MaximumBalance Worksheets2005

WORKSHEET
Personal: Mind
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ASSESS
Self-Assessment Questions
1. You're sitting in the airport bookstore looking for some reading material with which to pass the time. Would you buy: The Wall Street Journal A fitness magazine A best-selling fiction novel A book of crossword puzzles A biography of a famous politician
2. You need to relax at home with the family and watch some TV. What channel is on? Fox/NBC/ABC/CBS Discovery/A&E/The History Channel/The Learning Channel Lifetime/The Food Network ESPN
3. If you had to complete some mandatory corporate training hours at work (or had the opportunity as a homemaker), but could choose the course, would you choose: Foreign language Technology Skills Sales Skills Negotiation Skills Finance or Accounting Skills
4. If you're in the car for an hour trip one morning, what's playing on the radio? Top 40 Hits Classic Oldies NPR Book on Tape Sports
5. If you could take any one course again in high school or college, what would it be? Math/Calculus Biology/Physics/Chemistry Philosophy History Politics
WORKSHEET
Personal: Mind
PLAN
Balancing Points
Breadth & Depth Choose a set of intellectual topics that you find interesting. The topics can and should change. Make it at least three and try to make sure at least one of the three is in a field you've not historically ever cared to study.
Frequency Decide how often you want to 'check the box' of your intellectual pursuits. Daily and weekly are great starts.
Comprehension Pick a list of a few people with whom you want to share your knowledge. Family members, friends, co-workers all count.
WORKSHEET
Personal: Mind
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Choose a favorite news website (cnn.com, msnbc.com) and make it your home page on your web browser. Spend 5 minutes first thing in the morning and five minutes at lunch reviewing the day's headlines as well as one article each on politics, technology and sports. SAMPLE TASK #2 Choose one on-line article and e-mail it to a friend with your thoughts and impressions. Ask for his or hers in return. SAMPLE TASK #3 Think about what informational magazine you most enjoy reading in the dentist's office (Newsweek, US News, Discover) and order a subscription online today. SAMPLE TASK #4 Go to the bookstore and buy a biography of someone you admire. Put the biography on your nightstand and read just a page a night. SAMPLE TASK #5 Pick up a book on tape for Finance, Relationships or Career success and dedicate one car trip (to work, from work, to school, to pick up kids) for all of next week to listening. SAMPLE TASK #6 Look up the program schedules for A&E, Lifetime, Discover, The Learning Channel, Animal Planet or The History Channel and schedule 'family night' that week to watch that show together. Throw in some popcorn. SAMPLE TASK #7 If you have a family, buy a magazine on relationships or parenting and read one article out loud with your partner or child that day.
WORKSHEET
Personal: Body
ASSESS
1. You're driving home and there's nothing in the fridge. Do you? Hit the grocery store Call Chinese delivery Stop at fast food Make a bowl of cereal
2. What's the first thing you do when the alarm goes off? Hop in the shower Take the dogs for a walk Hit the snooze Do some meditation Workout
3. What would cause you to get a physical? Life Insurance Family History Pressure from spouse
Scared to die Protect your children
4. Why do you go to the gym? To be healthy To look slim or buff
Social opportunities To have fun
5. If you played a sport in high school or college and don't play it any longer, why is that? No time Concerned about getting hurt Don't know other people that play Haven't thought about it
WORKSHEET
Personal: Body
PLAN
Balancing Points
Health Know what you control (diet and behavior) and what you can mitigate (genetics). Identify what you currently do and don't do and why those are your habits today.
Fitness Think about your typical week and identify at least 1 activity each that contributes to strength, endurance, speed and dexterity.
Fun Choose one physical activity you love to do. There has to be one. Think about a way you can make it 'more' fitness-focused (e.g. - walking during golf vs. riding).
WORKSHEET
Personal: Body
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Do 10 pushups and 10 sit-ups before you go to bed. Tomorrow, add 1 more. Keep going. SAMPLE TASK #2 Pick up a schedule of classes from the local YMCA for the next month. Pick out one class you think might be fun and put it on your schedule. SAMPLE TASK #3 Set an alarm on your computer at work that forces you to take a 10 minute walk around the building. SAMPLE TASK #4 Walk every step you encounter during the day instead of taking an elevator or escalator. SAMPLE TASK #5 Set another alarm to remind yourself to sit up and clench your stomach muscles for 10 minutes. SAMPLE TASK #6 Call a friend and ask him/her to go for a walk or run with you. SAMPLE TASK #7 Dig out that old jump rope you have stashed in the closet and do 2 sets of 100 jumps. Do 10 pushups between each set.
