One of the greatest things about being on the golf course for a few hours is how you can escape from everything else!  That is, if you will have the discipline to leave the cell phone or pager in your car!  And, even if you need to be “available” to kids or the office, make sure they know it’s only in case of emergency.  Then you must have the discipline to not be checking it every hole.

Most of us are so responsible and so busy these days that we feel a sense of guilt for not having our noses to the proverbial grindstone.  We forget the cliché that life really is a journey and not a practice round!

I reminded myself of that last Friday when the British Open was being played at St. Andrews in Scotland, the birthplace of this great game.  I was helping a friend with an organizational project and as usual with such projects, we had to go to the home improvement store for more supplies.  On the way back to her house I, the slave-driver of the project, suggested that we stop off at a local sports bar, have a cold drink and watch the Open for a while. What a revolutionary idea!  Actually take time to enjoy something you really love…in the middle of a project…in the middle of the afternoon, on a work day!

On the way back to our project we discussed how taking time out for pure pleasure is not “natural” when you have projects and work to do.  But, guess what? The project was still there and the funny thing was…we were more productive than the frustrated twosome who had left for the store.

You may not be able to drop everything in the middle of the day, but don’t forget to take small bits of time for just you.  It’s not only important for you; everyone in your life will reap the benefits, too.  And when you have those big blocks of time for you on the course, don’t let the other parts of your life interfere. Go on, PLAY golf!