Thursday, September 9, 2010

So Many Topics-So Little Time

This is the best week in sports-period. I said the same thing last year and will do so for the rest of my life. Pennant races in baseball, college football, pro football, US Open tennis. A smorgasbord of sports. The hard part is tying it into life. We all have to work, find time for our families, and continue to pursue healthy hobbies. What's a sports fan to do? Did I mention the weather in the Mid-Atlantic is beautiful!

Adding to all these priorities on a personl levelnce is that I can't decide on a worthy topic for this blog. Last week I thought about Nyger Morgan and his style (or lack thereof) play. How about Boise State and their come from behind win? Pride or passion in all sports-there are many examples of each. All of this confusion comes from a constant struggle with priorities, time/life balance, and not wanting to miss any of it.

What is balance? How do you stay focused on the important things? In sports, the great athletes have supreme focus and have the ability to stay that way. How about the rest of us? I'll use myself as an example. I think I'm disciplined but find myself straying from my priorities on an hourly, daily and weekly basis. At the end of the week, I'm in good shape work wise, but have I put the right focus on family and home? Have I gotten the exercise I need to maintain good health? Have I watched every inning of every Phillies game? The answers are probably no, yes, and yes. The fall will only get worse as the baseball playoffs begin, football is on every night and the days continue to get shorter. My wife is a sports fan, but not a fanatic. There will be many nights where I don't get to bed until after midnight and try to get up at 5:15 to work out. Something will have to give (more personal days from work?)

Organizations continually try to ensure their team is focused, results-oriented, and hopefully aware of their personal and professional balance. The reality is that organizations need to keep employees focused on goals and tasks when they are on the job and hope that the postitions they've created are structured to allow for the right balance. The good organizations have a feel and listen to their employees about what can get done in a "normal" work day. Not all organizations are good however. As a leader, stop, look and listen to your teams and make sure the results you need allow for a healthy life balance for your employees. In the long run, this will provide the best results.

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