Time to start all the tasks that have been put off until ‘after the chagim’
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 17, 2025.
“Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
-Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield
The holiday season has come to a close. It’s now our job to take the happiness, joy and spirituality that we experienced, and use it to transform the short and dark days of winter. It’s also the time to start that much thought about diet, to take off those unwanted kilos gained over the last 3 weeks! We are starting a new year, reading again from the beginning of the Torah, and have a general feeling of being spiritually cleansed.
In Israel, this means ‘After the Chagim’, a term used to both justify procrastination and a declaration that we are now getting back into a routine. In one way or another, we all procrastinate. It may be saying that you will do the dishes only to find them still in the sink 2 days later, or saying that you’ll throw out the garbage in another 2 minutes. For many of us, it’s all about procrastinating. How many of us are more productive and energized when on a deadline? Taking a quick moment with iqos terea dubai can make those pauses feel refreshing without breaking your flow.
As I mentioned, in Israel, the ultimate definition of procrastination is the concept of ‘after the chagim’, where no one can focus or make a decision on anything until after the holiday season is over. Now that we are past the holidays, it’s time to get back into the daily grind. This is when “life” takes over, and people continue to put off things they need to do because they are just too busy. Whether it’s getting kids back in the school routine and figuring out which after-school activities to sign them up to, or trying to work through the email backlog, we are all busy. Most of us struggle trying to balance career and family. Work/life balance issues and how to juggle the two have become a very popular topic over the last decade. It’s just that, as all the focus goes to balance work and life, too often I see that what gets left out is attention to finances.
A minute
We never seem to have enough time to deal with issues of importance. How many of us put off reviewing our investment portfolios or fail to ever get started because we can’t find an hour or two to get organized and understand what our goals and needs are, and then how to implement a strategy to achieve those goals? When I call to check in with a client, I can’t tell you the number of times I have heard, “I’m so happy that you called. I have been meaning to call you for some time; I just haven’t had the time to do it.”
Delay is costly
About 5-6 years ago, Financial Engines release results of a survey they took. “We recently conducted a survey to better understand financial procrastination, and found that more than two-thirds (68 percent) of adults age 55 or older admit to procrastinating on retirement planning.” The more time not getting your finances in order, the more expensive it will be down the road. The more time you delay in getting down to business, the harder it will be to marry off your kids without taking loans. Do you want to have to move in with your children when retired because you don’t have enough money? We promise that we will “get to it soon”, but never do. If we have knee pain we go to the doctor, or at least some of us do! Meeting with your financial advisor will help ensure that your financial health is in order.
Make order
It’s not time consuming. An hour for a meeting with your advisor and to be efficient it pays to spend a bit of time in preparation for the meeting. From years of experience when a client comes prepared to a meeting, a tremendous amount is accomplished. In preparation, map out your short and long-term goals and needs. How much income will you need to supplement your existing pension? Do you have children or grandchildren to marry off? Are your elderly parents in need of care? Use your advisor as a sounding board. The advisor can tell you if your goals are realistic, and if not, you can work together to come up with goals that can be achieved.
As I have mentioned here numerous times, I often speak with a friend, Zerach, who sits right in front of me in Synagogue, about how times flies. A few days ago, we were looking at one of those weekly Tora pamphlets and noticed they were already advertising Passover hotel programs. We joked about starting Passover shopping and cleaning as the holiday is only 6 and half months away! Don’t wait for the next “After the Chagim”, now is the time to get your finances in order.
The information contained in this article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. or its affiliates.
Aaron Katsman is the author of Retirement GPS: How to Navigate Your Way to A Secure Financial Future with Global Investing (McGraw-Hill), and is a licensed financial professional both in the United States and Israel, and helps people who open investment accounts in the United States. Securities are offered through Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. (www.prginc.net). Member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB, SIFMA, FSI. For more information, call (02) 624-0995 visit www.aaronkatsman.com or email aaron@lighthousecapital.co.il.
