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How to Create Work-Life Balance as a Financial Advisor

As a financial advisor, you have a lot on your plate. From staying on top of the latest investment news and trends to servicing existing clients to prospecting new clients, there’s always more work that can be done. But if you don’t draw the line between your work life and your personal life, you can wind up overwhelmed, overworked and burnt out. The answer: Creating (and committing to maintaining) work-life balance. Here, we share insights to help you achieve work-life balance in the financial services industry.

Define Work-Life Balance

The balance between a professional life and a personal life means something different for everyone. Toss out the idea that “balance” also means “equal.” Spending the exact amount of time with your family as you do at your job simply may not be possible, and that’s OK.

The key to a work-life balance is finding time — or actively making time — to do the things that bring you fulfillment and satisfaction. For some, this might mean more travel. For others, it could be prospecting new clients. To determine your own definition of work-life balance, ask yourself these questions: 

  • What three activities make me happy?
  • What three activities make me unhappy?
  • What three things do I do each day that don’t relate to work or personal fulfillment?

Focus on the Small Things

Often a work-life imbalance comes down to simply not having enough hours in the day to do it all. Gain some of those precious minutes back by starting small. You might be surprised by how infinitesimal adjustments yield big impacts. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Commit to two family dinners a week. There will likely be times that work responsibilities blur into the evening hours. Allow for this by keeping open a few weeknights to check emails or return calls. And find comfort in the fact that you’ll still enjoy family time a few evenings as well. 
  • Pick one hour each day and turn off email notifications. Use these 60 minutes to catch up on work projects that require your undivided attention, go for a walk or listen to a podcast.  
  • Schedule grocery delivery. The daily to-do list of errands can feel endless. Eliminate one of those chores — and buy back a big chunk of time — by hiring a service to do it for you.    

Delegate

We get it — it’s not always easy to hand off assignments when it seems easier, faster or better if we just do it ourselves. But the truth is, delegating time-consuming tasks is a surefire way to free up much-needed hours in the day and to lighten the mental burdens we carry around. That’s what support staff is there for. Farm Bureau Wealth Management Advisors have the support of an in-house marketing and advertising team that create custom marketing materials as well as a robust support team, freeing up their time to focus on other priorities.

Grow Your Career

At Farm Bureau, we provide our Wealth Management Advisors with on-boarding resources, ongoing support, back-office assistance, in-place staffing and the foundational elements that allow advisors to focus on the important stuff — clients, families, health and happiness. Let’s chat about your future as a Farm Bureau Wealth Management Advisor.