How many of us can say that we get to celebrate Christmas with our loved ones without interruptions from the workplace? For some people, getting to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the family is a privilege.
But with a job that offers work flexibility and control over one’s workload and time, it’s never a problem for Financial Planners to make time for their beloved family members and friends during special occasions. In this article, three of our Financial Planners will share how their job has given them the flexibility to manage their own time and enjoy a work-life balance.
Here’s how I celebrate Christmas… A sharing by Angelina, Aden, and Filbert
Angelina:
Hi, my name is Angelina but my friends call me Angie or Angel. In 2018, before the pandemic, I spent Christmas travelling to the Balkans with my family for 12 days. Since the trip was in December, it was snowing and the streets were filled with beautiful Christmas decorations! The Christmas spirit was very much alive—my family and I visited the Christmas market and went to the church. It was very nice.
Filbert:
For me, the most memorable Christmas celebration was before the pandemic in 2019 where our team at EVOL organised a wine tasting event. This event was so memorable because we got to invite our family and friends to join us. And all I can remember is how amazing it was to get to taste wonderful and delicious wine served by a sommelier while spending time with loved ones.
Aden:
I don’t really celebrate Christmas but on special days such as this, I will always make sure to take at least three days off to spend time with my family and friends.
How my job gives me the freedom to manage my time
Angelina:
I have a monthly target that I make sure to achieve. Let’s say if I want to spend some time off with loved ones, I can set to hit my monthly target in just a week and then take the next three weeks off for the month. I have the luxury to control how much time I allocate to my work and personal time as a Financial Planner.
And in the case of emergencies, if I’m off duty or unavailable to tend to my clients physically, we always make sure that another Financial Planner can take over and help out whenever needed. But this never happens because we need to plan and schedule a time with the client either before or after our day-offs.
Filbert:
Definitely! Time is very flexible for us. For instance, if we want to take some time off for big celebrations or any family emergencies, we can adjust our schedule accordingly.
Aden:
The nature of our business allows us to plan and schedule our appointments around special days such as birthdays, Christmas, and Chinese New Year celebrations. So, time is really in our hands. Everything depends on us—how hard we are planning to work for that particular month and how long we want to take a break and spend some quality time with the family.
Similar to Angelina, I’ve also never had to answer any emergency calls during my days off because I always inform my clients if I’m going away and schedule an appointment with them beforehand. And I always check my email every morning to make sure that everything is going well because our job allows us to work from anywhere in the world as long as we have an internet connection. That is also another flexibility that this job offers us.
What should you do if you struggle with achieving a work-life balance?
Aden:
If getting some time off during the holidays is really impossible for you, you can consider celebrating before or after the actual holiday. But of course, nothing beats celebrating Christmas during the day itself, or any other holiday for that matter.
Angelina:
For me, I believe that being with loved ones during special occasions is very important. Christmas is a time for family and friends to spend time together and have fun—you get to organise a gift exchange or play Secret Santa. And if your job doesn’t offer you such flexibility to manage your time, and you’re unhappy with the way things are going now in your career, maybe it’s time to consider a career change.
Filbert:
If work-life balance is important to you and you’re not getting that with your current job, then become a Financial Planner! Unlike the typical corporate job where you have limited day-offs and you might need to work overtime at the end of the year, this career gives you the freedom to manage your own time and workload. Why not consider it?
No more cancelling Christmas! If you’re tired of spending your Christmas picking up calls and answering emails, get in touch with us and explore what it means to have a work-life balance! For more information, get in touch with us and one of our Financial Planners will reach out to you.