When asked, most people will always say they wished they had more time. Every four years, because of the speed at which our planet orbits the Sun, we are all granted that wish with one extra day in February. Recognizing that you now have what you wanted, what do you do with the gift of an extra day? If you’re like most people, you don’t do anything special. But, stop to think about it for a minute—one extra day is a pretty powerful thing.
Think of this in terms of a loved one that you have lost. What would you give to spend one more day with that person? What conversations could you have? What experiences could you share?
Imagine the power of an extra day of leisure. So many of us spend days off running errands, wrapping up loose ends, and taking care of the business of life that we put off during the work week. What would you do if you had an extra day without work or chores? What would it mean to you in terms of mental well-being and personal satisfaction?
Think about the impact of an extra day when you are planning and saving for your future. Personally, I think about saving for things I want, saving for vacations I want to go on, and even increasing the amount that I am putting away for my retirement on a regular basis. However, I just keep thinking about it, and every now and then, I might take some action. I can only imagine how much money I would have right now, if I had actually put my money where my thoughts were. When it comes to saving, time is the greatest asset of all because extra days really do translate into extra dollars later in life when compound interest is working for us.
We all wish for extra time, but the reality is, we human beings fall into the trap of human nature and we spend extra time that we are given watching TV, going to work, “sleeping in”, etc. We do all of the same things that take up the time we already have instead of seizing the time that is before us and taking the action that will make a difference.
The power of the gift of time is only realized if you seize it and make it work for you. So, on this extra day of the year, recognize that you have been given the gift of time. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do right now. Use this day to call the loved one you don’t want to lose, use the day to be leisurely and take care of yourself and your needs, stop just planning for what you will do in the future and start living your plan.
Co-authored by Chris Newbern, Director of Competition at National Life Group. Chris is well versed on the value of Retirement Planning and the role that annuities can play in a balanced portfolio. He regularly plans to increase his retirement savings, tomorrow.
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