We all have it in us to procrastinate at times. I’ve witnessed even the most disciplined of people put off something they would rather not do. There are certain times when a small degree of procrastination never hurt anyone, but in other situations, it can be catastrophic. Two areas where you should not procrastinate are those related to your health and finances. We’ll let you off the hook on cleaning the garage and dieting, you can always find a reason to delay those.
Unfortunately, there are some situations that start small and end terribly because they were put off or ignored. On the health front, I had a friend who had a cough that wouldn’t go away but refused to go to the doctor. He kept saying it was no big deal, just a nagging cough. He passed away recently and it was discovered that his little cough was the beginning stages of a very serious but treatable condition.
While the consequences of finances, and retirement planning in particular, might not be life threatening, they are certainly a threat to your quality of life. Sticking your head in the sand on your retirement planning won’t fix anything. As we get closer to retirement, time is not our friend. The sooner you can start creating or making adjustments to your plan, the better off you will be. Even if you are already retired, there still may be ways to add years to your retirement income without impacting your current quality of life. It may be as simple as finding ways to reduce the expenses of certain investments, or reevaluating your portfolio with products that are better suited to the goals you have today.
The most important thing to realize is that (1) you have options and; (2) help is available. So if you have been sticking your head in the sand, it’s time to take action. With so many financial professionals offering no obligation, complimentary meetings it’s never been easier to get professional help. If you have concerns about running out of money, or not having enough to leave behind, take advantage of a complimentary meeting and understand your options.
The day you take control of your retirement plan is the day you become empowered. It’s also the day you’ll be free of that nagging voice in the back of your head telling you to deal with this. Make sure you deal with the big stuff right away, cleaning the garage can always wait.
