Time In a Bottle

It was late Thursday evening, after working a long 12 hour day, a song bursts into my head it was “Time In A Bottle song,” by Jim Croce, “If I could save time in a bottle the first thing that I’d like to do” The Lyrics goes on “but there never seems to be enough time to do the thing you want to do Once you find them” How true! This really was on target after such a long day at work.  The month was July, the year Twenty Thousand and Fifteen; the ticking of time Tick Tock, Tick Tock, will quickly move us forward into the next month the next year. Time never stands still, between working and sleeping there never seems to be enough time to do the thing you want to do. Many of us are very aware of the challenges we face in balancing the demands of our careers with family priorities and leisure time. Many of us fall into the trap of trying to be successful by working around the clock. Which means you must give more than a 100 percent to your job. Some people even become workaholics in pursuit of their careers.   I believe workaholics who are unable to make changes to their working habits is more likely to be stressed out and less productive. In today’s high tech world the disparity between work life balances seems be growing farther apart. With the acceleration of technologies that allows employees to be connected to their work 24 hours day via smart phones and laptops using wireless connections there is no stop to the work day.. Automation has allowed us to do more with less, faster and quicker than ever before. For example; 30 years ago a lot of communications on the job was done through inter-company mail. If someone needed a technical plan at another location they would simply drop the technical plan in the company mail, and it would be received the next day. Now with electronic emails we send the same technical document in seconds.   You may have heard the proverb “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.   I found myself getting pulled into this vicious cycle many times over my career. We must train yourself to believe we are entitled to have fun, and can still be successful at the same time. Having a successful work life balance is not only important for you, but also for your family and friends. I don’t think anyone has laid on their deathbed thinking; I wish I would have gotten one more promotion. Normally at that time in their life they wish to be surrounded by friends and family.   Many times Fathers have looked back on their life stating my children have grown up so fast! I wish I had spent more time with them.   You may recall a popular song “Cat’s In the Cradle” song by Harry Chapin. Lyrics start out as “My child arrived just the other day, He came to the world in the usual way, But there were planes to catch and bills to pay, He learned to walk while I was away” As the song goes on the child is grown and the dad is much older now retired. The dad now has time to spend with his son. Dad calls his son because he wanted to see him, and the son response was; “I would like to dad if I could find the time” The song continues with the sad ending “We’re gonna have a good time then” Don’t get me wrong it is important to be a dedicated employee striving to make a difference for your job, but don’t forget to take time to recharge and smell the roses. Enjoy what life has to offer, because life is short and time is ticking away! Tick, Tock, Tick Tock.

May this find you well and happy, God Bless