WORKSHEET
Personal: Soul
ASSESS
1. How do you define spirituality? Belief in a creator Adherence to the tenants of a structured religion
A sense of right versus wrong Not sure
2. If you participate in organized religion, what drives you? Tradition Family Faith Part of who I am Fear or guilt
3. When have you felt most in touch with your fellow humans? Sporting event or large gathering After 9/11 Family reunion Church/Temple/Mosque
4. What causes you the most spiritual doubt? No real answers Universe is too immense to fathom
Suffering and pain in the world Feelings of being alone or distant
5. When do you feel most at peace with yourself? At work With friends or family
Alone with a good book Vacationing near the oceans or mountains
WORKSHEET
Personal: Soul
PLAN
Balancing Points
Connectedness Identify who (people) and what (places, things, concepts, beliefs) to which you know, or believe you want, to feel connected.
Self-Awareness Write down what defines you as a person and how you can manifest those characteristics in your daily actions. What behaviors do you need to manifest to demonstrate your desires for connectedness?
Self-Confidence Figure out what makes you feel best about you and what about that activity triggers the emotion. Is it the activity itself, the result you achieve, or the act of achieving it?
WORKSHEET
Personal: Soul
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Grab a paper and pen and write down three things you do that are spiritual acts. Anything counts. SAMPLE TASK #2 Pick out 3 people you want to write to this week and put their names on a sticky note. SAMPLE TASK #3 Research an upcoming charity walk or run in your region. Print out the information and put it on your fridge. SAMPLE TASK #4 Sign up for the walk or run. SAMPLE TASK #5 Write your 3 notes. Wish each friend or family member your sincerest blessings. SAMPLE TASK #6 Take out a piece paper and spend 10 minutes writing down what has spiritual meaning to you. SAMPLE TASK #7 Compare your spiritual acts from day one to the list of things with spiritual meaning. Are there overlaps? If not, why is that?
WORKSHEET
Relationships: Partner
ASSESS
1. Could you name a major life goal of your partner's in each of the following life Cornerstones? Financial Relationships Career Personal Giving
2. Last weekend, what did you and your partner do together? Quiet conversation Went for a walk or hike Watched television Had dinner with candles Went to a movie Housework
3. What has changed most since you met your partner? Intimacy Vacations Conversation The amount of 'stuff' you own
4. What would you and your partner do with a free Wednesday afternoon you planned to spend together? Ride bikes Read Relax outside Go to the gym Housework
5. How many hours do you spend alone with your partner each week (not sleeping)? Less than 5 10 to 15 5 to 10 More than 15
WORKSHEET
PLAN
Balancing Points
Time Talk with your partner to identify the times and activities during a given week, or at any point in your relationship, that provide the most emotional reward to you both. Make sure the list includes both exotic (weekends at the lake) and routine (working in the garden together) events.
Communication Think of all the different ways you communicate with your partner today, and then think of at least two vehicles you've never or rarely attempted-maybe email or instant messaging. Consider the types of ideas and thoughts you are best able to convey in each format, and likewise the messages you are most likely to truly understand and 'hear' through a given medium.
Respect This is a hard one. Ask your partner to name 5 activities you do today that show a lack of respect, no matter how large or small. Have your partner write it down and explain it without any debate.
WORKSHEET
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Turn down the bed for your partner. SAMPLE TASK #2 Send cookies to your partner's workplace. Check out www.mrsbeasleys.com SAMPLE TASK #3 Offer to plan an activity or event for your partner's friends like poker night or a spa day. You have to be ready to see this through! SAMPLE TASK #4 Bring home a special desert to share. SAMPLE TASK #5 Leave a post-it note on the bathroom mirror with a compliment. SAMPLE TASK #6 Read an article from a newspaper or magazine to your partner and ask what he/she thinks. Listen. SAMPLE TASK #7 Choose one task your partner always does around the household and do it instead.
WORKSHEET
Relationships: Family
ASSESS
1. Many families (immediate and extended) have labels for each member. What would your label be? The bear - loud, overbearing and prone to The show-off - eager to brag about whatever outbursts The know-it-all - never wrong The mouse - quiet and easily pushed around The baby - whiny and demanding
2. If you have some family members you haven't spoken to in a while, what's the reason? Distance and circumstance Financial disagreement Political/moral differences Not sure That person's a jerk
