Wealth Is More Than Just Your Money: How to Manage It All
In addition to handling your financial wealth, consider ways to manage your non-financial assets: health, knowledge, time and relationships.


These days, people are increasingly interested in thinking about wealth in a holistic way, in a multidimensional way — after all, wealth is more than money. Your assets also include your health, knowledge, time and relationships. This view of wealth invites a comprehensive approach to wealth management beyond your finances.
Here are five ways to manage and optimize returns across your financial and non-financial assets:
1. Money and investments
Making money is important, but so, too, is thoughtfully investing the excess as soon as practical, because this is where the real financial growth can happen. The earlier you invest your money, the earlier you can benefit from the power of compounding. Compounding is the money you earn (over time) on both your initial investment and the accumulated interest. This is why contributing to your retirement plan as early and as frequently as possible is recommended.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
You can put this into practice by enrolling in your employer’s retirement plan and company match, all the while opting for automatic savings so you don’t have to think about it. Additionally, contributing to a traditional IRA or Roth IRA can help you to build and optimize your financial wealth.
Of course, consulting with a financial adviser who can help you with these things would be optimal.
2. Health and quality of life
You can achieve significant long-term benefits when you diligently track, monitor and manage your health. In fact, you could track your health like you track your money — budget your calories like you budget your dollars.
Wearables and apps can help with that. An Apple Watch or Oura Ring, for example, can monitor your steps, sleep and heart rate, and the data is available to view via the corresponding app on your phone.
Let’s take this one step further (pun intended): Good health enhances your productivity and decision-making capabilities, which directly impact your financial wealth. This correlation is well-researched and documented.
3. Knowledge, status and influence
We’ve all heard that knowledge is power. Getting ahead in your career is often based on what you know, so continually learning all you can to benefit both your career and your financial well-being is paramount. The more you know, the more status and influence you have, too.
Many people embrace the “life-long learner” mindset, which is particularly important these days as so much change is underway. Consistently expanding your knowledge enables you to stay relevant and valuable, for the benefit of yourself and others — both at work and in your community.
Further, sharing what you know with others through mentoring, volunteering and/or serving on company boards can also add to your status and influence.
4. Time, energy and experiences
Time and energy are finite resources, which is exactly why masterfully managing these assets is important. Consider outsourcing onerous to-dos where possible so that you have more time and energy to spend elsewhere. For example, if you find cleaning your home has a low return on investment for you, then you can hire someone to do it for you. The time and energy saved can then be allocated to other things.
Consider investing your time and energy in experiences that are valuable to you. Perhaps you enjoy hikes in nature or hosting fun dinners with family and friends. These experiences add to the richness of your life — and also enhance the assets of health and relationships.
5. Relationships with self and others
You are your greatest asset, which is why any investment into understanding yourself is an unequivocal win. For example, understanding your values sheds light on the “whys” behind your behaviors and decisions — economic or otherwise. There are many values exercises available, including one detailed in my book (info below). Further, the strength of your relationship with self is the foundation on which other relationships are built.
As for relationships with others, it’s beneficial to spend time with people who inspire you, who dream big and who encourage you to do the same. As the saying goes: “You’re the sum of the company you keep.”
By giving and receiving the assets of time, energy and knowledge, you’re able to build relationship capital. And throughout these exchanges, you can use questions as a way to unlock ideas and insights from/for others. Given the resources needed for building relationships, it’s important to consciously decide which you want to invest in and why. From there, you can intentionally pursue connections.
These are five ways to manage your financial and non-financial assets for optimal returns, through the framework of the 5 Principles of Invisible Wealth™, which I explore in-depth in my book Invisible Wealth: 5 Principles for Redefining Personal Wealth in the New Paradigm. Making and investing money is important, but so, too, is investing in your health, time, knowledge and relationships. Adopting a comprehensive approach to wealth can improve the richness of your life.
Related Content
- What Is Wealth? Shifting Values Change What It Means to Many
- How Might the Great Wealth Transfer Change Society?
- Being Rich vs Being Wealthy: What’s the Difference?
- Key to a Happy Retirement? Finding Yourself
- The Five Stages of Retirement (and How to Skip Three of Them)
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Recently named one of the Top 100 Women of the Future, Jennifer is a certified Private Wealth Advisor who founded Invisible Wealth, which provides strategic, future-forward, consultancy services. Jennifer has worked at some of the top Private Wealth Management institutions in the world, namely Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Fidelity. She earned her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in Boston and her Certified Private Wealth Advisor designation from Booth Business School in Chicago. While at Fidelity, she developed a proof of concept and prototype for an enterprise solution, which was advanced into incubation.
-
13 Answers to Pressing Social Security Questions
From smart claiming strategies for couples to tips on maximizing your monthly check, we have advice that can help you.
-
Keep Tax Collectors at Bay with Muni Bond Funds
Municipal bonds can be good insurance against inflation — and interest is tax-free. But as with all investments, understanding risk is key.
-
13 Answers to Pressing Social Security Questions
From smart claiming strategies for couples to tips on maximizing your monthly check, we have advice that can help you.
-
Keep Tax Collectors at Bay with Muni Bond Funds
Municipal bonds can be good insurance against inflation — and interest is tax-free. But as with all investments, understanding risk is key.
-
Eight Tips From a Financial Caddie: How to Keep Your Retirement on the Fairway
Think of your financial adviser as a golf caddie — giving you the advice you need to nail the retirement course, avoiding financial bunkers and bogeys.
-
Just Sold Your Business? Avoid These Five Hasty Moves
If you've exited your business, financial advice is likely to be flooding in from all quarters. But wait until the dust settles before making any big moves.
-
Cord Cutting Could Help You Save Over $10,000 in 10 Years
How cutting the cord can save you money and how those savings can grow over time.
-
The '8-Year Rule of Social Security' — A Retirement Rule
The '8-Year Rule of Social Security' holds that it's best to be like Ike — Eisenhower, that is. The five-star General knew a thing or two about good timing.
-
Should I Buy Stocks or Should I Buy Bonds Right Now?
Generally speaking, stocks provide reasonable growth while bonds provide stable income. Each play important roles in diversified portfolios.
-
Tips for Expat Retirees, From Expat Retirees
You may enjoy a lower cost of living by moving abroad, but it requires careful planning.