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6 Ways to Beat Stress When You Run Your Own Financial Planning Firm

By June 12, 2017September 11th, 2023Featured, Lifestyle, Practice Management

The life of an independent financial advisor can be both challenging and rewarding. The more passionate you are about your work, the more likely you are to take on extra tasks and log longer hours. Burning the candle at both ends may result in a productivity boost for awhile, but it can lead to unnecessary stress if you’re not careful. Knowing when to take a break can make it easier to focus, recharge, and get more done in the long run.  Here are a few steps that can help you stay productive by maximizing your downtime:

1. Stay Active

Physical activity is key to keep down stress levels. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, make an effort to be active as you go about your day. It could be as simple as a brisk walk at lunchtime or before you head to your next appointment. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  You may even choose an app to remind you to get up and move (such as Stand Up!).  Even an additional ten minutes of movement each day can make a big difference.

2. Spend Time with Loved Ones

Face-to-face interaction with friends and family is important for releasing a variety of stress-fighting hormones.  This closeness can help boost your sense of well-being and connectedness. Whether you’re having time alone with a significant other or dinner with a friend, you’ll feel less consumed by work and more like you’re living a balanced life. If there’s no one you can reach out to, try setting aside a few hours to volunteer to make meaningful human connections.

3.Plan Ahead

Planning your week ahead of time will make it seem more manageable. You’ll also find it easier to focus on your immediate task rather than worrying about what is coming up later. Sometimes a visual representation is all a person needs to make sense of what feels like chaos. If you plan out your time off as well, you may get more out of it and reduce your FOMO (fear of missing out). Advanced planning can also provide the benefit of giving you something to look forward to throughout the week!

4.Go Off the Grid

Many of us find it hard to leave work behind, but it’s important that our personal time is kept personal. If you have to, turn off your smartphone, close your inbox, be unreachable until you start work again. Keep those hours just for you. Recharge yourself just like you do your devices!

 

5.Practice Relaxation

The body’s fight-or-flight stress response can be countered by practicing any variety of relaxation techniques. Some people meditate, others listen to relaxing sounds. Yoga postures can release your tension.  Keep a gratitude journal to keep track of the things in your life you appreciate. Take deep breaths to calm your mind. Curl up with a good book or enjoy a warm beverage (I like to have green tea in the afternoon).  Any of these actions can have a positive effect on a person’s mood; do what works for you.

6.Don’t Let Chores Consume Your Free Time

If you’ve been busy working all week, the chores on your to-do list have likely piled up. Be careful not to let them eat up all of your free time. Prioritize your downtime above tasks that can be done later. If you have family members who can share some of the obligations, ask them to help out.  Don’t be afraid to hire out to give yourself the break you deserve.

 

When you’re an independent financial planner you face a difficult balance between your work and personal lives. With a bit of planning and discipline, you’ll find it easier to make the most out of both.

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Kristin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. Managing her own firm, she grew it from zero to six figures in less than three years, completely from scratch. In 2014 Kristin transitioned full time into training and coaching, where she now helps independent financial advisors to grow their firms.

3 Comments

  • Lori says:

    Good to know I’m not the only one who becomes consumed with the stress of finding new clients and converting sales. Thanks for posting!

    • Kristin Harad says:

      You have to take time to step away, gain perspective, and figure out a systematic way to approach the process. That way it becomes about the system not any individual prospect saying yes or no.

  • Kristin Harad says:

    Share how you manage your stress…comment here!

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