Time to think......

The race begins. Pack up two kids for school drop off for 8:45. Prior to that scrub e-mail to make sure the world isn't imploding. Your boy is psyched to be at school, your girl, not so much, in fact she has not stopped telling you how much she doesn't want to go to school all morning and the whole ride. So drop off comes and goes, time to race to a meeting 45 minutes South. Try and return a few calls along the way, maybe bounce out a few texts (not while driving). Meet prospect, tour facility. Boom, back in the car for early afternoon pick up. Same routine, e-mails, phone calls, texts, they are piling up and piling up and all at once it seems you are the only person on this earth anyone wants to talk to. Deep breath.

So how do you find time to think on a day like that? My daughter actually found the solution for me. I picked her up from school early afternoon and was driving her home when she asked the usual "are you staying home".  "Sorry babygirl, I am buried and need to get to the office (hadn't been there yet)." "What do you have to do there that you can't do at home?". Now that was a great question and after a moment of trying to think of a logical way to explain to her that I NEEDED to be there, I realized I had no real reason to have to be there (except in my head thinking "at my desk is working", old bosses lousy influences die hard sometimes). So I opted to stay home with her for a bit, actually make and eat lunch not in my car, and catch up on e-mails, phone calls and texts. She played on the floor near me while I went about the business of catching up. Guess what? I felt great, got a pile of items caught up, quarterbacked some items to others and satisfied her (and my) need for a little daddy time.

When I finally landed at my office I was once again in control of my day, instead of simply reacting to others needs. All thanks to a simple comment from my little girl to take a break and catch up (with her as my wingwoman).

How do you find the elusive time to think, or catch up? One other outlet I like to try and use is time at the gym. I bring my phone and work out e-mails while I work out. Sounds crazy but it works and I feel great after. Others take a walk, schedule a non work related lunch with a friend, doesn't matter what it is that you do, but you need to do something to step out of work for a while and take a breath. Break the rhythm. If not that overwhelming feeling will forever control and consume your time and eventually the fun that could be working will be gone.