There’s one thing in all of our lives which is the ultimate “limited resource”.

It isn’t food. In western society food is usually more than plentiful.

It isn’t money. Whilst money (and the financial security it provides) has an undeniable impact most of us have got the potential and capacity to earn as long as health and will permits.

The truly limited resource is time.

Time is a strange and elusive beast.

Most of us don’t know how much we’ve got left…

Most of us wish we could have more…

but

Many of us don’t spend it as powerfully as we should.

When I talk about “spending time powerfully” I’m not suggesting you should start planning to climb Everest, jump out of planes or try to attain a Guinness book record (although strangely 2 out of 3 of these things are on ‘my list’).

All I’m suggesting is something really simple…

We should all be aiming to spend more time doing ‘stuff we enjoy’.

The concept is simple…

We want to spend time doing things we love and We’re better at the things we enjoy.

However this creates a challenge…

With our lives becoming increasingly busy how do we find the time to do what we love when there’s pressure to get everything done.

It’s a struggle many of us endure…including me!

However what helped me significantly in putting this into perspective was a book written for business owners but applies to many of our lives and how we spend our time.

The Book in question?

Getting Things Done by David Allen.

Whilst the book is worth reading (as the system contained within to manage time really effectively is a powerful one) in it’s own right the concept behind the book is simple…

Whenever you’ve got something to do you’ve got four choices.

Do it.

Delegate it.

Defer it.

or

Delete it.
With many of us the one we struggle with the most is Delegation.

Working in partnership with other people to help you achieve the life you want might be smart….but it can also be tough.

Pride and Ego get in the way. We want to believe we’re in more control is we try to achieve our goals on our own.

However the opposite is more than often true.

By working in partnership. Taking specific jobs off your shoulders, sharing the burden of responsibility with others and getting a fresh perspective on a particular issue is a smart way of getting things done which allows you to do something special…

Spending time doing what you love.

One area this particular applies to is when it comes to planning financially within our own lives.

Again this may be down to pride…

Often we don’t share our financial thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, plans and aspirations when we should due to the feeling we should be handling this part of our lives ourselves.

However there’s a power in working with other people on your financial plan as odds are you’ll more likely to understand your financial situation, see whether there are any ‘gaps’ financial or otherwise (sometimes the ‘gap’ isn’t financial but one of not being aware of the knowledge that you might already be relatively financially secure) and take action depending on what’s appropriate.

There are a number of people who can help you with this…

Firstly your partner. Many of us underestimate the importance of “talking money” with our husbands and wives. However doing this allows you to talk about shared goals, dreams and aspirations as well as the practical action you need to take as a family in order to either achieve your goals or clarify your knowledge.

and

It’s also worth considering working with a professional financial planner.

A financial planner who can help put a clear plan and structure around your goals.

A financial planner who can help you understand where you are today, where you want to go and what you need to do to get there.

and

A financial planner who will continue to work with your year in year out to ensure you’re on track.

Of course working with a financial planner has a financial cost attached. However the benefit of doing this is having someone on ‘your team’ who can provide clarity and give you a clear route forward to achieve the life you want.

After all there’s one thing, the most limited resource in all our lives, which we all want to ensure we’re making the most of….

Our Time

To discuss how we’re able to help put a clear financial plan in place so that you’re able to achieve the life you desire and provide yourself with the time please contact 08450 568 959 or email Cassie@Principalifas.co.uk