That’s the problem, when it comes to Living Longer very few of us really know when enough is enough. With a decade’s experience of researching longevity we have compelling evidence that shows few people really know when to stop.  They immediately think of money but while that is certainly true if you are to strike and maintain a balance in life then you also need to think of other areas of life.

Maintaining Relationships – when it comes to relationships we normally don’t do enough. We tend to be so focused on continuing to earn money that we forget about the people who are important to us – family, relatives and friends all drift away because we are so focused on work. Few people die lamenting that they wish they had spent more time at work.

Valuing Possessions – the longer we live the greater our opportunity to buy and to own more. Please don’t fall in to the trap of equating more with better or good. Owning ‘more’ often means you are a marketeer’s dream – someone who falls for their seductive spin. If you also buy on credit then you are their ideal. Know what you have, what you want and why is a great start. Even better is knowing when it is no longer needed and then taking steps to pass it on.

Keeping Active – in many ways deciding what to do with your time is even more important than deciding what to do with your money. Spend it wisely as it is truly a precious and limited resource.

Optimising Health. There are so many opportunities to get it wrong here that knowing when ‘enough is enough’ is literally a ‘Life Saver’. Knowing when you’ve had enough of the naughty treats; knowing that you’ve done enough sitting around and need exercise, knowing when you’ve done enough exercise and need to rest. Good health cannot be guaranteed but many of us have the opportunity to stack the odds in our favour!

Embracing change. Even here awareness is a bonus.   Knowing when we’ve had enough change is as important as knowing we’ve been doing something too long. Being ready and willing to push forward or to push back . Change is inevitable; managing it requires judgment.

And finally… Money. This is where most of us start and where so many of us get it wrong. Money is the enabler so you probably need to answer the other questions before you can answer this. Living longer costs so you need to plan fore being around longer. However many people overdo their savings and never get around to spend the money they put aside for their old age. Need proof? HMRC expect to receive around £500 billion from a voluntary tax over the next 30 years. Known as inheritance tax this is a tax you pay on previously taxed savings that you don’t get around to spending. Knowing when ‘enough is enough’is important!