Trent, over at

The Simple Dollar has done three great post in succession:
1. Dealing With Professional Burnout Without Quitting Your Job
2. Revisiting The Happiness Scale
3. A Financial (and Personal) Commitment For November

The only trouble is I don't think I can apply his good advice myself. For example, I'm currently less than enthused at work, and Trent's post offers some great tips for recapturing enthusiasm for your current job. However, the aspects of my job that I find least enjoyable happen to be the ones my boss wants me to focus on! And my company isn't so large that there are any other suitable positions I could transfer to for a change of scenery. In this situation Trent's advice is to update my resume and look for another job. But, realistically, I couldn't get the same or higher pay if I changed jobs. I'm also not feeling energetic enough to want to start over at a lower paid position and put in the hard yards required to get promotions and pay rises. I did that ten years ago when I started at my current company, when I was still single, and I can't see myself working late evenings and coming in to work on the weekend for unpaid overtime now that I have a wife and two small kids. So, I think I'll just soldier on in my current position, focus on taking an overseas holiday with the family next year, and plan on eventually changing jobs when I complete my GradDipEd qualification and a suitable teaching position becomes available close to home (or in the area I'd like to move to for my retirement).

The second post (about the happiness scale) is also very interesting. But, unlike Trent, the three times I can recall my happiness state getting close to "10" were all quite expensive and not easily replicated:
1. on my honeymoon,
2. on a scuba diving cruise in the coral sea
3. on a cross-country skiing/camping trip in the Snowy Mountains.
Focusing on small daily pleasures and keeping my happiness score above zero is more my style.

The third post regarding Trent's commitments for November is more inspiring. We can all benefit from making "to do" lists, and posting them on a blog helps turn a wish list into a commitment. My list of things to do before the end of the year includes the following:
1. Get my tax return completed and lodged. And get my GST transactions log up to date so future tax returns will be easier.
2. Measure and order a replacement pool fence. Install it.
3. Do some garden improvements. And landscape the pool area. Maybe even build a garden pond and put in some Koi.
4. Complete the remaining assessment items for my current GradDipEd and DFS(FP) enrollments.
5. Lose 10kg and exercise more - so far this year my weight loss goal is the one that has given me the most trouble.

Fortunately my financial goals tend to take care of themselves now that I have my savings and investment plans in place. I do spend a few minutes each morning updating a spreadsheet with my various account balances (I like graphs), but aside from the occasional bit of paperwork for a stock takeover or SMSF admin task my investments are running on autopilot.

Copyright Enough Wealth 2007