The combination of your talents, experience and skills represents an asset. Like any asset, it should be managed and protected. This includes keeping staying healthy, having sufficient insurance, planning for both the near term and the future, investing in you, and having contingency plans if a sudden turn occurs.

The Key Takeaways

• You—your talents, experience and skills—are your most valuable asset.

• Properly managing and protecting this asset can make you more valuable and prepare you for future changes and opportunities.

Caring for Yourself as an Asset

Too often, we let ourselves slip to the bottom of the priority list. But when you start to think of yourself as your most valuable asset and begin to nourish and protect this asset, you will perform at your best and increase your value. For example:

Keep yourself healthy. You can’t perform at your best if you don’t take care of yourself. Start with the simple things you already know you should do: eat the right foods, drink water, exercise regularly, get enough restful sleep, etc. See your doctor and take care of small issues before they become big problems. In addition to keeping your body healthy, it is equally important to keep your mind healthy. Since we live in a digital age, we are inundated with stimulants. Most likely, you work all day in front of a computer screen. When you get home, you may watch TV, get on a home computer or iPad and surf the Internet or watch a movie, etc.

With this barrage of stimulating content constantly around, our minds can easily get overwhelmed. Anthropologically, this was never the case. In this author’s opinion, this does not lead to a healthy mind. To counteract this overstimulation, which is now prevalent in our society in which we all live, it is important to get some mental space. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, depending on your preferences. Some suggested ways to give your mind that space are to go out into nature, read a book, meditate, or engage in some other spiritual or creative endeavor. While technology helps us achieve more in a shorter amount of time, it seems as if we are busier than ever before. While I am not sure what precisely causes this phenomena, it is clear that we must find a way to give our mind some rest from this never ending doing.

Have sufficient insurance to manage risk. Coverage usually includes health insurance; long-term care insurance; life insurance; property and casualty insurance; liability insurance; and professional insurance.

Invest in yourself to stay valuable, both for the short and long term. Work on ways to be consistently productive in your work. Learn new skills or take training that will help in your current job/career or that will prepare you for a future one. Consider additional education or an advanced degree to help expand your abilities and potential.

Have contingency plans. Plan for the unexpected. Start paying off debts and building an emergency fund. Keep your resume updated. Expand your professional contacts in your current industry or one you would like to pursue by attending networking functions and using social media like LinkedIn.

What You Need to Know

When you take care of yourself, protect yourself and invest in yourself, you will perform better, become more valuable, and will be more prepared if your future takes an unexpected turn or a golden opportunity comes your way.

Other Actions to Consider

1. Stress can affect you physically, mentally and emotionally. Having a comprehensive plan, and a team of professionals looking after its execution, brings far greater value in financial benefits, peace of mind, and confidence in the future than the upfront costs. 

2. Don’t expect to make all the changes at one time. Take small but consistent steps. Set some goals and start working toward them.

3. Everyone has different talents and abilities. Consider what you do well and work on being as good as you can be in those areas. At the same time, be conscious of things you could do better and work on some improvement in those areas.

If you want to ensure that your family is cared for after you have passed away, please call our office at 415-625-0773, to schedule your free consultation with San Francisco’s premiere estate planning attorney, Matthew J. Tuller.