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Remember the TV show, Leave it to Beaver? If not, you can Google it, but here's a typical scenario of daily life back in 1957-1963: The day would start with June and Ward having breakfast with the children Wally and The Beav. Ward would go to work, Wally and The Beav would go to school, and Mom would stay home and tend to the house. (I'm not suggesting that women don't go to work…just explaining life back then. No need to send me any emails.) Later they'd all come home, have a family dinner, spend the evening together doing homework and talking about their day, and then they were off to bed. Life was simple.
If this describes your life, congratulations. If you would like this to describe your life, it can to whatever degree you'd like it.
As a Productivity Coach and Certified Professional Organizer®, I have paid close attention to the lack of simplicity in the lives of my advisor clients and those around me for more than two decades.
Here are a few complaints from financial advisors that I hear all the time.
- I am so busy.
- I never have any time for myself.
- I am always running late.
- I never make dinner…I make reservations.
- I never get to_______ (usually something fun).
- I am so tired.
- I am so disorganized.
- I never stop running all day, but I get so little done.
- I wish I had time to_______(usually something they enjoy).
We are living in a whirlwind and, believe it or not, that is by choice. You can make changes by choosing to calm that tornado. Ironically, simplicity may not be easy, but it is possible if you want it bad enough.
How do you make your crazy life simpler?
Remember, it didn’t take you a day to complicate your life, so you can't simplify it in one day either. You’re going to have to work at it and make it a priority. Here are a few steps to get you started:
- Recognize your desire for change. If you are fed up, say it out loud and tell a few people close to you. Now you have witnesses that can support you and hold you accountable as you move towards simplicity.
- Know your purpose by answering these questions: Why am I here? What is my life all about? What matters most? What am I missing? There are no wrong answers here.
- Write your goals. Dream big but write them down. It’s been proven that people who write down their goals have a much higher rate of achieving them. Be clear on what you want so you can go after it. Only allow things into your life that will contribute to your goals.
- Got clutter? Consider need versus want. Before you bring anything new into your life, ask yourself if you need it or want it. If you need it, okay. If you want it, try to wait a week to make your final decision to add it to your life. Most times you will forget the impulse.
- Pause. If you want to implement the above strategies, use my three-step process for simplifying your life…pause – think deeply – act. This will help you to make thoughtful, not impulsive, decisions. Without pausing and thinking deeply, you'll make impulsive decisions that often end up adding to the chaos in some way.
- Take control of your technology and time. If the phone rings, do you have to answer it? The second you get an email, do you have to open it? When someone else says they need something done, do you assume it has to be done right now? You have set expectations for others, and you can always change those expectations. I help my advisor clients do this all the time in every aspect of their lives.
Pick one of these ideas and implement it. Then choose another. You'll be on your way to simplicity. All it takes is some commitment and short-term sacrifice. The choice is yours. The power of simplicity is within you!
Patty Kreamer, CPO® helps overwhelmed financial advisors take control of their brain clutter, calendar, to-do list, inbox, interruptions and anything blocking productivity. She is a productivity coach, speaker, Certified Professional Organizer® and author of four books. Patty is a partner at Productivity Uncorked, LLC, a coaching firm that specializes in helping financial advisors take control of their practice and uncork their referrals. Get a copy of Patty’s book, The Power of Simplicity or email Patty at [email protected] or follow her on LinkedIn.
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Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.