SALM TEAM 
No matter what stage of life you’re in, it won’t last forever. But that’s also a good thing: growing and evolving means that as you get older, you get to know yourself better – what makes you happy, what you’re good at, and what brings you joy and satisfaction. What suited you 10 years ago may no longer be a fit anymore, whether it’s your living situation, your career, or a financial plan (or lack of one).
With this in mind, as a young working adult, it’s a great idea to regularly reassess certain areas of your life that may need a rework or even an upgrade. Here are four places to start:
- Your living situation
While living at home or in a shared space while you were studying may have worked just fine, now that you’re in the working world you may want some more space for yourself – plus you may have more income to be able to afford it. You may also have a partner and be planning to move in together. Then there’s the rent versus buy debate: while renting is easy and flexible, it can make more financial sense to rather spend money on an asset that’s yours by buying your own place. While you may not be able to afford this yet, you can start putting a savings plan in place for a deposit.
- Your insurance
As your life circumstances change, so too will your insurance needs. For example, if you rent a flat now you may not need home insurance – but if you buy a home, banks will require that you have a home insurance policy as part of your home loan agreement. If you have dependants, you may want to think about life cover for any debt you have, so your debts are covered should something happen to you. Medical aid is another type of cover to reassess within the next few years: if you’re thinking of starting a family, for example, you may want to upgrade to a more comprehensive plan before this happens. A medical scheme like Fedhealth offers you a range of customisable medical aid plans to fit your exact age, life stage and budget.
- Your career
While earning a salary may have been your only priority when you first entered the working world, you may be a few years in and have more insights into where you want your career direction to go. With this in mind, ask yourself: is the work you’re doing now contributing to where you eventually want to be? If not, are there roles you may want to work towards, and mentorships you could start to help you get there? Are there courses you’d like to take to help you become more qualified? Wherever you want to go, it helps to be strategic in your thinking now – even if it takes you years to get there.
- Your health
You’re young and healthy now, and the thought of getting old and dealing with various physical challenges may seem decades away. But the truth is, investing in your health now will pay you dividends later, in that you’ll have fewer health challenges when you’re older. Start now by instilling healthy habits you can stick to consistently: make exercise and daily movement a part of your routine, ensure most of your diet is made up of unprocessed foods, manage stress proactively, and make sure that you’re getting enough quality sleep. These seemingly small daily changes add up to a lifetime of health – so they’re worth adopting now.
It’s never too late to make changes. If you make it a habit to reassess your life every few years in some of the ways we suggest above, you’ll be better calibrated to a life that’s the perfect fit for you. So, why not make a start today?
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