As most of you know, Sunday was Father’s Day. I am not a great fan of such days. This is because if these days are so important, should it not be a focus for more than 1 day in a year?
When I was a lad, there was no such day. And if there was, I hardly noticed. In any case, even if there was, I was so skint I would not have been able to buy anything anyway.
Besides, my dad was not a fluffy kind of person. This was a time when political correctness did not exist, nor did wokeism. Dads were manly. And manly in those days meant they were cavemen living in a world of computers and combustion engines. Their idea of global warming was having to remove their tie on a hot day when at the beach—yes, this was a time when men wore ties and suits when at the beach. I have the photos to prove it.
Men in those times provided for the family. Women worked but were more central to the family unit and its operations.
But I do remember one thing. In those days when kids needed their dads, they were there. And that was because a workday and working hours were defined. They are blurred at best now.
We earn more, money is more abundant, we have more luxuries, we travel more, and in return, we spend more. We also work long, sometimes very long hours, which often means mum and dad are not always there when their kids need them.
Father’s Day presents are all about treating Dad. It’s way too commercial for my liking. Last week, I saw an advert for the equivalent of Viagra alongside the words ‘A perfect gift for Father’s Day!’ I kid you not.
It is not unusual for me to have conversations with my clients, starting with, ‘We have great incomes, but I have no idea where the money goes.’ Or, ‘We have no idea where the weekend went,’ or ‘I was working this weekend.’
Some are more sensible. They use their high incomes to invest, creating wealth, which makes many financial planners and accountants happy.
But after a while (usually when you reach your mid-50s), you start reflecting on what you do and why. Although I have boasted about working a 3-day week for years, do not forget that it was only 13 years ago that I started the WOW! Advisors Group with just me, a spare bedroom, and no one else. There were times when long hours had to be put in, although I always knew this was temporary.
But our thinking could be better. We are idiots. Why?
Well, let’s think about it, shall we? We work long hours, which means we miss most of our kids’ lives while trying to provide a better life for them.
If that is not stupid, I don’t know what is.
When I advise clients, I always ask how they identify themselves. How do they see themselves? If you see yourself as a provider, that is what you will do. Provide. If you see yourself as a mother or a father, that is what you will be. A parent. If you see yourself in terms of your career, that is what you will be.
And I am going to tell you what I tell my team. You are, first and foremost, an essential person in your family. Your family comes first, and work comes second. Always.
So, I am, first and foremost, a husband and a dad who happens to run an accountancy and business advisory business. Because of that, I work about three days a week.
It is also why I only scale my business a little. Over the last year, WOW! Advisors Group has grown rapidly in terms of new clients and a bigger team, and that scares me.
It scares me because I fear it will take away the most precious thing I have – time. I might not do anything with my kids. We might go to the gym, and on the way there, we might not even talk much. It’s nothing. But in reality, it is everything.
This is what your kids want. It’s not about holidaying abroad, the toys you get them, or the gadgets they are glued to. It’s about watching a soccer game at 1 a.m. and munching on a bag of chips.
Life (and time) are about trade-offs. If you want to be with your kids, you must be home—full stop.
Being at home means not looking at TikTok, Instagram, or emails. You must ‘be there.’
Because of this, I know that by the time your kids become teenagers, they are the only people who’ll remember you working long hours and not being there for them, even if you have provided everything they could ever want or need. Your employer or business partner/ team will only sometimes remember, and they won’t appreciate it as much.
You are the only person who can identify how best to use your time. But I can tell you this: I have never met an elderly person who has told me that they regret working a 50-hour week and wish they had worked a 60-hour week instead. Maybe they know something we don’t.
If you want, you can devise a thousand reasons why you must be at work. But if you want to be home with your kids, you only need one reason.
Finally, what did my two boys get me for Father’s Day? It was a proper outdoor wooden dart board. I am not too sure who paid for it, but something tells me it might be me. Soccer will not be the only thing I do with my kids at 1 a.m. Perfect.
You only need 1 reason and a plan that is simple and effective to be at home with the ones that matter to you. Working less is step 1, 2 & 3 of our 9 steps to work less, earning more and creating awesome wealth. If you would like to know more contact hitesh@wowadvisors.com.au or Ros at ros@wowadvisors.com.au or call us on 07 3161 9548.
