On Life’s High Wire: A Balance of Work and Family

If you feel like you’re always looking for the balance between work and family, you’re not alone. In a recent report published by Families and Work Institute, 55% of those surveyed felt overwhelmed by how much work they had to do. But take heart – here are some encouraging words from successful advisors who’ve found balance and are willing to share their stories.

“I love what I do,” says Sybil Verch, Senior Vice President, Western Regional Manager. “What I do doesn’t feel like work.” However, she follows a plan to maintain a balance that includes these measures:

• Fitness – She blocks at least three days every week to work out to help with stress, health and energy.
• Family – She takes six weeks of vacation every year with time off taken every three to four months.
• Weekends – She works as long as it takes during the week to avoid working on weekends.

Traci Richmond, CFP®, The Meakem Group, an independent firm, says her schedule is a “constantly moving target” because of her three kids’ schedules. Still, she manages to keep things moving along smoothly by:

• Creating a schedule in quarters to accommodate changes in family life and her kids’ different sports and activities
• Arranging for help in the afternoon to assist with carpooling and after-school activities
• Getting up an hour before the family does to run through email and take care of outstanding items from the previous day
• Holding client meetings three days a week and maintaining a disciplined schedule

“Having a structure and schedule helps me focus completely on what I’m doing in that moment,” says Richmond. She also has learned to accept that she’s only human and will slip up from time to time. Now, rather than struggling with that, she finds the willingness to forgive herself for not being “perfect” is a big stress reliever.

In the case of Aimee Boggs, Senior Vice President, Investments, Boggs-Huffman Wealth Management Group of Raymond James, she was able to help relieve her own stress by helping others with the same issue: She became a certified yoga instructor. When not in the office, you’ll find her on the beach instructing clients, friends and professional associates in the relaxing art of yoga.

Focusing on positive aspects of work and personal life helps Sacha Millstone, Wealth Manager, The Millstone Evans Group of Raymond James, keep things in perspective.

“I love it when clients see their plans are working,” says Millstone. Seeing clients happy gives her immense satisfaction. “And because of my job, I have freedom to do what I want with my time,” says Millstone. That’s important to her because of the issues and causes she supports. “I’m also able to travel,” she adds. And with work and life in balance, Millstone says that this is a really good time in her life.