Archive for February, 2009
Mondays with Mom
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
"If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother."
You may remember that line from a skit on Saturday Night Live. If you’re a baby boomer with an elderly parent, you can probably relate. I’m grateful that my mother is in relatively good health for someone in her mid 80s, but like the character on the television show, I find that, "It’s always something!"
During the holidays, mom ate a piece of candy and pulled out a filling. We went to the dentist and had her tooth filled. Then she needed to have her teeth cleaned. We went for the cleaning and the dental hygienist found a cavity, so we needed to schedule a follow-up appointment. And so it goes. Compared to our frequent flyer visits to the ER, these are minor episodes, but they still take time.
Like most moms, my sainted mother does not want to be a burden. She says we can schedule an appointment "whenever it’s convenient." The truth is, when you’re trying to write a book and build a coaching practice, it’s never convenient. I’m very grateful for the precious time I get to share with my mother, AND I still need to make a living.
Instead of feeling like a victim and whining about never having time to write my book, I came up with a win-win solution. Reflecting on the book and movie Tuesdays with Morrie inspired me to schedule "Mondays with Mom." We plan ahead, schedule appointments for Mondays, and I dedicate a block of time to writing without the distractions of email, social networks or phone calls. I pack up a stack of interview notes and my trusty NEO keyboard and head off to the seclusion of my old room at mom’s house. I feel more in control as I plan ahead to meet my mother’s needs while I make progress on my long-term goal. Instead of feeling like a burden, mom feels that she is creating space for me to have some focused creative time. Plus, she makes me lunch. What a deal!
How can you reframe a challenge and turn it into an opportunity?
January Newsletter
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009If you missed our January newsletter, you can read the archived version by clicking here.