“What should be the frequency of this meeting?”
“How about once every six months?”
“No, that’s too less, we do need it at least once in three months.”.
Nothing unusual about that dialogue right?
Not until I tell you that is a conversation between me and my nine year old son, Tanav.
Yes, we do plan and have meetings at home. Just like office. In fact, I just finished a meeting with Tanav, my son (see below an earlier recording)
Office meetings are generally considered a waste of time, too lo..ng and boring. But no matter how much we complain about them, if they’re right way – they help in planning, reviewing progress and resolving issues. In acknowledging people for their work. Meetings are, indeed, an essential for any organization…including the home organization!
Strike the right chord and get insights that are impossible to get otherwise. You will discover a whole new person in your family member!
[bctt tweet=”Don’t live with strangers in the house all your life and call it a family!” username=”mohitsawhney”]
These meetings can take your relationship with your family on the growth trajectory .
Human mind is complex. It has inhibitions. It doesn’t share easily. Not even with people who are close to us! Expecting others to open up in a normal setting, is out of question. We have to book a time, a place and tell the participants (in this case our son or daughter or wife), that you need them there!
..And why just meetings? There is quite a lot of good stuff we need to bring home from office!
Organizations have a set of systems meant to make things happen smoothly and improve.
But home sweet home? Do we have any systems? If you’re like most people, your answer is a No.
In the absence of any system for family to be cohesive, performing and improving, we just rely on God Almighty to take care of our home affairs. But , God only helps those who help themselves!
“I am putting in all the efforts and time in office to earn and save only for the family.”, you might say.
Well, thanks but your family needs “you”. Your time. Now. Not later.
If you don’t give the time now, your connection with your folks is broken… forever!
Now, if you tell me: I really don’t have the time.
Okay, then here’s another tip: Go Lean.
Organizations are shouting about going lean: which means reducing waste. But your family organization? You are the CEO. Or co-CEO or whatever of that, no?
So get your act together and go lean. Here’s what I mean:
- No Phone on Weekends. (basically this means using phone as a plain simple phone, that too if it’s absolutely needed!)
- No TV on Mondays.
- No Facebook App on the Smartphone. And yes, No Whatsapp too!
- No Technology in the Bedroom.
You get the idea. Reduce the wasteful activities. That will make time for useful ones.
[bctt tweet=”Oh God! Today, give me the strength to say ‘no’ to things I may do only to regret later. ” username=”mohitsawhney”]
By the way, yours truly has done all of the above. Of course, one by one though.
When I shared the idea of a No Phone Day on Saturdays, it seemed impossible. Everyone resisted. Initial few weeks were tough. The cries and frustrations were all so visible on everyone’s faces. But soon, good things began to happen.
Tanav, my nine year old son, opened his bookshelf after ages! We have played several board games as a family. Not so long ago, he was hooked to Clash of Clans. We had no idea how to get him off!
And the best part was yet to come: Tanav, my son, loved the idea so much that he himself proposed to have Sunday’s too as No Phone Days!
A few months have passed, and Tanav has just recently proposed to have Mondays as No TV Days! Can you beat that!
Today is Day 1 of No TV Day. Excitement abound. Tanav is busy cleaning his study table, and Sohana, my 4 year old daughter, my bookshelf.
It’s going well. We haven’t switched on the TV. Not as yet. It’s not easy but we will face this challenge as a family.
..That my friends is Sawhney Family Organization going Lean. When is Your’s?
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