3. If you have children, what topics do you feel uncomfortable discussing with them? Grades and school Sex and drugs Politics Your personal hopes and dreams Pop culture Your family's finances
4. How often do you call, email or write your parents or your siblings? Weekly Special occasions Monthly Never
5. If you had to name one family member relationship that is most strained or least evolved, yet you'd like to improve it, which relationship would that be? Parent Grandparent Child Aunt/Uncle Sibling
6. How often do you have "family night"-when you have a meal together, turn off the TV and spend time talking? Weekly Special occasions Monthly Never
WORKSHEET
PLAN
Balancing Points
Time Thanks to schools and jobs all over the country and the world, many of our family relationships are longer distance than ever before. And relationships, be they within the household or across the country, take time. Segment your family relationships - children, siblings, parents, extended family - and decide what a reasonable commitment of time is that will grow and nurture that relationship.
Communication Think of all the different ways you communicate with your family today, and then think of at least two vehicles you've never or rarely attempted. Consider the types of ideas and thoughts you are best able to convey in each format, and likewise the messages you are most likely to truly understand and 'hear' through a given medium.
Respect Think about the different behaviors in your family that 'set you off'. Given an opportunity, what would change about your relatives or family? Are any on your list really just pet peeves? Ignoring those trivialities, instead of making a comment, is a great way to eliminate a chunk of disrespect in your relationships.
WORKSHEET
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Write the names of 3 family members you want to reach out to on a post-it note and put it near your desk. SAMPLE TASK #2 Tonight, turn off the television and play a game with your family, read a book to your children or pick up the phone and call a relative. SAMPLE TASK #3 Send a postcard to all 3 family members giving them a sentence update on what's exciting in your life. SAMPLE TASK #4 Pull out that box of old photographs or photo albums and leave them on the coffee table. SAMPLE TASK #5 Write a more detailed email or letter to one of your parents or siblings telling them about a recent event or upcoming event in your life. Include a photo. SAMPLE TASK #6 Call a parent, sibling or family member just to say hello. SAMPLE TASK #7 Send cookies to one family member.
WORKSHEET
Relationships: Friends
ASSESS
1. With which friend group are you closest? College friends Work associates
Neighbors Sports team
2. If you had the money to take any trip with friends, what would it be? Spa Skiing Las Vegas Boating Golf Adventure
3. Which do you know about your friends? Partner's names Jobs Children's names
Birthdays Anniversaries Hobbies
4. What 'role' do you play in your friend group? Leader/initiator Comic relief 'Get it done'
Planner Host
5. What was the last un-returned favor you did for a friend? Lent money Helped in a move Hosted a surprise party Planned a weekend activity Provided a shoulder to cry on
WORKSHEET
PLAN
Balancing Points
Fun Jot down the most joyful memories you have from moments spent with your friends. Were you engaged in a specific activity, or was it just laughter to the point of tears shared over a bowl of popcorn? Given an opportunity, which activity would you repeat again and again, and what are some new ones that you think you'd have just as enjoyable a time doing with your friends?
Support Think about the times when you've felt emotionally closest to your friends. Were you on the phone, face to face, speaking over e-mail? How did the conversation come up?
Time Your ability to commit yourself to friends is subject to compromises with jobs, responsibilities, family or your partner. Based on an honest consideration for the interests and expectations of other 'stakeholders', what is a reasonable amount of time your can truly dedicate to growing your friend relationships?
WORKSHEET
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Write down one friend you've lost touch with whom you'd like to track down. SAMPLE TASK #2 Grab a favorite book off your bookshelf and send it to a remote friend. Include a note describing why you think that friend will like the book. SAMPLE TASK #3 Pick out your favorite magazine and subscribe a friend. SAMPLE TASK #4 Order pre-formatted address labels for your three closest friends. When they arrive, send a sheet to each of them. SAMPLE TASK #5 Get your friend's partner and children names and birthdays and put them in your contact database. SAMPLE TASK #6 Start a 'chain letter' within your friend group that each friend has to add an update on their life and then forward to the next friend. SAMPLE TASK #7 Look up that missing friend on whitepages.com. Pick up the phone and dial.
WORKSHEET
Career: Individual
ASSESS
1. If you could change one thing about your position description, what would it be? Salary Manager Company (or University, or Family) Ability to work from home Training
