The ‘right’ time is now
I'm very close with my parents. Growing up, I never imagined a life where I wouldn't live right next to them, but now, we live 1,000 miles away from each other. Every second I get to spend with them is precious, especially as they get older, so we plan visits as often as we can.
We usually see each other several times a year, but this year has been a little different. I've just been through one of the busiest seasons in my career and made the tough but intentional choice to prioritize work, which meant going much longer than usual without seeing my parents. As soon as things slowed down a bit, we planned for them to come and stay. They just left after being with me and Spiros in Houston for three weeks—their longest visit yet.
Before they got here, I couldn’t have been more excited. I’d missed them so much, and I was really looking forward to spending lots of time with them. I made sure to schedule their visit during a time when I thought work would be a little bit slower, and I envisioned striking a perfect balance between working and spending quality time with my parents.
But by the time they got here, things had not slowed down like I’d hoped. Life was life-ing and work was working, and my dream of having tons of uninterrupted time with them faded pretty quickly.
At first I was bummed. I knew I’d still be able to hang out with them, but because of everything I had on my plate, it would be less than I’d hoped.
Then I realized something important. I told myself that my parents are here, they are here now, and life and work aren’t stopping. In fact, life and work will never stop. The best thing I could do is figure out how to get my work done while making the most of our time together.
So that’s what I did. For the last three weeks, my parents lived alongside me as I went about life as usual—with a wonderful twist. Every morning, we drank coffee and tea together, and several times a week, they joined me for a morning workout with my trainer. I took breaks throughout my workdays to go on walks with them. We ate every meal together and watched movies every night.
In moments when I had other things to do, if my parents wanted to chat, I dropped everything and had a conversation with them. I reminded myself that this time with them is precious, and it’s way more important than the task waiting for me.
I didn’t work the whole time they were here. I blocked off several days to make other memories and do things that they were excited to do, like go to museums, movies, and amazing restaurants. But for me, the most meaningful time we spent together was in the small, everyday moments. And those only happened because I was intentional about creating them.
It made me think about how we often tell ourselves that there will be time to do the things we want to do—someday. We’ll put off doing what matters to us because we're waiting for the right time.
But the time doesn’t have to be “right.” It could be right now.
I talk a lot about the myth of work/life “balance.” The way I see it, work and life will never be in perfect balance with each other. Instead of trying to spend equal amounts of time on things, I think it’s better to allow work and life to coexist in harmony.
Doing that takes intention. While my parents were with us, I asked myself on a daily or even hourly basis, “How can I create harmony in this day so that I can make the time with them count?” Sometimes, that looked like getting up to work before breakfast or working after they went to bed so that I could have time with them throughout the day. But those were sacrifices I was willing to make because it allowed me to put my time toward what I value most. Now that my parents have left, I’m back to my routine, and I’m putting more of my focus and attention into work.
If we want to devote our time to something, instead of waiting for the “right” time or an empty calendar, I think it's important to look at how we can incorporate those things into the ordinary everyday moments. The time will pass anyway. Why not make it meaningful?
So now, I want to ask you: What are you waiting to enjoy? What have you unintentionally put on hold or put off because you don’t think it’s the “right” time? What could your version of work/life harmony look like today? Is there a way to make five minutes more meaningful this week? Hit “reply” and tell me everything these questions bring up for you! My team and I love reading your responses.
The more I can model work/life harmony and talk about it with my team, the more I'm giving them permission to make their own lives more meaningful. I hope this post does the same for you!
We’ve got this, friends!
Big hugs,
