Financial wellness goes beyond money management. Have you given thought to your own financial wellness? And why it matters?

Financial wellness encompasses more than just the management of your money and expenses. It also extends to your attitude and relationship with your finances.

A few years back I attended the Conference Board of Canada’s Financial Wellness and Retirement Readiness conference. At the conference, Louis Theriault, the Vice President, Industry Strategy and Public Policy for The Conference Board of Canada kicked off the conference with an introduction to the concept of financial wellness and why this topic was important.

He shared that many organizations have focused on the physical and mental wellness of individuals. However, financial wellness is something that should also be paid some attention to given the impacts that it can have on both the individual and the organizations that they work for.

Louis identified two areas involved in finances, namely financial health and financial wellness. He defined financial health as the individual’s objective financial situation or the state of their finances and ability to meet financial obligations. This includes an individual’s income, wealth, savings, retirement preparedness, among other things. It also comprises financial literacy, the skills that are needed to effectively manage financial matters.

Financial wellness was defined as an individual’s subjective sense of security, comfort, and contentment about their financial situation. It includes how well they feel they are meeting obligations, how secure they are about their future, and how able they are to make financial choices that allow them to enjoy life.

And financial wellness is important.

Louis shared that people who are struggling with financial stress can result in creating some significant issues such as:

• Substance abuse, overeating, and an increased risk of adverse health conditions
• It causes about 11.3 lost days of productivity per year
• Between 23% and 29% of those with high levels of stress from debt live with anxiety or depression

With so many people in debt and ill prepared financially for retirement, there are many individuals and families that are struggling with coping and managing their financial situation.

So what can you do if you are financially stressed?

The American Psychological Association suggests taking the following steps.

Make One Financial Decision at a Time

When people are making too many decisions at one time, willpower can become depleted. They suggest that you space out your decisions, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Track Your Spending

As is often said, knowledge is power. Therefore, if you don’t know what your financial situation is, it is very difficult to correct and improve. To do this, you will need to track your spending.

There are a number of different ways to do this, such as hardcopy, Excel, or an app. Whatever approach you decide to use, the most important thing is that you do it.

Identify Your Financial Stressors and Make a Plan

Take stock of your financial situation and where money causes you stress. They shared that even though doing this may cause you some anxiety in the short term, it is necessary in order to proactively deal with your situation. Once you have identified where the problems are, you can then put together a plan to address the situation. Once you have a plan that you can follow, your stress levels should begin to decrease.

If you are finding that you are not able to pay your bills or are having to miss payments, they recommend that you reach out to your bank, credit card companies, utilities, or other creditors to arrange a payment plan.

Recognize How You Deal With Stress Related to Money

How are you dealing and coping with your financial stress? You need to be aware of this as some people are more likely to relieve stress by turning to unhealthy activities (such as smoking, drinking, gambling or emotional eating). Financial stress is also the leading cause of relationship problems and can lead to more conflict and arguments with your partner.

You need to be aware of these behaviors, and if they are causing you problems in your life, they suggest that you consider seeking support from a psychologist or mental health clinic.

Related: Dealing With Depression During Tough Financial Times

Avoid Temptation

Even though it may not be possible to stay away from stores altogether, they suggest limiting your time spent there as this will help you better manage your spending. They also recommend that you avoid impulsive spending by leaving credit and debit cards at home and only taking the amount of cash that you can afford to actually spend.

Remember What’s Important

Continue to remind yourself that your family, friends, and relationships matter more than material objects.

Ask for Support

If you need help, be sure to ask for support. They recommend that you “surround yourself with people you trust who will support your financial goals and want to help you succeed.”

Reviewed April 2023

About the Author

Susan Williams is the Founder of Booming Encore, a website and social media network dedicated to providing information and inspiration to help Baby Boomers create and live their very best encore.