2. How often (if ever) do you sit down for a formal review with your employer, your clients if self employed, your advisor at a university or your family if a homemaker? Monthly Yearly Quarterly Never
3. What are the primary topics of your reviews? Areas of achievement Areas for improvement Promotions and additional responsibility
Your personal objectives Your ideas on how things can run 'better'
4. At work, what do you spend the majority of your time doing? Calls/meetings Managing a team Pushing papers/e-mails Working with customers Building the product
5. Which of the following ideas for your employer have you had in the last your? Ways to reduce costs Ideas on improving the product Ways to improve safety Ways to improve customer service Thoughts on improving morale
6. Where do you eat lunch? Desk With friends
With boss or boss' boss At the gym
WORKSHEET
Career: Individual
PLAN
Balancing Points
Fulfillment Identify the times in your career that you've felt most fulfilled. Was it the completion of a difficult project, a sincere thank you from a client or boss, or the time you bailed the company out of a sticky situation? Take a moment to identify what about that experience was so rewarding. External praise? Internal satisfaction? Or something else entirely?
Time Honestly evaluate when you do your best work. How much of your job do you do during non-business hours and who else besides you knows about that effort? How often do you spend time talking to your partner about your job?
Compensation Before naming your target salary, think back from what you want to do with your compensation. Do you want to pay off debt, buy a car, save more for retirement or buy a second home? Be specific in the target such that you can translate that to a compensation objective and share it with your boss.
WORKSHEET
Career: Individual
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Write down what, given an ideal career, your daily schedule would look like. SAMPLE TASK #2 Schedule breakfast with your boss within the next week. SAMPLE TASK #3 Find an industry-related article, review it and send it to your peers and boss with your thoughts and analysis. SAMPLE TASK #4 Track your time and compare it to your ideal day. Share this with your boss at breakfast as a vehicle for discussing prioritization. SAMPLE TASK #5 Write down three achievements you want to share with your co-workers as part of your 'personal marketing plan. SAMPLE TASK #6 Draft up your three most important metrics for individual success and e-mail them to your boss or peer (partner if you're a homemaker) for review. SAMPLE TASK #7 Search online to find out what the salary range is for your position within your region. Where do you fall?.
WORKSHEET
Career: Team
ASSESS
1. What do you believe the keys are to a successful team? Leadership Defined Goals Results Communication Specialization
2. Which of those skills do you believe you bring to a team and which do you rely on others to provide?
3. What 'role' do you play in a team setting? Leader/initiator Comic relief 'Get it done'
Planner Coordinator
4. Think of a time when you just wanted to 'do it yourself'. What were the causes? Disagreement within the team Team members working too slow Lack of shared vision Sense of incompetence Disrespect between team members
5. When you're responsible for leading a team, do you focus on: Brokering communication between team Checking schedules and deliverables members Cleaning/updating team-member work Setting direction, strategy and objectives Resolving conflicts
WORKSHEET
Career: Team
PLAN
Balancing Points
Communication Quickly think of a list of the times when you've felt most in concert with your teammates, as well as some times when it just didn't 'click'. When everything was working well, how were communications structured? Does anything stand out as different from when it just didn't work? Were there experiences you would never repeat?
Respect Take a moment to think of the three most disrespectful things you've seen in your history working on a team. Was it dismissal of someone else's ideas, public criticism or outright abuse? What do you think caused those situations to go so awry? Was it the team members or the leadership of the team?
Achievement What goals are you most comfortable with in defining team success? Meeting a deadline? Quantitative improvements to a process? Feedback from clients or participants in an event? Now think about what measures of success you typically avoid and why.
WORKSHEET
Career: Team
