Imagine you had a project to do – at home or school and you were told that you could have someone help you. How exciting to have a teammate, someone that will help you get the job done more quickly. Lets say the job is getting the family room cleaned up – toys picked up, blankets folded, pillows arranged, floor vacuumed.
But when your helper came in they started playing with the toys, even got more things out, turned the television on and left you with no help? They were not disciplined enough to work before they played. They were distracted by all of the other things to do. Are you feeling disappointed, upset, even frustrated that the job was not getting done?
When teams work together, keep their discipline, stay focused on the job at hand – they will finsh the job quickly and have time to do other things that they enjoy. Our family is that team. In fact they are our most important team. None of the team members want to let the others down by playing when their is a job to do. So here is your practice: keep your focus on the job at hand, keep your eyes and head on the job at hand, and be sure to work before you play. Doing so will make you a great team member – a great member of the family.