They say, "You can't have it all."
I don't know who 'they' are and everyone's definition of 'all' is different. But the reality is, no matter what age, stage and wage you're at, thriving in your family and career doesn't just happen. We need to work. Although the effort and toil of work has been increased ever since sin entered the world, work itself can be honorable, and with God's help, it can be a blessing for your family and the world around you. Like anything else in life, we need to go about family & career with all our heart and do it as unto the Lord. Here are three pillars that I've identified over the years that I use to safeguard against compromise and stress. 1) Define Success Just getting by is a terrible state to be in. In life. In work. In faith. In anything. To thrive, I first need to define ‘success’. What am I aiming for? At the end of this year, what will I have done in family and career to say that it was a successful year? Companies use this method all the time, typically in the form of key performances indicators (KPI's). Here are just a few of my personal 'KPI's' when it comes to defining success. I encourage you to come up with your own, this way it adds an element of accountability.
2) Filter Everything Through Eternity Ask yourself: Will the impact of what I'm doing now matter in eternity? It's something I often ask myself when faced with a financial decision, a matter at work, something related to family or simple actions that I take on a daily basis. Keep the end in mind. Will it really matter, when all is said and done (i.e. you're no longer here), that you drove your family around in a reliable 2012 vehicle rather than a flashy, new sports car? No, it won't. (Plus, your family probably can't even fit in that sports car, so why are you trying so hard.) Will it matter, when all is said and done, that you spent your evenings and weekends preoccupied with work rather than family? Yes, yes it will. The list continues. Do some soul searching and use a filter to keep you from doing things that will negatively impact you and help you do the things that will be beneficial in multiple areas of your life, for years to come. 3) Write It Down I use The Covenant Planner sheet to record our family mission statement, key reminders for the year, key goals and target dates and more. You should try it! This gives me a quick snapshot of what matters and as I review it, usually bi-weekly, it helps me make decisions and guides me back to my non-negotiables. *A Harvard Business Study found out the following related to goal-setting:
What this research made clear is that if you want the best possible results, you need to define your goals and then write them down. The same is true when it comes to success in family and career. Now, the last and most important point (and possibly a prequel to a future post) that I could iterate is this: If you lose at home, you lose. No amount of success in the workplace will compensate for failure in the family. Everything comes back to the definition of success. You CAN win/succeed at both but you need to define what it looks like. If you have some tips of your own for thriving in family and career, send them to [email protected]. Danny (*Source: www.newtechnorthwest.com) The workplace is fertile ground for Evangelism. If you have gotten into a rut at work, I want to remind you of your greater purpose. Jesus didn't come down to earth just to be a human. He had a mission - To seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10)! God can use you to impact people who are lost, hurting, depressed, confused, and fearful. But not if your walk and your talk are misaligned. Have the same mindset like Jesus (see 1 Cor.2:16) and embrace the greater purpose of the relationships around you, which are so short-lived in light of eternity. Here are two areas you can focus on this week:
1. True to your word Do what you said you were going to do. Few things will taint your reputation and character at work (and life, in general) as being unreliable in your communication. Speak true of others, don't spread lies. Speak true of yourself, don't make things up to try to impress people. And, most importantly, speak The Truth, God's Word. Psalm 15 begins, "Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart." Our walk and our talk must go hand-in-hand. Practically, for example, don't be overly eager to say you'll do something if, deep down, you probably know you won't. Think it through. Integrity of speech; let this infiltrate your character. 2. True to your identity You are a child of God, anywhere and everywhere. Don't be afraid to show it, speak of it, and defend it (if necessary). Don't be someone else. Be you. Instead of fretting over trying to fit in, remember who you are called to be, in Christ Jesus. Colossians 3:1-3 says, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." We don't change our behavior, attitudes, convictions, and so on, based on the environment. If anything, the environment around us should change! Before an employee, manager, vice president, etc., you are a living soul on whom God has lavished his love and grace. Live accordingly. Title's pass. Work will be no more. But a child of God you will always be. Being available for someone means that you have 'free' time and can fill it with something that is important to that person, if you feel like it.
Making yourself available to someone means that you intentionally commit to & protect that time, for their specific needs. There's a huge difference. Don't tell someone you're available if you're not willing to give them your time & attention. Sounding like a nice person by saying you're available doesn't help anyone. In fact, your co-workers or those under your leadership will eventually see the real you. They'll associate your frequent 'I'm available' with something along the lines of 'I have some free time, I wish I didn't, so please don't contact me unless you have an emergency.' Take-away: I'm available = The time slot is free but I don't really want to fill it. I will make myself available = Whatever is important to you is important to me. |
ABOUTBiblical, on-the-go, tips for thriving at work. Written by Danny Kovacs, from first-hand wins & losses. This is the digital space where I share free resources and learning moments throughout the week/month. ARCHIVES
September 2023
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