THE VALUE OF BUFFERS
Of the seven people who work in our office, Kurt surely has the most energy. I rarely hear him say he’s tired. Kurt gets in early and is therefore the dishwasher unloader. Cole gets props here, too because they both get in early and are saddled with this chore. I haven’t done it in years.
Kurt works hard while it’s quiet. By the time our morning check-in rolls around at 8:30 he’s deep into his day. Then, he disappears to the gym for an hour or two in the middle of the day. He returns and finishes his workday. I’ve always joked that I couldn’t “gym” in the middle of the day because I’d sweat my eyebrows off, and it’d take too long to put them back on.
He guards his gym time very well. Sure, he’s moved it to accommodate stuff, but he rarely misses a day at the gym. Years ago, I realized this is how he manages his stress. And he does it well. But this isn’t about the gym. It’s about his system, what he prioritizes and why.
Our collective stress is becoming untenable. We think part of the problem is people adrift, moving from task to task accomplishing stuff, but not progressing towards anything in particular.
Without vision or purpose, we have no litmus test by which we let things into our lives. So, we overspend and overschedule ourselves, unwittingly seeking fulfillment in overuse of our life’s currencies: money and time. These represent what is controllable in your life. When they don’t align with your purpose, or you lack purpose altogether, they become unused tools gathering dust.
The last two weeks you’ve been reading about managing stress through financial planning. We showed you, perhaps a recognizable portrait, of a mom trying to solve issues with impulse spending.
We offered advice on establishing your vision (purpose) and adjusting your finances to support it. Now it’s about your time, something ultimately more valuable than your money because it cannot be regenerated.
Chapter 7 of Morgan Housel’s Psychology of Money is called “Freedom”, and its pure pull quote potential. So much so, that I’m not actually going to quote it, but recommend you read it in its entirety. His main point is this – money doesn’t buy happiness, but it can buy freedom. Having a savings buffer, and not being imprisoned by your lifestyle/expenses is a big plus too few people talk about.
Let’s say you lose your job. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, this is a devastation. If you’ve got 6-12+ months of living expenses saved, you have the option to wait for a proper replacement instead of acting out of desperation. In this scenario, your savings just bought you time. You can afford to wait. You can afford to remain calm. You can afford to not stress.
Let’s take that “savings buffer” mentality and apply it to your schedule. First, Imagine your life with less rush. How would a reserve of free time affect your stress levels? Your mood? Your family? Your health?
Next, write out your actual schedule for the next 30-60 days including as much as you can. Now, using your vision as a litmus test determine what belongs on your calendar. Kurt’s gym time might seem elective, but it’s really the fuel that allows him to be good at other things in life. Because he has a good grasp of his purpose, he knows to guard this time, lest everything else, the stuff that matters, suffer.
While doing this activity, remember there’s a thin line between self-care and selfishness. Kurt’s gym time could be aptly described as self-care, but he isn’t ignoring his family to have it. You’ll be able to walk that line more diligently if you know your vision and the values that serve as its foundation.