Work Less And Let Your Capital Work Overtime

There are many of us in Sweden, and the rest of the world for that matter, that get into our cars each morning and drive to an office with colleagues that we haven't chosen. There are many of us that can't slow down because we are solely dependent on the funds that our employer transfers to our bank account at the end of the month. 

For me this is not the life I want until I turn 65 (or whatever the retirement age will be at the time). The government in Sweden has of late proclaimed the need for us to work more and retire later in life. I find this to be somewhat of a paradox since the need for labor is lower than ever before historically, thanks to technological developments in IT and engineering.

* Image courtesy of Master isolated images at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But is it really such a bad fate to be forced to work until 65 or longer? What if I get more responsibility and more control over my work or even become manager? 
Sure, with a higher position you are likely to be able to influence your work situation, but the fact remains that someone else still decides who your colleagues are, where your office is located and the objectives you must meet. The downside to taking on more responsibility is also that the time you are expected to work and be available often tends to increases. 

A passage from one of Bob Dylan's lyrics is applicable in this context:

Might be a rock 'n' roll adict prancing on the stage

Might'll have money and drugs at your commands, women in a cage

You May Be A business man or some high degree thief

They May Call You Doctor Or They May call you Chief.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

You're gonna have to serve somebody,

Well, it May be the devil or it May be the Lord

But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

There will always be someone to whom we will be held accountable, whether we work full time, part time or are self-employed. My goal however is that the ones that I have to serve are mainly my family and not a manager until I'm in my seventies.

Does this mean that I hate to work and want nothing more than to lie on the couch and watch TV all day? Of course not. I want, like most of us, to work, but not because I have to. I want to be able to take time off without feeling stress or anxiety. That is why mine and my family's goal is to have a passive income amounting to our living expenses, so that we can control our time.

What then should wage workers like myself do to improve our situation?
Those of you who read this blog already know the answer to the question - invest our savings in stable dividend companies with solid track records and competitive business models. The beauty of investing in stable companies with growing dividends is that the invested capital is put to work instead of you needing to work overtime.

Companies in a well-balanced dividend portfolio will ensure that profits and dividends in the long run increase, giving you protection against inflation. By also reinvesting the dividend the growth of the passive income accelerates further. So what are you waiting for? Put your money to work so you do not have to work overtime in the future!