23/09/2015

How many hours do you really spend with them?

One of the worst victims of the busy life we live today is the family. Let’s consider how most people spend their time every week. All of us have 168 hours every seven days, of which we spend in average:

56 hours sleeping
40 hours working
14 hours eating
14 hours using the Internet
12 hours doing household chores
10 hours watching TV
8 hours in traffic, going and coming back from work

So far, it adds up to 154 hours — not counting the time taken with personal care, conversations over the phone, going to the bathroom, shopping, going to church, idleness, playing games or sports, among other things. You can see there’s not much time left for anything else.

Where’s the family in this equation?

Usually, what happens is that we try to fit it in during or between other activities. In short, the attention our family receives is either divided or partial.

It’s no wonder that marital problems, issues between parents and children and among siblings are finding their way in the midst of households. When we least expect it, we’re living like strangers inside our home. We’re out of sync; one does not know much about the other. Husband and wife are distant, parents are unaware of what’s going on with their children, the house becomes like a hotel.

During this 21-day retreat, you will work hard to change this. Since you’re taking a break from useless information and entertainment, you will focus your attention on the people who are closest to you:

Sit together at meal times
Talk more about what’s going on in your lives
Share more about your day with your partner
Show interest in your children’s education and what’s happening at school
Open up more to your parents
Do some household chores together (e.g. clean up that garage you’ve been planning to put in order since 2010)

In short, make time for your family, and even after the 21 days are over, continue setting time aside to have special moments just among yourselves at least once a week. It’s an investment that will bring lots of results. Give it a try.