Financial health is the theme of an event for Horiens’ women’s team

To celebrate the International Women’s Day, this year Horiens’ employees got together to learn more about a topic that is considered crucial for women to gain more freedom and autonomy in all aspects of life.

The meeting, which took place on May 21, focused on financial health and its relationship with mental health in a special edition of “Papo de Sexta” (Friday Chat) , a traditional event in the company’s internal calendar.

Conducted by psychologist and speaker Carla Tenório, a specialist at HealthBit, Horiens’ partner in corporate health management, the chat broadened everyone’s knowledge on the subject, becoming a space for information, listening and sharing experiences.

“Financial health is still little discussed, but it is of great importance to women’s quality of life. We are happy with the opportunity to promote learning and information exchange around this topic with the women on our team,” says Elaine Assao, a member of Horiens’ Diversity and Inclusion Committee, who acted as mediator for this meeting.

What is financial health?

We can consider that financial health involves the habits and behaviors with which we deal with money. A person with a healthy financial life has balanced finances, is able to meet essential expenses and is prepared to deal with unforeseen events.

But how do you balance within your own reality? “In practice, it means looking at your reality and adapting your expenses and life goals to your current income, regardless of how much it is. We’re not talking about a specific amount,” explained Carla Tenório.

Financial education as a path

To achieve a balanced situation, you need planning, but first you need knowledge. That’s where financial education comes in. Knowing what to do with your money, how to manage it and being organized in the event of an unforeseen event is fundamental.

“We can’t leave this subject for later, not least because it has to do with mental health,” said Carla.

Financial health vs. mental health

If, on the one hand, a situation of emotional vulnerability can be a trigger for unnecessary spending, on the other, problems with financial management and debt lead to anxiety and impact behavior.

“This scenario directly affects people’s well-being, as it causes damage that goes beyond the financial, such as changes in appetite, sleep, irritability and loss of interest in activities,” said Carla.

What can help with financial organization?

The first step to solving any financial problem is to make a diagnosis. “Drawing up a budget and financial goals in a spreadsheet, for example, can be exactly useful, as it helps you visualize the scenario you have. Often, however, we avoid looking at it. It’s a mistake,” she explained.

The recommendation is to do a financial life check-up, since financial planning contributes to stability, the achievement of goals and even cover in the event of unforeseen events.

Women and finances

It’s a fact that even today there is a distorted perception that women and finances don’t go together. “This is due to historical factors in our society, but we need to move forward and build a better outlook for women. We are on this path. The steps must be taken by the women themselves, dedicating time to the subject in order to learn and apply strategies,” she mentioned.

Investment diversification is also an issue that deserves attention. Generally speaking, the rate of growth of new individual investors in the Brazilian stock market has continued to rise over the last decade, representing an important positive transformation in the variable income market, but men are still the vast majority of investors.

“There is plenty of room for women to explore and move forward, with information, attitude and security,” said Carla.

The sooner, the better

When it comes to changing behaviors to promote quality of life and financial health, a fundamental observation is that the sooner you act, the better.

Putting time in your schedule every week or two weeks to keep track of your financial movements, categorizing them, reducing harmful habits such as impulse purchases and investing in a safety reserve are all recommended.

“It’s never too late to start. This is a very important step in every woman’s life,” said Carla.

Tip for learning more

B3, Brazil’s stock exchange, has a platform called B3 Educação, with various free and digital courses involving personal finance and financial balance. Click here to find out more.