Nobody Says on Their Deathbed, “I Wish I’d Worked More”

Newsflash: nobody ever got to their deathbed, and in reflecting on their lifetime, said to themselves, “Boy, I wish I had spent more time in the office!”  No one ever said that. They said, “I wish I spent more time with family. I wish I spent more time having fun. I wish I spent more time relaxing.” They don’t say, “I wish I spent more time working.”

I encourage you to pause for a moment and consider this:

It’s already mid-summer. How have you spent your time so far this year? When you look at your calendar and your priorities, do they line up?

One of the things I found myself (and really speaking for Martha as well) is that we love to work. We could happily work all the time, but is that right? “I don’t think so, Jim!” When our kids were at home, we had to look at our calendars and prioritize our kids. We always made sure that we had dinner together. We always made sure that we had some family time each weekend. Our kids needed to know they were a priority. Now that our kids are grown and gone, we need to make sure they still know they’re a priority. So, we take time every year to visit them, their spouses, and their kids, and in-between, we make sure that we call them regularly. With our aging parents, we make sure we’re investing in them while we still can. We don’t want to get to the end of our lives and say, “I wish we hadn’t worked so much.” It’s a real danger for us.

So, what about you? As you look at the first half of your summer, were your family, spouse, and kids a priority in your schedule or just an afterthought? When you look at your calendar, what does it say about what you value? I know it’s not easy, but I can tell you this: it is worth the time and investment to re-do your schedule to ensure that your family knows they are a priority. Too many families and marriages are broken apart because our work demands too much of our attention.

The root of the destruction of our country can be directly tied to the destruction of the family over the last 60 years. Free sex, free love, no-fault divorce, and workaholism don’t lend to healthy family environments. As Jesus-followers, we know that it was God’s plan to build community around families. Is that your plan? Can you be a blessing to your community by making your family a priority?

And here’s the good news - If you need to make some changes, you still have half the summer left to do it!  Psalm 90:12 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

For more ideas on balancing your priorities and investing well in your faith, family, community, AND work – check out our new books iWork4Him, sheWorks4Him, and iRetire4Him.

 Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Finding Work-Life Balance in a Work From Home World

Work-life balance is one of the most talked-about subjects among professionals in the workforce today. A quick google search of the term will pull up thousands of articles on tips to achieve this blissful, elusive state of being from the likes of Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Time, Mayo Clinic, and many, many more. However, I can't help but think the conversation about work-life balance is a bit funny.

We have had so many guests on iWork4Him that come to discuss work-life balance and espouse its significance to our health and well-being. But ironically, there is only one thing that all of them have agreed on: A perfect work-life balance is, frankly, unachievable.

There will always be days when life takes over your work and other days when work takes over your life. There will always be a give and take. An integrated life isn't about achieving perfect symmetry in your schedule; it is about putting guard rails around your life to protect it from your work. It is also about putting parameters around your work to keep the messiness of life from getting you fired. There is no such thing as a perfect balance.

But if that is true, how do we prevent our job from taking over and driving a wedge into our relationships? The answer is a Biblical perspective on priorities:

• God first.        

• Spouse second.

• Family third.

• Work fourth.

• Volunteer work and other activities last.  

When we filter our daily schedule through this priority list, we won't find a perfect work-life balance, but we will find an acceptable compromise that keeps work within its proper boundaries.

Now, I don't think we can talk about work-life balance without addressing the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it this past year. For many of you, work has now invaded your home life, making balance much more difficult. Martha and I have been working from home for almost five years and have felt the daily struggle of placing boundaries around our life so that work doesn't take over. When you never leave your job, it never leaves you. You have to shut the door on it and say goodbye for the night.

How are you dealing with putting work in its place within this new paradigm? I imagine you are struggling, just like we have. And that's okay. You are not alone.

Working from home is probably never going to go away completely, so how do can we live an integrated life with work, family, church, and house cleaning all happening in the same place? Jesus put it this way in Matthew 6:33, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

When we consider the God-given biblical priorities list and begin to organize our life according to it, we are able to successfully integrate our roles as an employee, a spouse, a parent, a friend, a congregant, etc. It is from this place of "Kingdom first," that we begin to build appropriate boundaries around work and thrive in all aspects of life.

For more on work-life balance and living an “integrated” life – listen to this episode of iWork4Him.

Martha Brangenberg

About the Author, Martha Brangenberg

Born into an entrepreneurial family, Martha has been involved in small business her entire life. Gifted with an attention to detail and a sweet sensitive spirit, Martha is a servant leader with a deep faith in Jesus.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am often asked how I can possibly work with my spouse every day.  Well, in my world, I can’t imagine it any other way and I’m not alone.  Here’s a story of our friends from the West Coast that are running a business together as a married couple. 

I get up every morning and pray to the Lord to be the best of what He wants me to be for the day. 

~ Dre Truitt, Office Pride Franchise Owner

Is it possible to have a business with your spouse without blowing up the marriage?  Is it possible to have a shared vision, where you both hear from the Lord and get the same message about starting a business?  Is it possible to actually build and improve your family and marriage with starting and running a franchise?  It ALL sounds impossible to me, but some are actually living it.

Dre and Karie Truitt, one of a hundred and thirty-four franchisees in 24 states for Office Pride knew that God needed them to “be still”, so they could hear His call on their lives.  And now they are doing their business “God’s way”.  To listen to their interview on the iWork4Him PowerPod click HERE.

