Both from personal and profession experience, I’ve learnt and seen on a daily basis, and at its core, what we spend our money on, is a direct reflection of what we value most.
For example when my self-esteem is high I start booking “experience” holidays, because new experiences and holidays are important to me.
When my self-esteem is low my natural inclination is to buy and eat junk food.
Why? Because important to me at that time are my feelings of comfort, rebellion and unworthiness.
However, it’s also important to understand the connection between our money and our job.
Our job probably means many diffident things to us. For most people, the core purpose of our job is basically to earn enough money, so that we can do the things we most value and are important to us.
Asking yourself "What’s important to you?", is like opening Pandora’s Box, however the academic community has concluded, the most direct route to happiness is achieved though the continuous combination of friendships, freedom, health, financial security, privacy, as well having a defined life philosophy and purpose.
“Your Money or Your Life” is a book written by Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez & Monique Tilford. It has many fantastic insights and perspectives about financial independence being within most peoples reach if they choose and ask the reader many questions; however one particular question is of profound importance “How much are you trading your life energy for?
Let’s use the following as an example of what a job costs us (based on a $25 hourly income)?
Activity | Time/ week | Cost $25/hr |
Work | 37.5 | +$937.00 |
Tax 25% |
| -$234.00 |
Preparation for work | 2.5hrs | -$62.50 |
Commute | 10hrs | -$250.00 |
Meals/Drinks | 2.5hrs | -$62.50 |
Unwinding (stressed out) | 10hrs | -$250.00 |
Escape Entertainment | 4hrs | -$100.00 |
Attire | 0.5hrs | -$12.50 |
Total Cost | 29hrs | -$971.50 |
In this example not only is this real cost of the persons job 66.5hrs a week of their non-renewable resource A.K.A. time, they are also spending more than they earn.
Sound familiar?
So while everyone is different, my point is there are a multitude of indirect costs, and ways we may or may not be consciously factoring into the cost we pay for our jobs and the impact our jobs may be having on our health, relationships, and happiness.
The important take out from this exercise is to ask ourselves “Is there a better way?
And if so what are the activities we can do right now that will start to improve our life in a positive way?”
For myself this required what others may call a radical shift .
I expanded my business and relocated from Sydney to Cairns the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest.
Doing so has saved me more than $50,000 per year in my "job", with the further upside of better clients, less risk, increased profits and more time to exercise, entertain, grow and help others. The very things that are important to me and my happiness.
If you are stuck in a funk or you’re lost in a cloud of complexity feel free to contact me. Most often in life we just need someone to talk things through and to lighten our load a little.
This post was written by Me, as such they are my personal views and not financial or general advice.
You should always seek independent financial advice when it comes to choices about your personal finances. This is one area of your life where it’s worth paying for it to be done right.
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