To Enjoy a successful life, Read this
1. Build your house early
Start constructing, whether it’s a rural or urban home. Do not wait until your 50s to start the process, as that will not be an achievement to brag about. The apparent comfort in government or company-provided housing can often be misleading.
Create for your family a space they can have fun in, a place where they genuinely feel at home, which is something permanent belonging just to them.
2. Spend time with your family
Do not allow yourself to become so immersed in the demands and pressures of your work that you fail to return home at the end of the day. You should realize that you are not indispensable to the workplace no matter how important you feel your contribution may be.
If, heaven forbid, something happened to you, the company would immediately start looking for your replacement and business will continue to be conducted with the same level of professionalism as if you never existed. You must make your family your priority because they are the people who will always be there for you and support you without question. It is imperative that you find a perfect balance in life for you.
3. It is better not to seek promotion actively.
Instead of running after promotions, focus on mastering your craft and being the best at what you do. Let your work speak for itself. If a promotion comes, great. If not, continue to improve your skills and grow personally. Promotions should not define your self-worth.
4. Avoid office gossip
Engaging in gossip or contributing to badmouthing your bosses or colleagues will only work to hurt your professional reputation over time. These types of conversations are virtually unproductive and can prove to have serious consequences on your career.
To be able to keep your name intact and not sullied, it is good to steer clear of negativity and refocus your attention and energy on concentrating on your job and responsibilities.
5. One should never compete with the bosses or fellow colleagues at work.
Competing with your boss is a losing game, and trying to one-up your colleagues will only cause stress. Instead, be supportive and focus on your own journey. Competition at work can drain your energy and lead to unhealthy relationships. Know your lane and run your own race.
6. Start a side business
No matter how good or great your current salary may seem right now, you should understand that it will never fully cover all of your financial needs in the long run. It is thus better to think about opening a sideline business to create an additional source of income for you.
Entering into such an entrepreneurial venture will not only make you more financially stable but also build a safety net that you can depend on once you retire.
7. Saving should become a habit
Automate the saving process by having a system in place where some of your earnings are deducted directly from your paycheck before you ever have a chance to see them. You should not rely on whatever is left over after paying all of your expenses because there are those occasions when there won’t be that much left over.
Building up a nest egg or financial cushion will afford you peace and feelings of security when looking towards the future.
8. Borrow wisely
If you must take out a loan, make sure it’s for something that will improve your life or generate income, such as starting a business or addressing a pressing need. Never borrow money just to buy luxuries. Luxuries should only be purchased with the profits from your investments.
9. Keep your personal life private
Your marriage, family, and personal matters should stay separate from your work life. Don’t share too much about your private affairs with colleagues or bosses. Maintaining boundaries will protect your relationships and ensure that personal issues don’t affect your professional reputation.
10. Be true to yourself and your profession
Rather than spending your time trying to curry favor with your boss and win them over, it is far better to focus on doing your job to the best of your ability. Spending too much time in your boss’s presence can cause you to become alienated from your co-workers, who will assume that you are trying to curry favor.
Moreover, you also need to keep in mind that when the boss eventually leaves the organization, you may find yourself isolated and ignored as well. And always remember that your true loyalty needs to be first and foremost to your own development and well-being, along with making sure that your work quality remains top-notch.
11. Formulate a strategy which centres on early retirement.
Plan for your retirement from the day you get your very first employment letter. It is wise to have a goal that by the ages of 40 to 50, you would have reached a certain level of financial security which gives you the option to retire early if that’s what you want.
Delaying this crucial planning until you find yourself too old or feeling too tired to enjoy the benefits of retirement to the fullest defeats the very purpose of working hard all your life. Life after your working years should be a time of relaxation, joy, and fulfillment – not a period of financial struggle.
12. Participate in an employee welfare program
Be an active and engaged member in the welfare programs offered by your workplace. These programs are designed to help you specifically during emergencies or unexpected life events that may occur. Being part of these groups can be so helpful and very important during harsh times when you need help and support.
Keeping actively involved in such initiatives will guarantee that you have the support and help you need at the most crucial time.
13. It is important to use your leave days thoughtfully and with consideration.
Whenever you opt for taking time off from work, ensure that you spend that duration productively, thereby making strides towards your own goals and projects that matter to you. Activities you engage in and the choices you make during your time off work can often become a kind of reflection in which manner you will eventually choose to live your life when it is time for retirement.
If you will spend that time off merely watching TV, then perhaps you too will find trouble when retirement comes. Thus, wisely use that period to strategize and move towards times ahead.
14. Launch a venture on the side while already employed
Do not wait until you are of retirement age before pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams. It is important that you begin building your project or business while still actively working, so you can lay the foundation and make sure that it is fully functional before you retire.
Most people who fail at their business ventures after retirement fail because they try to start a new business from scratch after leaving work. You would rather be in a position to retire with the capability of running and managing an already existing business that you have built and cultivated over time.
15. Pension funds are for maintenance, not for launching new business
The foremost intention of your pension is to cater to your needs and make you comfortable in your retired life, not to be used for starting new businesses or buying real estate. You should spend those funds carefully to maintain your health, enjoy life’s pleasures, and secure your well-being.
You should avoid using those funds for major financial obligations like education or wedding expenses. If you take time to plan your finances in advance, you will be in a better position to have everything you need when the right time comes.
- In your retirement years, strive to be an exemplary role model for others around you. As you reach this important milestone of retirement, you should not only be an example or a role model but a beacon of success, rather than a cautionary tale that others might fear.
Show your colleagues and peers that this new phase of life can really be a time filled with joy, fulfillment, and a sense of freedom that many desire. Your careful preparation and wise planning in your working years will definitely set you apart and make you a remarkable role model for those who are still working and traveling their own paths.
- Don’t retire because you’re exhausted Retirement should never be considered as an outcome of running out of energy or feeling as if you are burdening others. Rather, one should retire when you are still young enough and full of life to enjoy everything that life can offer—at a time when you can enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in the morning, take adventurous trips, and spend quality time with your family.
Those who work for a very long time find, to their unpleasant surprise, that they are lost or unsatisfied during their retirement days. This is simply because they have become so accustomed to the structured routine that comes with working and are not prepared for this new phase of life.
- Retire in your own home It is important that you have built your own personal home before you reach retirement age. When you retire from a business or a government job that provides housing, it may be very difficult to adjust to living in a whole new setting or neighborhood where you do not know your surroundings.
You will make the transition into your later years of retirement much easier by having your own home to fall back on and to provide you with your sense of place and your established standing within society in general.
- Don’t let the employment benefits blind you It is easy and a bit tempting to get very comfortable with all the sundry benefits and privileges that you get with your job, but it is essential you do not let these “goodies” distract you from the business of saving for your retirement.
Always remember that once you’ve crossed the retirement threshold all those benefits that you once enjoyed will cease to exist, and then you are left to fend for yourselves.
- Retirement is inevitable So many people have mixed feelings, whether positive or negative, about it, but, basically, the fact remains irrespective of your personal feelings about it: at some juncture in your lifetime, you will arrive at a retirement stage—thereby either by your design or due to circumstances surrounding you.
Rather than carry negative feelings about the thing called retirement, it’s much better to embrace retirement with open arms by working out the necessary preparations considerably ahead of time. Made with careful thought and great planning, a well-sculpted retirement evolves as one of the most wonderful times of your life.
