Is balance achievable?

A recent report from the the UK charity The Children's Society suggest that the UK's social ills are caused to some degree by the "aggressive selfishness" and "excess individualism" of parents leaving neglected children feeling unloved or insignificant.

They cite the following symptoms: high family break-up, teenage unkindness, commercial pressures towards premature sexualisation, unprincipled advertising, too much competition in education and acceptance of income inequality.

It is easy when you are a business owner and parent to allow schedules to become out-of-whack with our values. This report is a stark reminder of the potential outcomes of an unbalanced approach to life.

"I need some ME time" is often spoken and heard - life is certainly challenging especially in times of economic harshness. As a father, the temptation is always to concentrate on the commercial / professional "duty" to our family, customers and employees fearful of stepping off the gas should we be seen as less than a pro, rather than investing the time necessary for healthy relationships with our children.

Even now as I have found the TED conference talks on YouTube I am trying to keep my one year old from the keyboard! BAD DAD! Selfish Dad!

"Balance" is itself hard to pin down. Most families take a vacation every year for at least a 2 week stretch - i.e. No work at all for a whole two weeks - that too is not balanced. So how are we to acheive this balance?

Looking at the bible's teaching on the Sabbath could be a good start - that to rest from all toil for at least one day per week (whenever fits your life) can bring the necessary gap in the incessant noise of the marketplace in order to reflect on the why-I-ams of life and not just the I-shoulds.

I often explain to my wife that I need to have a switch-over time - where I come down off the treadmill and into a state where I can give myself fully to the family.

Please feel free to give me any suggestions - we're all on a journey...

Link for more discussion on the report click here.