Family vs Work: And the Winner Is?

The situation:

A major presentation due at work or travel to attend a grandchild's wedding? What are you going to do?

For conflicts involving big family events: marriages, funerals, reunions, vacations, kid sporting events; the family should win out over work nearly every time!

I think it is important to understand that nearly everyone believes this to be true, so when people use the excuse that work won't allow you to attend--they all know that you don't want to attend and are too disingenuous just to say so! I mean, I have been in the rare situation where I've been called away to support some important operation--but those are generally pretty rare.

People know!

And it is important to have a healthy perspective of work requirements vs personal life situations.

To begin binning the demands on my life--I look at life and priorities as follows:

1, God (personal relationship, not duties associated with religious organizations)
2. Personal Health and Well Being
3. Family - spouse and kids (and grand kids)
4. Work (to include volunteer activities, like churches and fraternal organizations)
5. Extended Family and relatives
6. Friends
7. Home maintenance and repairs
8. Someone I just met
9. A stray animal

So by using the above order, I find I'm getting it right more than not!

So let me give you some examples.

Attending Ethan's Tee-ball games--priority 3
Mowing the lawn - Priority 7
Playing Racquetball - priority 2
Taking a nap - priority 2
Running out in the middle of dinner to view a house for Jeremy - priority 3
Enjoying Happy Hour with Friends on Friday night - priority 2
Helping Jeremy Move (OMG that is gonna be a priority 3, ugh!)
Helping a friend make a trip to the landfill - priority 6

So you kinda get it.

Now--to explain some of the weirdness in the priorities.

Mowing the lawn contributes to the upkeep of the home and is a priority 7 item--but if I don't get it done in a timely manner, it could become a priority 3 issue--where the spouse begins to need it accomplished for her well being.

Although taking a nap contributes to my personal well being, I don't have to take a nap to be happy so I generally do not take naps--but I dream about that afternoon siesta all the time!

So in answer to the question about attending the grandchild's wedding--the wedding wins! Hands down--even if the work conflict is church related and it's the senior pastor of the church. I've seen our pastor leave for these things. And see my blog on delegation to assist in resolving the problems associated with priority conflicts.

Finally, don't let priority 1 and 4 get fuzzy.

Many people do!