The phrase March Madness has long been associated with the NCAA Basketball Tournament that takes place every year in…. You guessed it, March. 64 College basketball teams compete in a single elimination tournament for the chance to be crowned NCAA Basketball champions. The tournament is referred to “Madness” because of the correlation of upsets that tend to occur every year. Almost every year a big-name school is upset by a smaller school, sending fans into a frenzy, and the losing teams back to their campus to play more beer pong. For those of us who reside in Southwest Florida year-round, March Madness takes on a different outlook.
For the most part, the craziness of March is related to an increased population growth that starts in October, and peaks in March. Many people…aka “Snowbirds,” leave their northern nests and travel south to sunny Florida for the winter. The peak in March is usually associated with multiple events that take effect in this month. For one, spring breaks for college and high school students mostly fall in the month of March, and we also have spring training baseball that starts. Baseball fan bases from all over travel down to see their favorite teams play. This increased population can cause spikes in business, as well as crowded roads. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the traffic right now is just flat out maddening.
On a personal note, the month of March is downright crazy busy for me. Between birthdays, anniversaries, family visits, and a busy work schedule, the month of March is jam-packed with Madness. I’m talking pull your hair out Madness. Managing my personal schedule and business schedule can be extremely challenging, but I find it imperative to not let the “Madness” create a shift in balance of what’s most important. But what’s most important?
Our work lives are very important, and for most people, we take our work/career very seriously. I have been guilty in the past of putting work in front of my personal life, but as I have learned through the years, a balanced approach is the essential key to happiness. The fact is, it is hard to do. I will not preach, because in some ways I would feel like a hypocrite, but for those of you reading this, I would assume that most people would agree that putting too much focus on business and not enough on your personal lives could be detrimental. Consider managing your work-life balance as another part of your job. It is a practice that takes determination, but when handled correctly, it pays off.
Managing the madness around us can be overwhelming, but if you don’t balance the madness appropriately, the scale will eventually tip over. It’s easy to slide back into the same old routine, so it is important to know that achieving a balance is not a one-time fix, it is a process. As certain priorities change, you need to be able to adapt.
Even with all the activities planned in the month of March, there is one thing I will not forget to do…. Taking the time to fill out my March Madness bracket! Oh, and my wedding anniversary. Looks like I need more work on my prioritization.
Respectfully, Clark Willis – Regional Sales Manager/ Kimal Lumber.
