Escaping TO the Dentist

March 14, 2018

Peter J. Strauss’s life as an attorney, speaker and single father of four children ages 1 to 10 leaves him little time for himself.

He catches a break in a place most people try to avoid: “I love going to the dentist,” says Mr. Strauss, of Hilton Head Island, S.C. “It’s 45 minutes when I know nobody is going to interrupt me. You can’t reach me and you can’t ask for anything,” says Mr. Strauss, author of a book on self-insurance for businesses. Although he has perfect teeth, he gets them cleaned three times a year instead of the usual two.

Busy working parents find respite in odd places. Cleaning the garage, washing dishes, mowing the lawn or commuting on gridlocked freeways all can serve as an undercover bid for a little adult time, parents say. Transforming drudgery to delight in this way requires abilities that any busy adult could use. Some people are born with these capacities, and others hone them through practice, researchers say.  (courtesy of the Wall Street Journal)