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Take one of your team members out to lunch and have a conversation without discussing work. SAMPLE TASK #2 If you're a homemaker, coordinate a play group to help establish your neighborhood team. SAMPLE TASK #3 Assign each team member an article relevant to the project and ask him or her to present key findings to the team. SAMPLE TASK #4 At the workplace, give a team member the opportunity to plan an after work get together. Choose something like bowling. Everyone will groan initially, but everyone will have a great time. SAMPLE TASK #5 In your neighborhood team, offer to host a pizza night to build relationships. Pizza is simple and puts everyone at ease. SAMPLE TASK #6 Ask your team members their partner's/children's names and their anniversaries. Write the information down in your contact database with some reminders. SAMPLE TASK #7 Send an e-mail out to your entire team paying each team member a compliment. SAMPLE TASK #8 Buy each member of your team a book on a business-related topic and write them a letter on why you thought the book might be of interest to them. SAMPLE TASK #9 Put a tin of Altoids, or other mint, on your desk and observe how many more people come to your office or cube through-out the day.
WORKSHEET
Career: Functional
ASSESS
1. If you suddenly had to switch job positions from what you do today, in what role would you feel most comfortable? Sales IT Marketing Manufacturing Finance Customer Service
2. In what role would you feel least comfortable? Sales Marketing Finance
IT Manufacturing Customer Service
3. On what skill do you wish you could get formally trained? Negotiation Leadership Project Management Quality Control Public Speaking Writing
4. How do you expand your expertise today? Formal/workplace training Books Industry Periodicals
Seminars Websites Mentors
5. In your career either inside or outside of a traditional workplace, which of the following have you had to manage: Timelines and deadlines Client expectations Budgets Communications
WORKSHEET
Career: Functional
PLAN
Balancing Points
Expertise Think about a single topic within your domain in which you believe you have the interest and desire to exceed all your peers in acquisition of knowledge. If someone asked a teammate, what would they say you are a local expert in today?
Contribution In the past month, how have you contributed to knowledge dissemination within your workplace? Did you engage primarily in formal (lunch and learn, seminar) or informal (water cooler chat, lead by example) knowledge transfer? Which format was most beneficial to your peers?
Diversification If you had to identify a single skill you lack today outside of your field of expertise, what would it be?
WORKSHEET
Career: Functional
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Look through the bookshelf in your house or basement. Find one skill book that's been collecting dust and move it to your bedside. SAMPLE TASK #2 Read a few pages of the book when you wake up and before you go to sleep. SAMPLE TASK #3 Bring one book from the bookshelf that you have read to work and offer it to a peer. Ask if he/she has anything they think you should read in return. SAMPLE TASK #4 Schedule a lunch-time seminar where you and your peers each share their area of expertise. SAMPLE TASK #5 Stop by a department you know nothing about and ask what online publications they read for reference. Bookmark one of those publications. SAMPLE TASK #6 Ask your boss and boss' boss what skills they wish they'd developed sooner/at all in their career. SAMPLE TASK #7 Make a list of everyone you know that has a skill you want to acquire and then send and e-mail asking them where they feel they first learned that skill. SAMPLE TASK #8 Become a member of an association for your primary career focus like the American Marketing Association for someone in marketing. SAMPLE TASK #9 Schedule a breakfast or lunch with a mentor at least once a month and tell them about some of your challenges and ask them about some of theirs.
WORKSHEET
Finance: Income
ASSESS
1. Which of the following compensation strategies would you be most likely to choose? An opportunity to make between $35,000 and An opportunity to make over $100,000 or $75,000 depending on performance. absolutely nothing. A fixed salary of $50,000 guaranteed with no A fixed salary of $40,000 with a guaranteed pension. pension for life.
2. If you could choose, how would you like the source of your income distributed? A single job (and single employer) providing all A primary income that is sufficient to meet your income needs coupled with extra income for optional work on the side Two jobs (and two employers) with income evenly distributed between the two A self-owned business providing all income A primary income plus a self-owned business on the side
3. Which of the following do you consider most important when negotiating for a new job? Salary Bonus Structure Health Benefits Equity Compensation Pension/Retirement Benefits
4. If you had to put some of your income at risk for the opportunity to double it, what percentage would you put at risk? None 25% 5% 50% 10% 100%
5. Which of the following income structures have you had at one time? Rental property Cash investment dividends or interest Commission-only sales Home-based business
WORKSHEET
Finance: Income
PLAN
Balancing Points
