The Zombie

John would describe himself as a husband, father and grandfather who loves his family and his faith. His humility would not allow him to share that he is a seasoned global leader within a large international corporation. He recently told me that he found himself in a dilemma. Like all of us, he has been working from home. He told me that he has found himself working longer and harder than he would have imagined. He said it took a statement from his wife to truly grasp the danger of this temptation. She said, “John, it's worse when you are only here physically than when you are gone”.
 
John reminded me that being present in our homes with our families is not just a physical thing. It is important to have work time and then it is more important to have relationship time. A body staring at endless Zoom meetings or emails equates to nothing more than a zombie to others who need and desire their attention.
 
I think the biggest threat of working from home is not burning out ourselves but it is freezing out those who are important to us. It takes focus and intentional time to grow and nurture those relationships. That means shutting down the computer, iPad and phone in order to invest time. The results of meaningful conversation, time spent together, laughing and just hanging out will be well worth your investment.
 
I’m going to be a bit more intentional with those who are in my home. Create space for those you love and you will make a difference.

Larry