After years of working 10- to 12-hour days as a financial advisor, 10-year MDRT member Marc Schouten, B Com, CFP, can now work eight-hour days as well as train for charity bike rides, while allowing quality time with family and friends.
Reaching this level of balance didn’t happen by accident though. Schouten stresses that creating work-life balance requires intention and consistent planning. Here’s how he creates balance:
- Uses a shared calendar system with his business partner, 13-year MDRT member Chris George, CFP, TEP. Both work and personal commitments go into the calendar to ensure balance.
- Plans for rest and peak periods during his busiest season in January and February.
- Leads with integrity. Schouten will walk away from opportunities that don’t align with his values, even if they seem lucrative. He wants clients with whom he can “sit around a table together” and share mutual trust.
- Sets boundaries. Schouten doesn’t accept accountability for what he can’t control, such as financial market performance or underwriting results. He encourages clients and peers to adopt this mindset to avoid burnout.
- Focuses on a target market of younger dentists and creates planning models tailored to them.
- Delegates tasks that are not $250 per hour tasks.
“New advisors must work hard to survive and attract clients. Established advisors must shift to high-value tasks only,” Schouten said. “You can do this by analyzing your activities and then eliminating, automating or delegating them.” This includes embracing AI and technology for efficiency and quickly delegating to assistants, he said.
In all of this, never lose sight that “a service mindset is important,” Schouten said. Also, balance isn’t just a goal for him — it’s a discipline, supported by a service mindset that guides how he shows up for clients and his community.
For more time management ideas
- Read “Striking the right balance as a Whole Person” (MDRT member-exclusive content)
- Read “Audit your schedule and focus on what you love”
- Read “Tartar-free target” for more about working with dentists (MDRT member-exclusive content)
