Lesson 18 — Activity 1:

Lifestyle Choices



The term lifestyle simply means the typical way a person goes about their daily living. A person's lifestyle can include their wealth (how much money a person has) and their possessions (the things a person owns). It can also include things such as career, habits, family status, attitudes, and more.

Most people work for about 40 years, so your choice of a career should be carefully considered. Income potential (how much money you can make) is the first thing that comes to most people's minds, but it should not be your only consideration. What else is important?

Courtesy of Pixabay

Which of the following do you consider the most important in your life?

  • making money
  • job security
  • being on your own
  • time for family
  • time for friends
  • learning new things
  • the location (city, province, etc.) of where you work
  • having fun
  • being creative
  • working hard
  • helping others
  • traveling


The importance you place on behaviours such as these can influence the lifestyle you want.


Courtesy of Pixabay

Courtesy of Getty

Courtesy of Pixabay

The lifestyle you want will be affected by the career that you choose. For example, if being with your friends is important, and you choose a job where you work shift work, then you might not have the free time that you need to spend with your friends. Therefore, it is important to think about the lifestyle that you want when choosing a career that is right for you.

Your career will probably have a greater influence over your life and lifestyle than any other single factor. Your career determines:

  • how much money you will earn
  • what kind of clothes you will wear
  • what kind of people you will work with
  • what kind of work you will be doing
  • how much time you will spend working
  • what level of responsibility you will have
  • how much free time you will have and how you will be able to spend that free time
Every job offers different opportunities. There are no right or wrong choices, but it is important that you find a job that matches your strengths and interests. You will have choices, but the choices you make will offer a better chance to succeed and be happy.

What you decide to do when you finish high school will affect your choice of lifestyle and career. Therefore, it is very important to consider what is important to you before choosing your career!

Self-check!


In two or three sentences, describe the lifestyle you would like to have. Hang on to your writing, as you will need it for the assignment on the next page.