Amount Take a moment and honestly assess how much you 'need' each month to meet your needs and wants. This is not the same as the minimum amount you require to stay alive, rather the income necessary to achieve your goals for home, car, entertainment, vacation and the like. If you love the water, a boat might be on that list, but does it have to be the Miami Vice replica?
Source When you go to sleep at night, how tied is your peace of mind to what you do for a living? If you need to be giving back constantly, being a teacher might be in your blood. But if you couldn't care less about your contribution, try politician. Zing! How much emphasis do you personally place on what you do and who you do it for, versus how much you make doing it?
Reliability Your tolerance for risk, and therefore your need for reliability in your income balance, may constantly change over your lifetime as new responsibilities and opportunities emerge. Try to honestly rate yourself in terms of risk tolerance.
WORKSHEET
Finance: Income
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Run a salary comparison analysis on-line to assess where you fall for similar workers in your geography. SAMPLE TASK #2 Write down your compensation objectives and a set of additional tasks/value you can deliver to earn any incremental pay. SAMPLE TASK #3 Open an eBay account and sell something just to feel what it's like. SAMPLE TASK #4 Share your compensation objectives and plan with your boss just to see what happens. SAMPLE TASK #5 Set up a meeting with a tax advisor to optimize your withholdings. A tax return is just an interest-free loan you gave to Uncle Sam. SAMPLE TASK #6 Spend some time on the Internet and in the local papers researching home-based businesses. What 'might' you be doing in your spare time? SAMPLE TASK #7 Introduce yourself to a local small business owner and ask him/her out to lunch.
WORKSHEET
Finance: Budget
ASSESS
1. How often do you budget? Weekly Monthly Quarter
Annually Never
2. What's the most variable 'expense' you have each month? Dining out Health & beauty Travel Home maintenance Entertainment
3. Which of the following debts do you have that you aren't sure when you'll pay off? Credit card Loans from friends Store card 401K loan Student loan
4. If you had an extra $500 this month from a bonus, on what would you spend it? Clothes Home project Debt reduction Savings
5. How do you track your household budget today? Spreadsheet MS Money or Quicken Checkbook Bank statements Don't
6. With whom do you review your budget? Spouse/partner Children Friends
Parents Nobody
7. When you receive your paycheck, in what order do you allocate expenses like the following against your earnings?
Mortgage/Rent Living expenses Automobile
Credit cards/Loans Savings/investments
WORKSHEET
Finance: Budget
PLAN
Balancing Points
Consistency Sit down and think about your most variable expenses and how they affect your budget. Do you tend to have periods where you're 'a little over' or periods where you're maxing out your credit card? In the off periods, is it a single event that throws you out of balance, or a series of small decisions?
Simplicity What type of budgeting system are you most likely to adopt? A computer program like Microsoft Money or Intuit Quicken? A simple spreadsheet? A pad of paper and your checkbook? Do you tend to be attracted to or overwhelmed by more information, data, graphics and the like?
Timeframe If you had to take a rough guess, what would you say you spend a day, week and month on average? Are there any significant expenses you incur on a less than monthly basis? What about greater than monthly? How do you plan for the expenses that are greater than monthly? Are they in the budget?
WORKSHEET
Finance: Budget
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Create a list by creditor that shows the interest rate, outstanding debt and how long it will take to pay off at a certain amount per month. SAMPLE TASK #2 Research ways you can consolidate your debts to the lower interest rate accounts. SAMPLE TASK #3 If possible, coordinate the debt consolidation today. SAMPLE TASK #4 Call your credit card company and ask if they provide a yearly itemization of purchases. If not, look for a provider that does. SAMPLE TASK #5 Without looking at a bank statement, estimate how much you spend each month on major bills (home, cars, groceries, etc). SAMPLE TASK #6 Compare your estimates on your budget from yesterday to your bank statement from last month. Where were you off? SAMPLE TASK #7 If you haven't already done it, set up automatic payments of known debts from your bank's online checking system.
WORKSHEET
Finance: Investment
ASSESS
1. What describes your investment strategy? I don't have money to invest, so I don't I invest in my company's 401k plan
I put some money in savings when I can I try to evenly invest in stocks, bonds and cash savings
2. Over the past few years, which investments have been your favorites? CDs Stocks Money Market Mutual Funds Bonds Nothing
3. You have an extra $500 bonus one month, where do you spend it? Clothes Home project Debt reduction Savings
4. What percentage of your gross income is saved? < 5% 25% 5%-10% >25% 15%
5. Do you know what type of investor you are? Aggressive Conservative
