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Whine and Time

If there is one thing that I've noticed since I've been off of the road, it's that I have much more time on my hands.
In the past, I used to get up when it was dark outside with hardly any Atlanta traffic. I'd make my way to the airport, get through security, and time it so that I spent very little time at the gate. I'd save my Starbucks fix until I landed at my destination. But I would occasionally grab an Economist, HBR, or Inc. to read on the plane. Quite honestly, the reading wouldn't last very long because sleeping became more of a priority. 
Today, I wake up later -- it's light outside. I wake up with my son and take him downstairs to watch PBS while I get him breakfast. We hang out a bit and instead of catching winks in the window seat of a plane, I do it on the couch while my son watches Curious George. I then get ready and head out the door to work along with a million other Atlanta residents on the highway. There is no expense account for Starbucks or breakfast. And paying for gas is literally highway robbery.
When I was on the road, working late into the night was never an issue. After all, what did I have to go home to? The brightest part of any night on the road, was heading to the concierge lounge to see what the hot food of the day was. Other than that, it was work, dinner, work and work out. That repeated until it was time to head home on Thursday night. Long story short, not really a whole lot of time to think.
Off the road, different story. I leave work at a reasonable hour and hang out with a million of my closest Atlanta friends in traffic until I get home. I hang out with my son until it's time for him to go to bed. Then I get to watch my wife's shows since she's commandeered the television. It's during that time that I actually begin to think. And as my friends will tell you, it's not necessarily a good thing when I start thinking. Based on my past few weeks, here are some of my thoughts:
  1. Positional leadership is awesome. You don't have to be smart. You just shouldn't be too dumb and just hang in there. Promotion will eventually come.
  2. There was a time where I had a nice office and the respect of many. Now I get to answer a kid that I used to manage and sit in a space that looks like a telemarketer belongs there. 
  3. You learn from the choices you make. It's your attitude and actions that define you if that choice is not an ideal one. (yeah... that's almost like some Tony Robbins speak). Some days I feel like I made the right choice in getting off of the road and some days I feel like I gave up too much.
Usually when you have a lot of time, you have time to reflect and improve. Unfortunately for me, I also have the time to think and replay the events leading to my situation. At some point, things are going to get better, right?

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