the game by creating your avatar in the "World of Eorzea" You assume the role of one of the adventurers and the first thing to decide is who exactly are you. Get the race and class that would fit you best and your lifestyle.

*Races: Hyuran | Miqo'te | Lalafell | Elezen | Roegadyn

*Every race has unique strengths and weaknesses as well as multiple backgrounds and origins

*Classes: Disciples of War | Disciples of Magic | Disciples of the Land | Disciples of the Hand

Time management

Discipline is the hardest part anybody can achieve in oneself. FFXIV is a very competitive and broad game that requires most of your time. Better progress requires you to manage your time. Everytime before you start the game, you should plan ahead and stick to it. Sudden change of mind requires decision making and kills most of your time. Don't be impulsive and think ahead.

Efficiency and Effectiveness

Let us define these words to fully understand what's it for:

Efficiency is the ability to accomplish task with a minimum expenditure of time.

Effectiveness is a measure of the match between stated goals and their achievement.

These words best go hand in hand for better results. Do not waste your time grinding in areas that need not to be, you should get to a spot you know by heart that would fit your level and has a fast mob-respawn rate. Ofcourse don't forget to stock pots.

*The World:

+Limsa Lominsa - sea port

+Gridania - the hidden forest town

+Ul'Dah - the vast desert trade city

Lastly

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a guide. There are lots of guides out there that you can buy. Investing tens of dollars won't hurt you but instead would help a lot in the long run. The most expensive ones does not mean the best, be cautious and do your homework.