Before you read this, I challenge you to put your phone down, close your inbox, and just read.
Whoever said multitasking is more productive obviously doesn't know the power of focusing and finding balance. It's evident in every aspect of our lives, from our cell phones to our work loads to everything we try to do in our "free time."
Sit down at any table in restaurant and watch at relationships deteriorate because those at the table are actually in a whole other world keeping up with their online social profiles.
Look at all the self-help books that give us 10 steps we just can't seem take one at a time. Or reminisce about your last meeting the complete waste of time it was when there was no agenda.
Think about saying yes to numerous opportunities at work, which can be enjoyable, until you realize you don't have a personal life anymore.
Recently we were at a retreat with old and new ELP classes. What it offered was a chance to take a break from the busyness of the office and focus on our leadership. These 36 hours did more than for me than I could possibly think.
Taking ourselves to a location other than 6000 Wellspring Trail allowed us to pull away from the meetings, the stress, and the urgency of the office. Here, I could focus on growing as a leader while not worrying about responding to every email as soon as it hit my inbox. As leaders we must learn to focus on what is in front of us in order to be more productive and, in actuality, become better employees. It's not helping anyone when I'm trying to work on my tasks, get interrupted, and half-listen to my team when they ask me questions. Brad Abare, when discussing teams, said that it's better to set aside a specific time for your work with no interruptions rather than have a round-the-clock open door policy.
While I learned so much to apply to my leadership, the most impactful part of the Experience was when Tim forced us to put our phones, iPods, and computers away to spend 2 hours with just the Lord, my bible, and my journal. In those few hours, I was able to focus on what God was saying to me without worrying about what emails are coming in or what meeting I need to prep for. In addition, I became aware of my need to reset work-life balance and get a better grasp of what I can and want to do in the office so my personal life isn't hurt in the process.
Harvard Business Review recently wrote about work-life balance:
"In contrast [to doing "work" in your free time at home], investing in your relationships doesn't offer that same immediate sense of achievement…You can neglect your relationship with your spouse on a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t seem as if things are deteriorating. People who are driven to excel have this unconscious propensity to underinvest in their families and overinvest in their careers—even though intimate and loving relationships w/ their families are the most powerful and enduring source of happiness…over time, people allocate fewer and fewer resources to the things they would have once said mattered most"
What is it about our jobs that make us over-invest in our work but under-invest in our family and friends?
Spending 2 hours in the sun next to a lake with the Lord helped me realize that I was allocating fewer and fewer resources to the things that matter most to me, and that I need to realign my investments so that I create beneficial habits for my life while nurturing the the relationships I already have.
How is your work-life balance? Do you have a healthy life balance or do you need to reallocate parts of your life so that you are pursuing what matters most to you?