Growth-oriented Maintenance-oriented
6. How often do you review the performance of your investments? Daily Yearly Monthly Never
WORKSHEET
Finance: Investment
PLAN
Balancing Points
Consistency Take a moment and honestly decide how much you believe you can afford to invest each month. Even if it's $25 or $50, make the decision. You'll find that once you're living without the $50, you can survive and maybe even increase the savings. Anything consistently is better than erratic starts and stops.
Prioritization Consider what your immediate and longer term investing needs are. If you have a high risk job that you might lose at any time, cash savings might be paramount. If your job is secure but you have a child on the way, college investing might be the order of the day. Create a list of each investment target and how they rank in order of importance.
Diversification List three investments you are comfortable making, from savings and CDs to bonds and stocks. Note down what percentage of your savings today goes into each and how you'd like that allocation to look.
WORKSHEET
Finance: Investment
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Find a mutual fund that allows for automatic asset building ($50/month). SAMPLE TASK #2 Sign up for the automatic asset building fund. SAMPLE TASK #3 If you don't have term life insurance and have a family, call your auto-insurer and get a quote today. SAMPLE TASK #4 Call your bank and arrange to have some amount (even if only $10/month) put into cash savings to ensure you have an emergency fund. SAMPLE TASK #5 If you tend to check the stock market every day, don't do it today. SAMPLE TASK #6 List out your savings goals for 1, 5 and 10 years. SAMPLE TASK #7 Go to your bank's website and use their financial calculators to figure out how much you need to save to meet those savings goals.
WORKSHEET
Giving: Individual
ASSESS
1. When you think of "giving" what does that mean to you? Writing a check I don't have time or money to give, I'm too worried about having enough for my family Volunteering time Options 1, 2 and 3 Donating items
2. When was the last time you gave your time, money or personal items? Last week Last year Last month Never
3. If you had $100 to give today, to what causes would you give? Humanitarian Environment Church Neighborhood/community/school Animals Other
4. What charities have uncomfortably 'pressured' you into giving? Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts Political Campaign Environmental/Animals University/Alumni Association Policeman/Fireman
5. What skills do you have that you believe would benefit a charity or organization? Leadership Finance Public speaking Other Fund raising
WORKSHEET
Giving: Individual
PLAN
Balancing Points
Contribution Sit down and list out all the 'resources' you could offer to give back to local charities or organizations. Focus on skills and networks you can leverage versus just money and time. If you were to give up a weekend of your time, what would you propose to do with it?
Significance List the top five charitable causes you can think of and why they're dear to your heart. If you could only give back to three of those five, which would they be and why?
Consistency Based on the skills you believe you can offer, how often do you need to participate to provide value? If you have finance skills, your chosen organization might need your support monthly if only for a short period. But if fund-raising is your cup of tea maybe it's an annual event, but a big one.
WORKSHEET
Giving: Individual
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Search on the Internet and find the next charity 5K run or walk in your city or town. Write it down on your calendar. SAMPLE TASK #2 Go through your closet and gather up some old clothes, jackets and shoes. SAMPLE TASK #3 Make a list of 3 charities you strongly believe in. SAMPLE TASK #4 Take all the stuff from your closet to a local homeless shelter, the Goodwill, Salvation Army or church. SAMPLE TASK #5 Make a $5 contribution to one of the charities on your list or a charity you have given to in the past. SAMPLE TASK #6 Get a schedule of events for local charities that stretches out at least a year such that you can plan around participation many months in advance. SAMPLE TASK #7 Call a friend and ask them what charities they contribute to and why? What motivates them?
WORKSHEET
Giving: Family
ASSESS
1. If you had to choose one charitable cause that you believe your whole family would support, what would it be? Helping children Religious Fighting a disease Habitat for Humanity Protecting animals Not sure
2. If you wanted to 'get involved' as a family, where would you start looking? Church/Synagogue/Mosque National Association YMCA School
3. Realistically, how much time could you get the whole family together on a quarterly basis? Hour Day Half-Day Weekend
4. If you have children, have you ever involved them in your charitable efforts? If yes, how: Let them write the check Read literature with them Gave them the sticker I received Let them pick the cause
