WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT?

Have you ever made one of those "to do" lists? I have a friend who is so serious about those things that she even writes down stuff she has already done - just so she can cross it off!

And then there are those nifty priority plans- they're all the rage in the management and self help guides. "Figure out what is important!" "Get focused!" That sort of thing. I tried to make a list like that recently, and I was surprised at what I found out about myself. I was embarrassed, too.

Now, according to the business gurus, my next step should have been to break down those priorities into manageable short term goals. But, you see, my list was all wrong. There were some important items missing from the top. How about this:

Priority number one: Family First.

Hey, now we're talking productivity!

Fact: People enjoying harmonious family relationships are more productive at work.

Fact: People who value their family above all else invest time and resources at home.

Fact: People who love and affirm their spouse with creativity and passion have better relationships with their children.

Fact: People who spend real and valuable time with their children find it easier to esteem and affirm their spouse.

Ergo, people committed to their family as the number one priority in their lives become more successful across the board. Okay, so I had this "reductive" kind of reasoning thing going on there, working my way back to a particular point. But it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

When we begin to deliberately align our fundamental priorities with the essence of human satisfaction - the family - then should it be surprising to us that all of our other endeavors benefit from the sheer sense of it? There are, of course, many compelling reasons to attend to our families. But in the end it boils down to this: taking care of our families simply makes good business sense.  

Contibuted by: Derek Maul, Courtesy of All Pro Dad.