Laura Vanderkam is the authority on time management and productivity.  Her goal is simple and powerful – to help us spend time on the things that matter and less on what doesn’t. Laura has five children, has written a number of successful books, hosts three podcasts, and has a TED talk that’s been viewed over 11 million times! How does she do it all? What are her best tips? Listen below to find out or on Apple.

As we head into the holiday season, we are encouraging families to discuss their values and guiding principles. On this point – we wanted to share this short, unedited piece by one of our favorite bloggers, Seth Godin. We think he does a superb job of defining what principles are, and why they are important. 

Principle is Inconvenient

A principle is an approach you stick with even if you know it might lead to a short-term outcome you don’t prefer. Especially then.

It’s this gap between the short-term and the long-term that makes a principle valuable. If your guiding principle is to do whatever benefits you right now, you don’t have principles of much value.

But it’s the valuable principles that pay off, because they enable forward motion, particularly when it feels like there are few alternatives. We embrace a culture based on principles because it’s that structure and momentum that enables connection and progress to happen in the first place.

You can check out the original piece on Seth’s blog here. 

Curious about facilitating your own family meeting? Try out these questions about values and guiding principles that you can pose to kids, partners, and parents this holiday season:

• What are your values? 
• Anything you believe that you feel is a guiding principle in your life? 
• What are our family’s guiding principles? 
• How do these principles impact the decisions we make?

With politics being everywhere in this heated time, it’s natural to wonder, do politics belong in your financial plan? A recent article in the New York Times looks into just this question.

The key point: as an investor, your advisor’s views should have no part in your plan. At HIG, you and your personal wealth goals are what matter to us. If you want your politics to be a part of your future goals, we will help you decide how to do that. Our politics will not enter the picture. 

If you are not a client of ours, and are worried that your advisor’s political outlook is influencing their advice to you, here are some suggestions taken directly from NYT the piece: 

• If you think politics factor into your adviser’s strategy for your nest egg, ask for explanations. A good retirement planner will be able to articulate how the actions taken by politicians can — and can’t — affect your portfolio.
• When emotions are running high, resist the urge to dismiss your adviser on the spot — a knee-jerk reaction when it comes to your retirement security isn’t a great idea. Don’t do anything that’s not part of a long-term investing strategy.
• Talk to your adviser about how specific economic policies affect your portfolio. Politics might be about people, but your investment decisions should be informed by the ramifications of, say, bond-buying or tax-code changes.
• Try to keep an open mind. A different viewpoint from one you hold might give you valuable insight for your long-term savings goals.
• If you want to integrate your political views more directly into your retirement planning, some advisers suggest working with someone who has knowledge and expertise in E.S.G. (environmental, social and governance) investing strategy.

At HIG, we have a single-minded focus on putting the odds of your long term success in your favor. And, as fiduciaries, we are legally bound to work in your best interest. Period. We are passionate about what you need from your plan to help you live the life you want, and give you peace of mind. 

So, our message during this period will sound familiar to our long-term followers: focus on what you can control, keep calm, and take the long view. Your nest egg and legacy will thank you.

Read the NYT piece here.