As I wondered about what to share with you, I thought about my recent personal experiences and information we all need to remember and can relate to. Not necessarily work related, but more importantly about life.

During the past few months, I’ve come to realize that life is too short. I came to this realization after losing five friends in the past two months that had so much more life to live. They had plans but were not able to see them through.

Too many times we put off things we want to do because of other obligations – work, children, aging parents, volunteer obligations, etc. – and we do this because we think we can do it another time. What we want to do isn’t always a priority right now, or we think it is something we can do in later in life like once we’ve retired.

It is important to have a healthy work/life balance and to accomplish this you cannot live and breathe work. Those verification files, loan certification requests, gainful employment reports, student employment placements, or whatever is on your plate right now, will be there tomorrow, and you will complete them. We spend the majority of our lives at work, and we all have a job to do, but sometimes our “job” outside of work should take precedence. Our jobs are what we do, not all we should do.
When you have an opportunity to spend time with your spouse, children or grandchildren, go to a concert of a performer you’ve always wanted see in person, play golf at an exclusive golf course, visit with long lost friends you haven’t seen in years, or even dine at that new restaurant you’ve heard so much about, DO IT!

Learn to enjoy life to its fullest potential and embrace every moment you are given. Work will always be there…. loved ones, new adventures and experiences may not be around when you “have the time.”

My advice: Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today; tomorrow is not guaranteed!

Laura is the Chair of MASFAP’s Associate Member Concerns Chair and Associate Delegate