Are You Present?

"Work Hard, Play Hard!" We've all heard the mantra reiterated by colleagues, management, and well intentioned individuals aspiring to make a difference in a positive way. What does that really mean, though? When you analyze the reasoning behind why you expend so much time and effort to be productive and contribute to the overall goal of your team, business, or corporation; it will help you to prioritize your activities. You will be able to marry "efficiency" with "effectiveness".

What does that mean? You no doubt, have seen individuals who spend exorbitant amount of hours at the office. They come in early, work through lunch, stay after hours; yet their production doesn't match the effort that they put forth. It is because they haven't developed and/or implemented the necessary skills for optimal output (i.e. setting schedules, minimizing distractions, being organized, etc). If a basketball player has to take 30 shots to make 5 points, the likelihood of his team winning the game is remote. Teams who win Championships, no matter what sport it is, are adroit at combining the skills that they train to develop day in and day out, with efficient execution of the defensive/offensive plays and overall game plan devised by the coaching staff.

How do you strike a healthy balance between effectively and efficiently caring for secular responsibilities, managing a family, and having some time for yourself? By being present!

When you go to work, you should give the maximum amount of attention and focus to your task(s) at hand. With the COVID-19 pandemic, that is much easier said than done! The key is not to beat yourself up when adjustments, interruptions, and fatigue/stress begin to set in. Disconnect for a few minutes. Take a walk, or just step away from your work area to breathe, and then attack the rest of your day. When you come home (or emerge from your office, closet, or dedicated work space), the maximum amount of attention and focus should be dedicated to your friends and loved ones. I've had colleagues say to me, "Why don't you take some time off?" and ,"Why do you work so much?" just to come home and have my family say, "Dad, what exactly is it that you do for a living?" and ,"It doesn't seem that your job is very stressful!". That is the goal I personally have always strived to achieve. It is by no means an easy undertaking, and takes many years to develop, but is truly worth it!

Working too hard or too long is, in fact, counterproductive —a vain “striving after the wind.” Why so? Because we may well do injury to the very things that are responsible for our greatest happiness: our relationship with family and friends, our spirituality, our health, and even our longevity. The truth is, for work to be meaningful it must benefit others. Balance is needed in all aspects of life. The question we have to ask ourselves is, "Am I present?"