“The beauty of being a business owner is the ability to live by our priorities. God first, then marriage, then kids, then work.” 

~ Karie Truitt

Priorities.  I love how clear Karie Truitt’s priorities are. I bet her life (personal and professional) is a lot easier than most people’s, even other people of faith. Being clear on our priorities makes decision-making clear, quick and easy.

Have you ever thought about if you’re REALLY living your priorities?  Are they God-aligned?

When’s the last time you stopped and did an inventory of WHERE you’re spending your time? 

Where we spend our time is the surest barometer of where our heart and priorities lie. Webster’s defines priorities as something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives.  As Christ followers, we’re given our priorities by our Lord, not the world. But are we living like it?

Are YOU disciplining and prioritizing yourself, and your work, in God’s direction today? 

Jeremiah 29:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Love is spelled T.I.M.E.

It is often said that love is spelled T.I.M.E.

Jesus always took time, with everyone who came across his path. I don't think he ever said "Hold on a minute. Or can we talk later?".  His was one that was fully present with whomever he was with, in their moment of need.

In today's fast pace of life, the DOING, that we forget as Christ followers, we are to be mindful and intentional with every person. How do you slow down during the day?  One good way, is to STOP multitasking, slow down and focus on one task or conversation at a time. Our pastor shared in a recent sermon, that he takes "Praise Breaks" seven times a day. I have started to try it this week.  It seems to slow me down so that I am more present.  When others seek my attention, I was taught by the Lord years ago to stop the work of my hands, be still and look into the person's eyes as they speak to me. This is the best way for me to stop multi-tasking and give the best gift I can: the gift of my time.

Pray to be AWARE of the needs around you during the day.  Then, when in conversation with others, stay aware - ask the Holy Spirit - "Is there something you would like me to ask? Or share? What do they need?" 

We are called to LOVE our neighbors (and that means whoever we bump up against all day long) and loving them is spelled T.I.M.E.

Colossians 4:5-6 Living Bible (TLB)

5 Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News. Be wise in all your contacts with them. 6 Let your conversation be gracious as well as sensible, for then you will have the right answer for everyone.

For His Glory,

Caroline Mendez, National Brand Ambassador

Have you subscribed yet? Faith@Work podcasts

About the Guest Blogger, Caroline Mendez, National Brand Ambassador, iWork4Him

Caroline’s Mission: To raise the visibility of Christian Women in Leadership. She is passionate about empowering each woman she meets to be free from that which keeps them oppressed.

The Summer Family Trip

One of my greatest childhood memories is from the Summer of 1971. I know I’m old - so stop with the “Oh my goodness that’s a long time ago” jokes.   That summer, my parents took us on the Family Vacation of a lifetime. We even did it in a classic station wagon with fake wood paneling on the side – Chevy Chase wasn’t the only one who knew how to go on a family vacation!  We didn’t go to Wally World but we did travel from Baltimore, Maryland all the way to the Florida Keys and back.  I think we stopped at every tourist attraction and park from our home to the tip of Florida - we saw it all!  I often tell the story of how my dad blew the A/C on our new Old’s Vista Cruiser Station Wagon when he opened her up on the old 7 mile bridge in the Keys.  We spent the rest of the trip with no air conditioner – in FLORIDA.

Why do I go into all the details of that trip?  

Memories.  

We spent 3 weeks on the road with 5 of us. I was 5, my sister was 10 and my brother was 12. We met Mickey Mouse in his first year in Florida and experienced old time Florida.  It doesn’t matter how much the trip cost my parents, what mattered was that the trip was spent together as a family.  We all share those memories, and laugh about them when we are together.  

Too often we make excuses about being too busy to take time off in the summer.

My advice, life is too short, take the time now while you can. You don’t have to break the bank in order to have a good time and just think of the memories you can make.  While you’re at it - practice teaching your kids the iWork4Him life style.  Don’t leave Jesus at home on a shelf, see if you can be Jesus to those you encounter along the way.  

Don’t waste your life, live it to the fullest. 

John 10:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: To transform Christian-run businesses through mentoring Christian Business Owners (CBOs) by incorporating the servant leadership of Jesus Christ in their businesses, their home life and their walk with Christ.

Launching Your Summer

setting new standards for family engagement

Life sure changes when school lets out for summer break.   Here in Florida, when the school bell rings for the last time in May, it signals the end of everything predictable.  The traffic patterns change, the restaurants aren’t as busy and it’s harder than ever to close a business deal. So, how can we put our iWork4Him thinking into practice during the summer?  Since iWork4Him is all about letting the power of Jesus impact all aspects of our life, let’s focus on how it can impact our family life this summer.

As a dad of 3 grown children, I realize now that you only get 18 summers off with your kids before they become adults.  Summer still comes but so do the responsibilities of adulthood, changing their carefree summer schedule forever.  So how can you make the most of the time your kids have during the summer break?

Try these ideas for a change. 

Play board games or do a puzzle - instead of watching TV

Plan a week off to spend together – it can be a “stay-cation”

Make your marriage and family a priority in all your plans

Practice your iWork4Him thinking in your neighborhood with a BBQ. 

Get creative – but be intentional

Martha and I are working on this too, so you are not alone.

Happy Summer Vacation.

Deuteronomy 6:7 (NLT)

7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: To transform Christian-run businesses through mentoring Christian Business Owners (CBOs) by incorporating the servant leadership of Jesus Christ in their businesses, their home life and their walk with Christ.