5. Do you or your partner have different individual and family charitable causes? Yes I don't know No
WORKSHEET
Giving: Family
PLAN
Balancing Points
Contribution Have the family brainstorm about all the 'resources' you could offer to give back to local charities or organizations. Focus on skills and networks you all can leverage versus just money and time. If you all had to give up a weekend together, what would you plan to do with it?
Significance Take the time to come to consensus on the top five causes for your family and why they're important. Vote anonymously to narrow it down to three.
Consistency Based on the skills your family can offer as a group, how often do you need to participate to provide value? If your family makes a mean snicker doodle cookie each year for the school bake sale, could you whip up a batch mid-year for a local homeless shelter?
WORKSHEET
Giving: Family
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Sit down with your family and brainstorm on all the different charities to which you might contribute. SAMPLE TASK #2 As a group, decide on the top 2 or 3 from the list. SAMPLE TASK #3 If you have a check to send to a charity, read the literature with your family before you send it. SAMPLE TASK #4 Go through at least one family closet, area of the garage or corner of the attic collecting things to donate to Big Brothers/Big Sisters or another similar charity. SAMPLE TASK #5 Call Big Brothers/Big Sisters to arrange for the donation. SAMPLE TASK #6 Take the family on a walk through a local park and bring garbage bags. Make a competition to see who can fill their bag fastest. SAMPLE TASK #7 Call the local YMCA and ask them to send you some literature on local programs.
WORKSHEET
Giving: Corporate
ASSESS
1. Do you honestly feel that your company culture believes that giving back is a critical component of business success? Yes Sometimes No
2. How, if at all, are charitable activities originated within your company? By individuals Corporate strategy Human Resources department Activities the CEO thinks are important
3. In the last year, how many charitable causes has your company sponsored? None 2-4 1 5 or above
4. Have you ever felt uncomfortably pressured to participate in a corporate giving event? Yes Not sure No
5. If yes, why do you think you were uncomfortable? Didn't support the cause Didn't appreciate being 'told' what to support Felt like it was taking personal time away from Wasn't sure how it related to the job or me company
WORKSHEET
Giving: Corporate
PLAN
Balancing Points
Contribution Reach out to peers, employees, managers and executives within your workplace to brainstorm on all the assets at your disposal for giving back. Focus on specialized expertise, physical resources, products, skills and networks that are unique to your company versus just money and time.
Relevance This is not an activity that can be done by popular vote. Work with a select group to translate your company's mission and aspects of your corporate culture into opportunities to give back that align with vision.
Consistency Try to quantify reasonable objectives for how much (of any asset) and how often your company can truly commit to giving back without negatively impacting the business or intruding on employee's outside lives.
WORKSHEET
Giving: Corporate
ACT!
Sample Tasks List
SAMPLE TASK #1 Research what corporate giving your competitors engage in and why. SAMPLE TASK #2 Find out who, if anyone, within your company is responsible for setting the strategic philanthropic direction. SAMPLE TASK #3 If nobody seems to be directly responsible for corporate giving, reach out to the executive team asking why. SAMPLE TASK #4 Spend the time to read any corporate policies about giving. Be familiar with what 'laws' have been established and why to avoid fighting a losing battle. SAMPLE TASK #5 Request a meeting with your immediate manager to understand his or her feelings about corporate giving. SAMPLE TASK #6 Take five minutes to talk to each of your peers about what they believe the company should be doing to give back. SAMPLE TASK #7 Find out the next scheduled corporate charitable event and put it on your calendar.

MaximumBalance Worksheets2005

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WORKSHEET

Scared to die Protect your children

4. Why do you go to the gym? To be healthy To look slim or buff

Social opportunities To have fun

A sense of right versus wrong Not sure

Suffering and pain in the world Feelings of being alone or distant

Alone with a good book Vacationing near the oceans or mountains

Neighbors Sports team

Birthdays Anniversaries Hobbies

6. Where do you eat lunch? Desk With friends

With boss or boss' boss At the gym

IT Manufacturing Customer Service

Seminars Websites Mentors

6. With whom do you review your budget? Spouse/partner Children Friends

Mortgage/Rent Living expenses Automobile

Credit cards/Loans Savings/investments

5. Do you know what type of investor you are? Aggressive Conservative

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