把握自己的未来：人生的风险管理

爱思英语编者按：人生当中难免有意外发生，但如果你之前为你人生做过风险管理，那么这些意外处理起来就会容易的多。那么如何在生活的各个方面做好充分的准备呢？

Risk Management for Your Life

You can handle life’s bumps with ease when you practice risk management for your life. There are four main areas we’ll focus on for risk management: health, career, finance and relationships. Good guidelines in these areas will keep your life flowing easily and help you recover quickly from any setbacks.

Health

Life is hard to enjoy when we aren’t healthy. Manage your risk for healthproblems by following these simple guidelines:

Drink lots of water.
Eat mostly fresh, unprocessed foods.
Exercise your body for at least 45 minutes, three times a week.

Career

Career risk management will decrease the likelihood of career problems, such as being laid off, fired, or having difficulty in finding a job. Invest time and effort in these areas:

Network with others in your industry and of similar skill set. Networking will help you learn new things that you can bring to your current position, enhance your skills, and help you meet others who may be able to help you if something happens to your current position. You may also find others to bring onto your team earning you a referral bonus and a strong, competent team.
Focus on how yon can best help the company you work for — not how they can help you.
Always be polite and positive with your coworkers. Even if you are great at your job, if people find you difficult to work with you could be at the top of the chopping block when the company has to cut staff.
Keep your resume up to date so you are ready for anything. It could be a job loss or just an amazing opportunity that lands in your lap.

Finance

Decrease your financial risk to easily weather storms and set yourself up to fully enjoy retirement.

Pay cash for everything except purchasing a house (unless you have enough to pay cash for a house as well).  Yow will save tens of thousands – if not more — by purchasing everything with cash and avoiding interest fees, finance charges, and late payment fees. All of those simply go away when you pay cash and you will never buy something you can’t afford.
Get a 15 year mortgage. Only buy as much “house” as you can comfortably afford payments on with a 15 year mortgage. The sooner your house is paid off the better off you will be. That mortgage payment can ba saved and invested for the future or used to have some fun.
Max out your retirement savings. First save as much as you need in your 401k to get your employer match. Next max out your IRA savings. Lastly, save more in your 401k or similar account.
Keep a 6 month Emergency Fund in liquid savings. This is the money you need available for emergencies, like unforeseen car and house repairs and job loss.
Lastly, have your financial affairs in order. Always have a will, as well as health and financial powers of attorney in case of disaster. This is to protect yourself, your money, possessions, and your family.

Relationships

Don’t forget risk mitigation for relationships. It may seem a bit odd, but your relationships with friends and family will bring the most fulfillment to your life. With a little care you can nurture positive relationships that will bring joy for your entire life.

Follow the Golden Rule: Always treat others as you want to be treated. This simple rule will keep relationships positive and enjoyable.
Make time for the people you love. Call them, send cards, and visit when you can. Too often we are caught up in the day to day and don’t think to make time for our loved ones…until it’s too late.
Nurture relationships with people who challenge and inspire you. Choose your friends and surround yourselves with people who make you the best you can be.
Limit relationships with people who don’t treat you well. Those who are mean, abusive, unkind, and treat you with disrespect do not enrich your life — and do not deserve your time.
What risk mitigation for your life do you need to do today? Share your plans in the comments below.