At Prime Capital Investment Advisors, we believe that money is only a tool we use to reach a greater purpose. When we design a financial plan, our goal isn’t to stockpile money for the sake of stockpiling money. We want to see you use that money to reach your goals, protect your family and fund your future.
With that philosophy comes a belief in a proper work-life balance, working to fulfill your dreams as opposed to living to fulfill your work. That’s why we ask about your family and your personal goals in our first meeting. The right financial plan is directed toward what’s important to you.
Relationships are also like beautiful plants. To grow, they need water, light and love. Whether those relationships are with friends, family, a significant other or even your personal goals, they need to be nurtured throughout your career, even when it’s difficult to find the right balance between “professional” and “personal.” Here are four tips to help you maintain that balance!
- Assess what’s important to you
It’s difficult to know how to distribute your time without knowing what’s important to you. Clearly defined goals help us set course with our free time and with our funds. Additionally, your time here is limited, so why waste it on things that don’t help you achieve those goals?
Before you even begin to pie-chart your time, it’s necessary to take internal inventory. What keeps you up at night, and who are the people you’d sacrifice everything for? We know these aren’t simple questions, but they’re key to your own understanding of how you should be managing your time.
- Take small breaks
Productivity is only stalled if you reach your burnout point. We understand that you’re operating on deadlines, and your time is too valuable to waste, but time spent recharging mentally and emotionally is far from wasted.
It’s also a great time to do some self-reflection. Whether you’re looking inward at your own creative or practical process or you’re looking at an external problem from a different angle, those small breaks can shift your viewpoint just enough to give you a new perspective.
- Use your vacation time
Remember, paid time off is not a convenient luxury you have in the event that you deem it necessary to use. It’s for your own health and your own mental wellbeing, and along with features like health insurance and employer-sponsored retirement plans, it’s part of your compensation for your hard work. You wouldn’t skip out on using your health insurance, so why shortchange yourself when it comes to your vacation time?
Furthermore, we certainly encourage you to find a career you enjoy, and it’s even better if you love your work so much that it doesn’t feel like work. That said, while perfect attendance may look nice on paper, it could be detrimental to longevity, both physically and mentally. Paid time off belongs to you, so use it to spend that time with those you care about or take that vacation to a city you’ve always dreamed of visiting.
- Keep a schedule and stick to it
One of the best ways to manage your time is to keep a schedule and stick to it. Of course, you probably have a work schedule that keeps track of your tasks, appointments and meetings, but your schedule can extend into your personal life. That means walking out of your office on time, keeping promises to those you plan to see during off-work hours and making hard plans that give you something to personally look forward to.
While that schedule doesn’t necessarily need to be written in ink, it can give you a good idea of how your time is being spent while keeping you from double-booking. We can also probably all agree that, although keeping a schedule can be helpful, clearing it is incredibly satisfying, opening your options for improvised activities or mental health days. Don’t be afraid to prioritize yourself when assembling your agenda. You are important, and so is your time and how you choose to use it.
Need help with your financial plan? Set up an appointment with Dawn Potts at Prime Capital Investment Advisors on Dawn’s schedule here.
