Temporary fixes?
What do Scotch tape, Post-it Notes, paper clips and staples have in common? They each may seem to have a different function, are made of different materials and serve us well. But we admit that they do have a common purpose.
Scotch Tape pieces hold things together for a short period of time. Post-it Notes stuck to documents or computer screens suggest that some action be taken and are discarded once the action is taken. Paper clips and staple hold things together, at least for a while. They are all just a temporary fix, a momentary solution to a temporary need. They’re used in “reaction” to a short-term need.
And, yep, we do use temporary fixes in our daily personal lives as well.
When our youngsters misbehaved, we may have reacted with a 15-minute “time-out.” But maybe we might have avoided the problem by listening to their concerns.
And we all seem to make excuses, using them as Band-Aids, to temporarily cover flaws in our own behavior. Wouldn’t we prefer a more permanent solution like learning from our past experience and practicing excellence as a habit?
What can we do?
We could avoid using a Band-Aid excuse for being late to meeting our friend by just leaving the house 5 minutes earlier.
We could avoid using a Band-Aid excuse for a poorly done project by earlier setting up a timeline, breaking the project into smaller steps and doing them in a timely manner so no excuse will be needed.
Yes, we do live in a very fast moving world and quick solutions seem to be the order of the day. But do we want to continually need a fresh supply of Band-Aids, Scotch Tape or paper clips?
Or do we want to choose a calmer, more useful approach to our relationships and our activities? I do…even if I don’t always remember to practice what I preach!
1 Comment
Pat,
I love your blog. I sticky subject, but a mindful one.
Many blessings,
Sandy