We’ve all heard it said that at the end of your life, no one looks back and wishes they had worked more. But often, people do look back and wish that they had spent more time with family.
Barbara Bush said:
“At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.”
Time for family is one of the biggest reasons people want to redefine their career paths and live life on their own terms.
Many people find themselves stuck in a job that provides financial security but does not allow them to spend their time the way they would like to. Or, they may be working multiple jobs in order to make ends meet, but they are not able to spend quality time with their spouse or kids.
At Life on Your Own Terms, we believe that family is of utmost importance, and we want to help people be able to enjoy the time with their family that they desire. When people join our team, we encourage them to keep their family first.
It’s easy to say, but what does this actually look like? What does it mean to make time for family, and how can you start doing so if you are not already?
In this post, we want to share what making time for family can look like, what the benefits are, as well as a few practical tips for how to do so.
Here are a few examples of how our team members have enjoyed the benefits of making time for family:
- Beth, our team leader, was able to stay at home and raise her 2 daughters. She has been able to enjoy many trips and vacations with her family. For example, she celebrated her 50th birthday in Jamaica with her husband and two daughters.
In addition, she and Russ were able to celebrate their 30th anniversary in Bali, along with her daughter and son-in-law. And now that she has twin granddaughters, she is able to spend lots of time visiting with them, going to the pool or just playing at home and enjoying everyday moments.
- Another team member, Falinda, was able to go to stay with her daughter for 7 weeks when her first grandchild was born. If she was working a traditional job, this wouldn’t have been possible.
- Lissa has been able to fulfill her dream of being a stay-at-home mom. She has a career she is passionate about but also gets to be with her children as they grow up.
- Tammy believed that she had to have a corporate job in order to be successful, but she also felt that spending time with her family was of utmost importance. Since teaming up with Life on Your Own Terms, she is able to have much more flexibility in her schedule. She is able to spend plenty of time with her family while also helping them reach their financial goals.
Perhaps you aren’t living life on your own terms yet. Maybe you wish you could, but you are still working on this goal.
Here are a few tips from our team about how to begin making time for family:
- Decide on your ideal family schedule
As mentioned here, it helps to begin your journey to living life on your own terms by dreaming a little. Start with what you would like your weekly schedule to look like, even if that is not anywhere close to possible right now. This gives you a goal to work towards.
- Brainstorm with your family
Spend some time brainstorming about activities and adventures that you want to enjoy as a family. It might be as simple as having a weekly game night or as elaborate as planning an international family vacation. But again, when you spend the time to dream and plan as a family, you will be more motivated to reach your goals.
- Talk to your boss
If you are still working in a traditional or corporate job, you may need to have a conversation with them about your work schedule. Many bosses are willing to make adjustments if you are able to support your proposal with how it will benefit the company. More and more companies are allowing employees to work remotely or part-time.
- Set clear work/family boundaries
Whether you work from home with your own business or you’re currently working in a corporate job, having boundaries is vital. These boundaries will ensure that your family feels valued and important when you are with them. And when you are working, you can be fully focused on your work instead of also trying to spend time with the family.
If you work from home, set your business hours and write them down. If your work hours are established and your family is aware of them, it will be easier for everyone as they will know what to expect.
- Stay in the moment
One of the biggest challenges of our culture today is the fact that we are constantly distracted. Our phones and devices have us often trying to do two things at once. We’re trying to read an email and play with our kids. We have a conversation with our spouse but also scroll Facebook at the same time.
When you do this, your family can sense that you are not really paying attention for them. Whether your time with family is limited or abundant, it’s important to have times when you are 100% present with them and don’t have distractions pulling your attention away.
Regardless of how much you have to work, you can still make the choice to stay in the moment when you are with those who are most important to you.
We all have to work to earn a living, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of making time for family.
Whether you’re working from home exclusively, building a business on the side, or working in a corporate job, you still have the ability to make your family time a priority. And if you want to live life on your own terms, you are able to create the ideal schedule and life that you want.
If you want to chat about how you can live a life on your own terms, contact us today!