Work/Life Balance: Putting It into Perspective

“Tired Little Woman In Search of Work/Life Balance: Seeking Calm in the Midst of a Storm.” That line could very well be the intro of a personal ad written from my weary little soul to “the balanced, carefree life” I long to live.

As a mother of two with a long-time career outside the home, I have, for too many years, hidden behind the mask that I could “do it all.” Ironically, I even buried myself in a career in which I, of all people, encouraged others to live a healthy, well-balanced life when all the while I struggled to do so myself.

Oh, probably by all accounts, I appeared successful at juggling a career, family, home and ministry, and I did make it through many challenges with the help of God. But I must say I definitely didn’t allow anyone to dig too deeply, lest they see how close I came to crumbling under the self-inflicted burden to be “Little Ms. Perfect,” the woman of all trades.

Now, I am not saying that people can’t successfully manage the above areas of life. Some certainly do and I believe that they succeed because they truly know how to put God first in their lives, something I admit I am still learning to do. But, for me, managing so many things was quite difficult and I finally grew tired of not being able to “practice what I preached.”

So, no more! Well, I believe no more, anyway. After much prayer, I have taken a drastic leap of faith in an attempt to bring at least a little bit of calm to my otherwise chaotic lifestyle. I made a decision to give up my full-time career to spend more time helping with some pressing family matters and to enable me to focus my energies more intentionally on using the gifts that God has given me.

So why am I telling you this? Because if you, like me, struggle to make all the pieces of your life come together, you may at some point wonder how you got into such a dizzying condition. If so, it could be time to take an assessment of your own personality traits to see what gives.

Take a look at the list below and see if any of the listed character types match up with your own mindset. If you’re ready to make your own shift from chaos to calm, then check out the recommended biblical remedies as well. They just may help you start to view your life from a different, and more biblical perspective. Which ones apply to you? Are you the:

– “Can’t Say No” People Pleaser—unable to say no even in situations where he really may not have the means to help; feels like he is letting others down if he says “no;” feels like others will like him less if he says “no.”

Remedy: Galatians 1:10
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

– “Everything’s a Priority” Personality—tries to do too many things at once; unable to prioritize; puts other people and things ahead of God.

Remedy: Matthew 6:33
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

– The “Every Minute Ministry” Mogul—throws every ounce of energy into ministry sometimes paying less attention to family relationships, friendships and other important matters; feels she doesn’t need to rest because she’s “on fire for the Lord”

Remedy: Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

– The “I Don’t Need Any Help from Anyone” Lone Ranger—afraid to admit she needs help; tries to do everything on her own; often steps out to take on more than she can handle without assessing all the requirements.

Remedy: Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Okay, likely there are more examples but these are just a few to get you started. How did you do?

Now, don’t feel like you’ve got to change all your ways at once. After all, that will just add more pressure to an already problematic situation. Take it one step at a time.

Hopefully, your transformation won’t require such a drastic change as I made in giving up my career. More likely, your routine may just need a few tweaks—a few energy boosts to help you make it through the tough moments you may encounter trying to “balance” all that you may face on any given day.

And if that’s the case, you might want to keep a few scriptures in your back pocket to remind you that God is in control. He knows the plans He has for your life and He certainly knows how to order the steps of your day to get you in line with His purpose. Let Him help you set your schedule, and you just may find that the “balance” that you are seeking soon begins to come into view.

Try these Biblical Energy Boosters:

Psalms 127:1
Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

I Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Where do you find yourself on the spectrum listed above? What do you need to change about your routine?