Top Things You Should Prepare Before Your 30s

Is there a more interesting period in life than between your 20s and 30s? Between becoming an adult by moving away from home, starting your career, and experiencing life-changing events, this time is full of memorable moments. More importantly, this is the time in life when one should start preparing for the future.

Now, it may seem like a difficult endeavor, but there’s no reason to feel anxious or stressed. You can’t predict the future, but you can anticipate changes, improve your resilience and work on your skills.

Think about what’s important to you and where you want to end up. With that said, here are the top things we should prepare before we reach 30.

READ MORE: Golden Top 5: Investments You Should Have in Your Early 20s

Learn how to say “no”

You only have so much time in a day. If you constantly keep saying “yes” whenever a friend, family member, or colleague asks for a favor, you’ll never have time for yourself and that’ll deplete your reserves. 

It’s not about saying yes to everything, it’s about setting your limits to the things that you know you are happy doing. Having no boundaries is one of the most effective ways of becoming stressed out.

Before you take care of others, you have to take care of yourself first. If you don’t, you’ll get burned out. Saying no allows us to choose where we put our time and energy. It allows us to focus on giving it to the people – and parts of our life – that matter. If saying “no” is new to you, you might feel uncomfortable at the start. You might even feel guilty declining favors asked of you. But that’s normal. Once you practice it consistently, you’ll eventually be able to comfortably speak your mind and understand your boundaries. And you’ll have more time and energy to pursue the things that truly matter to you.

Invest in yourself

Whether it’s learning or enhancing skills, reading daily, exercising, or eating a well-balanced diet, do not hesitate to invest in yourself. Doing all of these can make you a stronger and more well-rounded individual, both personally and professionally. 

Improving yourself can help boost your confidence. And this can help you become your favorite version of yourself. 

Pay off debts

Debt like credit cards and loans can bog you down as you get older. Pay down these debts as soon as you can before you have more responsibilities. Because as we grow older, bigger responsibilities are always coming our way. 

There’s this quote that really gave me a lesson in life, it says, “If you are in debt more than 10% of your gross annual salary this is a huge red flag. Quit spending, pay off your debt and start saving.”

One of the important things on how to avoid having debt is to spend what you allot on things and don’t go beyond your budget. Spending too much especially when you go beyond your budget is where you will have a problem in the future because you’ll think that it’s okay to do it regularly.

Start saving for your retirement

Thinking about your retirement isn’t the most exciting topic. But the sooner you plan for it, the better off you’ll be down the road. It will help you secure your future without getting pressured. When you’re in your 20s or 30s, retirement seems so far off that it hardly feels real at all. 

It’s one of the most common excuses people make to justify not saving for retirement.

You may not earn a lot of money as you begin your career, but there’s one thing you have more of compared to richer and older folks — time. That is why it’s better to start saving when you all have the time and energy.

Start a business

Having a side business gives you another source of income that can help you pay off your debts or increase your retirement savings. And that side business may even become your new career if it takes off. 

It’s great when you have a stable job, but in time, when you reach the age of 30s you will want to own a business even if it is small or big. It’s never too late to start but it’s better if you plan and prepare it during your 20s when you have all the time and energy. 

READ MORE: Memorial Lots Continue to Yield Good Return of Investment

Balance Work and Life

Your 30s is when your career might really take off. There will be times when you can’t balance your work with your life. But, getting it right can reduce a tremendous amount of stress in your life.

A good work-life balance, said Chris Chancey, career expert, and CEO of Amplio Recruiting, has numerous positive effects, including less stress, a lower risk of burnout, and a greater sense of well-being. This not only benefits employees but employers, too. 

“Employers who are committed to providing environments that support work-life balance for their employees can save on costs, experience fewer cases of absenteeism, and enjoy a more loyal and productive workforce,” said Chancey. 

Employers that offer options such as telecommuting or flexible work schedules can help employees have a better work-life balance. 

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships, but it can also improve your employee’s productivity, and ultimately performance.

I like to think of myself as an “it’s never too late” type of person. But, let’s be honest, there are a lot of things that you should accomplish before you turn 30. Why? Because we have the energy, time, and freedom to do so. We get to enjoy what we are doing and we earn and learn from it. As Nike would say, “Just Do It.” You will be glad you did.

READ MORE: Golden Haven Memorial Park News and Update