03 nov Budget your time,

We’re better at balancing our expenses with our income than balancing our priorities with our potential freedom. Not sure if priorities is the right term to use? The things-that-we-THINK-we-have-to-do in life. Does that sound better? Funny though, because I want to believe that we are all aware of the fact that we can’t have everything and do everything at the same time. I want to believe that we are all aware of the fact that a day has only 24 hours and a year only 365 days. Meanwhile, the majority of us are way too busy making a living instead of living life.

Don’t confuse having a career with having a LIFE

You want to be able to see the bigger picture, trust me. You do want to confront yourself. You want to become aware of the micro decisions you make on a daily basis, trading long term effects for short ones. It just all depends on what’s most important to you. Last week I bumped into this post: If you make $15 dollar per hour, that new watch isn’t $200 .. It is 13 hours of your life. That new purse isn’t $150 dollar, it’s 10 hours of your life.

The most precious things in life,

Is it your health, your time, your loved ones, your peace or your focus? Well, back in the days I was totally focussed on making money. I only focussed on results, business- and money wise. Extremely concerned about my savings account, making unnecessary greedy decisions. I spend my money in a different way than I’m spending it now. The most important thing I’ve learned is that it works both ways. Your circle of influence isn’t always based on MORE. Right now I’m at a stage in life where I’m protecting my peace at all costs. Because if it costs me my peace, it’s just simply way too expensive.

Balancing your professional and personal life

During my career I went on holidays, 7 or 8 times a year. I loved every trip and loved spending money on buying cheap flights, but if I have to be fairly honest .. The first three or four days, I just wasn’t able to relax. I hear this quite often though, that people aren’t able to relax on the first couple of days of their holiday. Somehow they really need the time to unwind. Which in my opinion is a pity.

LEARN to unplug

Don’t be afraid to unplug. I did it for years, and still .. I unplug on a frequent basis. I don’t have Whatsapp. The company’s I do business with call or e-mail me. I don’t have my work e-mail connected to my smarthpone. I haven’t had internet at home for years (during the first four years of my career as a manager). Back then I already knew that I had to protect myself. My home, was my home. Didn’t want to transform it into a possible office. I deliberately set boundaries.

Bring the balance back

If budgeting means the process of creating a plan to spend your money .. So that you can determine in advance whether you will have enough money to do the things you need to do or would like to do. Will it be worth it to try and budget your life. Your time. What are the things you want to do? What are the experiences you don’t want to miss out on? The soccergames of your kids? Picking them up from school? A lunch with your partner, during the week instead of the weekends? Impulsive road- or citytrips?

Just take a moment .. And think about it,