“When health is absent… wealth becomes useless.” This quote from ancient Greek physician Herophilus is just as relevant today, as when it was said more than 2 000 years ago. Over the years researchers have broadly connected financial wellness and physical health, but as we live in increasingly stressful financial times, this link has grown even stronger.

Just how stressed are people about money?

Prudential conducted an employee self-assessment survey on The State of Financial Wellness in America, which reveals that 57% of those surveyed were “very or somewhat stressed” about their current financial situation. Mercer, a global human resources consultancy, produced results from their survey called Inside Employees’ Minds, which showed that employees spend 13 hours a month, on average, worrying about personal financial matters at the office. In a South African context, Alexander Forbes estimates that 35% of an employer’s payroll bill is wasted due to “staff productivity being impaired by medical and financial problems”.

Money worries are a pretty common concern for most people, however, if these become all-consuming they could begin to have a significant effect on physical health. Symptoms can include heart disease, diabetes, insomnia, weight gain or loss, high blood pressure, fatigue, headaches and gastrointestinal problems, according to Cambridge Credit Counseling.

How do you get your finances under control?

When you are in charge of your money and you practise good financial habits, you will start to feel more feel financially empowered and this will give you peace of mind. How do you get there? By taking your approach to physical health and applying it to your financial well-being.

 

 

 

PHYSICAL HEALTH

FINANCIAL WELL-BEING

Step 1:

Start with a plan

Draw up a running schedule

Create a realistic budget

Step 2:

Set long-term goals

Maintain a healthy weight

Comfortable retirement

Step 3:

Track progress

Monitor weight loss with a scale

Use a money app for savings

Step 4:

Choose a challenge

Run a marathon

Buy a new family car

Step 5:

Establish a routine

Get up at 6am every morning

Save money every week

Step 6:

Get professional help

Hire a personal trainer

Use a financial planner

 

 

At bsmart, we care about our members’ financial wellness and we will never encourage you to spend more than you can afford. To help members spend smart, save smart and live smart, we have made it easy to track the spending on bsmart cards. To view your real-time account balance, download the bsmart App from the Google Play or App Store, or create an online profile on the bsmart website.

If you need more information or have any questions, contact us or click here to sign up directly through our website.

Disclaimer: bsmart does not provide financial advice. The above article is for information purposes only, to share current economic and financial topics and trends. Please consult a suitable and qualified financial services provider if you require financial advice.