Are you ready to achieve a work-life balance? The American Sociological Review has published a study showing that most of us struggle—which is a fancy word for “fail”—in this important endeavor. But there’s hope; the study also found that the minority of people who HAVE managed to achieve some form of the work/life holy grail are doing certain things well.
Like what? First, they take the time to make deliberate choices about what they want in their lives. Rather than collapse after work in front of the TV or stay at their desk through vacation time, they create a road map of the kind of life they want to live, and how they will spend their time – and they commit to this path.
Second: they regularly communicate with important people in their lives about what’s working for them, and what isn’t working. This prevents them from drifting off the work-life rails as a result of outside influences and pressures.
Third: they make sure they set aside time for family, friends and their important interests. Instead of waiting to see if there is any free time left after work, they make a point to book time off, and they are willing to guard this time and resist intrusions on it.
Fourth: they develop a strong sense of who they are, what they value and what’s important to them. They define what success looks like, what makes them truly happy.
Fifth: they are able to tune out distractions, such as mobile devices or the TV. This allows them to participate in meditation, enjoy music, engage in physical activity or other things that rejuvenate and regenerate them.
Sixth: they are willing to make sacrifices to get what they want. They are determined to work extra hard during the week, so they can get the weekend off—or earn an extra day off to add to the planned weekend activity.
Finally: they develop a strong support network that they can depend on to get them through difficult times. They have a variety of interests, which brings them in contact with like-minded people who will enrich their lives and be there when they are needed.
Interesting enough, I believe, these same characteristics of those who are successful in achieving a work-life balance can transcend to your financial affairs as well. Coincidence…
Seven habits of people who have achieved a work-life balance said differently to assist in financial success.
- Prioritize your goals
- Regularly meet and collaborate with your financial planner
- Savings is not what is left over at the end of the month, it should be your first expense every month
- Avoid keeping up with the Joneses
- Block out the noise
- Sacrifices
- Surround yourself with the right network of people
For over thirty years, Waller Financial Planning Group has helped individuals pursue their desired lifestyle and legacy. If you are interested in learning more about gaining control over your finances, please contact us to see how we may be of assistance.
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