Torn in between: How to achieve work life balance

As a Christian, you may often find yourself caught in the relentless whirlwind of work and the ever-present desire to honor God in all aspects of your life.

The struggles you face in trying to maintain a harmonious work life balance can be overwhelming at times. This is as you strive to excel in your career while also nurturing your spiritual journey.

Amid these challenges, you look to God for guidance and strength. You recognize that the path to balance is not a solitary journey, but a testament to His grace and wisdom.

In this article, we will explore the delicate art of achieving work life balance through the lens of your faith, offering practical insights to help you navigate the intricacies of daily life.

People working. (Photo by charlesdeluvio from Unsplash)

What is work life balance?

Work life balance is about evenly distributing your time, energy, and attention between your work-related responsibilities and your personal life outside of your job.

It is about ensuring that neither your career nor your well-being overshadows the other. Rather, they exist in a harmonious and complementary relationship.

In practical terms, work life balance means that you allocate a suitable amount of time to fulfill your work duties without neglecting your family, social, and spiritual needs.

Furthermore, It is a quest to find equilibrium, where you do not feel overwhelmed by the demands of your job, and you also have ample time to nurture your relationships, engage in leisure activities, and more importantly, deepen your connection with God.

What work life balance does not mean

This balance does not imply that your work and personal life must be completely separate. It does not also mean that they should receive the same amount of time and energy every day. Instead, it recognizes that there will be seasons when work demands more attention and other seasons when your personal life needs to take precedence

Even when considering Jesus’ life, it is evident that there were days when balance was not a strict formula.

Take, for example, the account in Mark 1. Jesus delivered a morning sermon, cast out an unclean spirit, healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and continued to heal the sick and demon-possessed until night fell.This shows that work life balance does not always mean an equal distribution of time. Rather, it is a commitment to fulfilling God’s calling with dedication, even when days may seem imbalanced in the eyes of the world.

Moreover, work life balance does not mean viewing your job as an unrelenting adversary.

It does not entail approaching those you work with, for, or manage with cynicism and criticism. Likewise, it is not about harboring numbness and negativity towards your customers, patients, clients, or colleagues.

People having a get-together. (Photo by Valiant Made from Unsplash)

Work life balance for Christians

For Christians, work life balance is anchored in a biblical perspective of work. Contrary to what many may believe, work is not primarily about pleasing your boss, serving customers, accumulating wealth, or building a career.

Instead, it begins with the understanding that God has called you to work, and this calling carries a profound purpose.

God’s call to work is an invitation to serve Him through your labor, from the depths of your heart. It involves doing your work with excellence, as an offering to Him.

In your daily toil, God has also called you to love your neighbor, extending kindness and compassion to those you encounter in your work. This is just as Christ teaches us to do.

Importantly, God acknowledges, appreciates, and promises to reward your work, knowing the sincerity and dedication with which you serve Him through it. It is a divine partnership where your earthly labor holds eternal significance.

A woman stressed with work. (Photo by Elisa Ventur from Unsplash)

How to have the same fulfillment presented by the concept of work life balance

For many, the intertwining of work and life is an impossible reality, but you can discover pathways to attain the fulfillment that this concept holds for you.

View your life as a whole

This biblical perspective urges you to see your life as an integrated whole, much like the way Jesus approached His life in the gospels.

When you read about Jesus’ actions and teachings, you never get the sense that He compartmentalized His life into distinct buckets or silos.

Instead, everything He did was a direct response to what His Father revealed to Him (John 5:19).

In essence, Jesus’ life was a seamless journey of aligning His actions with God’s guidance, which serves as an inspiring example for you. To achieve a fulfilling work life balance, consider how you can integrate your work, family, faith, and personal time, allowing them to complement and enrich one another.

Be intentional with your work hours

Being intentional about when you work and when you do not is essential for achieving balance. Just as God ordained rest and work in the creation story, setting specific times for work helps you create healthy boundaries (Genesis 2:2-3).

By allocating dedicated hours for work, you ensure that other crucial aspects of life, such as spending quality time with your family, nurturing your faith, and allowing time for personal rest and reflection, also have their designated places. This intentionality allows you to prioritize each area of your life, preventing work from dominating your existence.

Take time to rest and recharge

Follow Jesus’ example of withdrawing to pray and find solitude (Mark 1:35). Take time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Periodic breaks provide the opportunity to rest, recharge, and refocus. They allow you to step back from the demands of work, giving you clarity and perspective.

During these moments of respite, you can reconnect with your faith, and spend quality time with loved ones. Moreover, you can engage in activities that rejuvenate your spirit, thus contributing to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Pace yourself

The Bible emphasizes moderation and discernment in various aspects of life. By pacing yourself, you acknowledge your limitations and avoid burnout.

Consider the example of Jesus, who took time to rest and prioritize His well-being amidst His demanding ministry.

Pacing yourself means finding a sustainable rhythm in your work and life, ensuring that you can endure your journey without feeling overwhelmed or depleted.

It allows you to maintain your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being while fulfilling your responsibilities.

Live according to your priorities

Achieving work life balance involves living by your priorities. Just as Jesus prioritized His relationship with God and the well-being of His disciples, align your actions with what matters most to you (Matthew 6:33).

Prioritizing faith, family, and values ensures that your work serves a more profound purpose and does not overshadow the essentials.

By consciously making choices that reflect your values and beliefs, you can lead a life that is more aligned with your true priorities.

Prioritize your relationship with God

The ultimate foundation for a balanced life is prioritizing your relationship with God. Jesus, as our ultimate example, consistently placed His relationship with the Father at the top of His priorities (Mark 1:35).

Moreover, nurturing your connection with God through prayer, study of Scripture, and worship anchors your life in spiritual guidance and strength.

This relationship provides you with the wisdom and resilience needed to navigate the demands of work and life with grace and purpose. As you seek God’s guidance and trust in His provision, you will find the fulfillment that work life balance promises, rooted in your faith and devotion.

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Feeling fulfilled

As you strive to achieve a work life balance anchored in biblical principles, you embark on a journey that not only harmonizes your work and personal life but also leads to a deep sense of fulfillment.

Viewing your life as a whole, being intentional about your work hours, taking time to rest, pacing yourself, living according to your priorities, and prioritizing your relationship with God all contribute to this sense of fulfillment.

By aligning your actions with these principles, you will discover that the concept of work life balance is not just a goal to attain. It is a path to a life enriched with purpose, contentment, and the joy of serving God in every facet of your existence.