A Simple Guide to help you thrive

When I was younger I used to be terrible with managing my money. It was embarrassing actually. I'd get myself into unnecessary situations and it didn't help that I was generous with my money to a fault. Looking back, it was partly due to my lack of financial education and the fact that I just didn't plan or budget properly. This was so incongruent to all other areas of my life which I had planned meticulously. But without this fundamental area, this spoke in the wheel being sorted, my life was never going to take off the way it was meant to despite all the planning and other actions I had done.

My point is that we don't always have all the core skills, attitude or motivations sorted, in all the right places of our lives all at the same time. It might be because we just don't know what we don't know, it hasn't been pointed out to us or simply that life is too busy to work on it.

One thing I do know is that once I sorted out the thing I didn't have right, my levels of 'thriving' went way up a notch. They went up because the balance across the key areas of my life, was much improved, it just so happened to be me being crap with money at that time that meant I was surviving and not thriving.

Success means different things to all of us but we can all agree that having a happy balance is a big part of being happy. That balance looks different to everyone too as our areas of focus may vary but no one can tell me that they don't want a successful life.

'FIVE TO THRIVE'

These are the five things I believe that we need to get organised to thrive.

OUR RELATIONSHIPS

Making not finding the time to invest in and nurture our relationships is vital. This doesn't need a long explanation because we all know that healthy friendships and relationships are fundamental to our happiness and overall wellbeing. It's easy to take people for granted. We need to be deliberate about giving time and energy to the people we actively and very consciously choose to have in our lives. Conversely, we should audit our relationships and walk away from those that no longer have a positive impact. A time and energy draining relationship will not add abundance to your life. Make sure every relationship is a mutual value-add. Be around people that inspire you.

OUR TIME

Time is something I don't play with. I hate having my time wasted, whether it's me doing it to myself or other people. You can never get it back so be the biggest guardian of your time.

Organising your time means you make the most out of each God-given moment. Plan your day, month and year. Regularly review how you spend your time. Ask yourself if your time is serving you and others how you want it to? Is it serving your purpose in life? Does the way you use your time make YOU happy? Are you allocating the right amount of time to the important tasks in your life? Things that will move the needle in your life?

Use the many time-management tools out there to help you use your time wisely.

Every week on a Sunday I sit down with my planner and go day- by-day planning each day out. Time blocking the hours, factoring time for work, family, my home and me. Of course, each day varies and I don't always get everything done but that's ok because I can pick them up the next day or even next week. Structure is a game changer. Truly owning your time will speed up your success.

OUR HOMES

There is nothing like walking into your home and feeling calm, happy, comfortable and free.

So much of our environment reflects the way we feel. Study after study on the Psychology of our spaces demonstrate that our feelings, thoughts and behaviours are reflected back at us when we look around our homes. Clutter, excess and mess are all a product of how we live our lives and a tidy well organised home creates a space to think more clearly, have more energy, time and control. Purging the excess, organising and rearranging your space and making your home look better is healing. It's a journey some people don't need help on, some need help to get started and some need to be carried all the way.

OUR HEALTH

YES, your health is your wealth! Which is why the health and wellbeing industry is a multi-billion-pound industry. We are all being reminded of why maintaining good physical and mental health every day is a must, everywhere we look. Every 5 posts you scroll past is health related in some way. You don't have to spend lots of money to be organised around your health.

It requires discipline and being disciplined is a basically a synonym for organised. They go hand in hand. There is no way you can thrive in life without good health. Look after your mind, body and soul. Mental health is right at the top of the agenda right now and finding time to look after it is perhaps one of the biggest messages of 2020.

So, what can you do?

• Plan and prep what you eat.

• Get up an hour earlier or block 30-60 minutes a day for exercise.

• Set aside 30 minutes for bed to read - this nurtures your mind and soul and isa great way to go to sleep

• Meditate

• Cut out/reduce your sugar intake

• Make sure you do all you can to get a good night's sleep

• Get rid of the toxic relationships - review the relationships in your life regularly.

• Set boundaries with your time

OUR MONEY

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN

How often do you do a financial health check? You should review your finances every quarter.

Do you have a short, medium and long-term plan?

Make your finances a priority. Be honest with yourself about your spending habits.

If your habits aren't healthy, ask yourself why and get help in putting this right.

If you have these things organised then you won't have financial stress:

• No bad debt

• Budget- spend below your means

• Emergency fund - 3-6 months of your monthly wages

• Pay all of your bills before anything else each month

• Make sure your taxes are organised- use an accountant

• A regular amount of money going into your savings account 5-10% is good (a little is better than nothing)

• Pay into your pension

• Automate regular payments leaving your account - bills and savings

• Have different accounts for different things e.g. bills, holidays, savings, leisure

But don't stop here, go bigger than that...

• Set Financial goals

• Invest - Look at Shares, start-ups, property etc.

• Invest in your own self-development

• Set up a retirement plan

• Save for your children's futures

• Give back if you can

• Get a financial advisor

• Review your long term finances every 4-6 months

• If you get unexpected windfalls or lump sums save don't spend it or out ot towards your longer term goals

Always be so organised you are a step ahead of yourself.

Our relationships, time, home, health and money are all entwined which is why we need to be organised in each area so they are in synch. We have all heard the saying "Where energy goes, energy flows", If we put the right amount of energy into each priority area, they will begin to all work in harmony. Of course, this isn't about being perfect its' about giving yourself the best shot at living a life where thriving is the norm not just surviving. Being organised is the spring board to success.