Finding More Time
In my novel, The Healing Quilt, one of the characters was a workaholic and wanted to be on his boat all the time, which was how he made a living. All he thoughts about was his job and he didn’t spend much time to do things to relax and have fun with other people.
Do you or someone you know tend to work too much, neglecting your personal relationships in exchange for your job? What are some things we can do to curb the desire to work all the time? How can we find more time to spend with our family and friends and balance work with play?
I find that putting my priorities in order and focusing what is most important to me, allows me to better spend my time with family and doing things I enjoy.
I started a second job and it’s taking a toll on me. Hasn’t affected my personal life yet but they want me to work one Sunday a month which my husband isn’t too happy about since weekends are our only time together. He works nights and gets home at midnight. My second job is also trying to get me to work Saturdays in December for the holiday parties. (I’m a waitress).
Sometimes it’s hard to find that extra time for other things than work. My husband is an example. He worked the same job for 45 years. He did sacrifice a lot of family time. Now he’s retired and has the time.
Yes when I became disabled and couldn’t work I found that I could volunteer for a group that I was right to my heart and it was working with kids in foster care. I would had several cases that I would pick up and they would spend a short time with their parent or parents. When I was a foster child I so looked forward to seeing my dad and he would come get me from school and we would go to lunch. That was so exciting for me . So there were many cases that there was no case worker to get these kids to see their parents some were so hard but I was doing this more than 50 hrs a week as some parents worked or were in jail and i had to schedule. Then I realized that I was spreading myself way to thin so I prayed and prayed. I eventually stopped doing it as the main office didn’t communicate some things that they nominated me for and I didn’t want to be in the spotlight so I slowly stopped.
My husband has always worked hard. I just tell him he is missing out on living and enjoying life. He is finally taking and making time to spend with me and family. I would recommend for people to take time and enjoy this beautiful life God has gave us.
Spending time with family is a priority. We never know from one day to the next when someone we love will leave this earth. Spend as much time with then. Call, Text and better yet visit. Work will always be there but time gets away.
I’m retired and loving it. When I was working, it was mostly about work, rushing here and there, driving fast to get to certain places and rushing home to where I can relax. My husband retired the same time I did but he still works part time and complains he doesn’t have time to do the things he wants to do during the week and the weekend is too short. I tell him it’s time to quit and relax and do what you want to do before the time comes where you may not be able to enjoy the rest of your life.
My husband and I were farmers for over 30 years and this consumed much of our time! We did keep Sundays free for church but we had a dairy so there were still morning and evening milkings that had to be done. Our dairy also prevented us from taking vacations even when our crops were in a stage where constant supervision wasn’t required, It wasn’t until I began working at our library and we sold our farm that we could actually get away for a few days. Now that we’re older, we realize that we lost precious time and forfeited many memories by working so hard. We do, however, count ourselves lucky that we could spend those times together and I was able to be a ‘stay at home’ mother when our daughter was little!
This journal entry is very relatable! Some things we can do to spend more time with those we love is find even the smallest amounts of time! Half hour here 15 minutes there. It’s not always the quantity of time but the quality of the time we spend with those we love! I agree, we all need hope!
Love listening to your audiobooks!
When I lived in Ohio over 12 years ago, I use to work all the time. Neglecting the relationship I was in. I have learned from that. I am a stay at home mom, I plan on getting a job when my youngest is doing better in school. He’s in kindergarten, and is having a rough patch with hitting other students. I keep praying about it.
I love this book series. I am halfway done with book 2, The Tattered Quilt. I love your books. I’ve read a bunch of them. I even write down the recipes so I can try out later.
Sometimes it helps to make a list of priorities and keep track of the amount of time you spend doing each specific activity. You might be surprised if something is taking up most of your time and other things are left out. Make a list.
I know a man who worked too much and neglected his personal relationships in many, many ways. In the process, he lost his wife and children. He went to church each week, but never read the Scriptures. I believe if he had read Scriptures and applied them to his life, he would not have the regrets that he told me he had. We all need to read and apply the Scriptures to our every day life.
In my experiences when I was working the drive for more money was a big key factor in working more. I knew the more I worked the more money I received. It was an addiction to see how big I could get my paycheck to be. I was forced into slowing down in 2018 when I sustained a life changing injury while vacuuming at work. I’ve since learned to be content with myself and what I have.
In my experiences when I was working the drive for more money was a big key factor in working more. I knew the more I worked the more money I received. It was an addiction to see how big I could get my paycheck to be. I was forced into slowing down in 2018 when I sustained a life changing injury while vacuuming at work. I’ve since learned to be content with myself and what I have.
I spend as much time with my family, friends and my husband as I possibly can. It helps that I no longer work due to a disability. It has given me the time. My wonderful husband, on the other hand works continuously. I wish I had the ability to make him understand, he is needed by his family and me too. With the way the economy is now, he believes he will never be able to retire, as he loses so much. We didn’t worry before, as there was always time to recoup the losses in the market. Now that he only has a couple years to go, it will be so much harder to retire. We have lost many loved ones in the last year and I keep telling him, we need to enjoy everyday, as we never know.
Sometimes we take on too many responsibilities and try to do too much. We have to decide what’s most important in life and set a time for both work and relaxation. Asking for help can give us the free time that we need.
Sometimes people can’t help but to work a lot to take care of their family. I have learned it’s more about how you spend the time you have off and really making an effort and value the time you do have.
Hi. This is a reminder for me to slow down, have more family time and more time with god. Thank you for reminding me time is precious
Talk to them to see if we can help to finish there tasks so they can relax. Pray with and for them that God would show them what to do.
I am very excited to read the last book of the series Creektown Discoveries The Apple Creek Announcement.
I just love your writing. I am a little behind but I think I have and have read nearly all your books. The Amish are such faithful and dedicated people.
I know what it means to be blessed with prayer.
My son found out that he had leukemia in 2016. He had 4 years of aggressive chemo and many times, I was told that he may not make it. I had everybody that I know praying for him. He is cancer free now and he and his wife just had a beautiful baby girl in July.
December 31, 2021, my husband had covid. I was told that he would not make it to the bigger hospital that they were sending him too. Once again, I had everybody praying for him and after 2 months in 4 different hospitals, he came home to me. I has been a long road for both of them, but we are getting there. I will continue to pray for your friend and her sisters!
Hi Wanda,
I love your books they are comforting and I really enjoy reading them. I pray that your friends make a full recovery from the accident. I’ll be praying for them.
I have a friend that since she retired she became a shopaholic pretty much every time she is stressed out she goes shopping. Then her 34 year old son died in his sleep a few weeks ago and now she never stays home. I pray for her all the time. Also I will be praying for your friend Betty. I had my second back surgery a few weeks ago and because of an accident before that could not walk for a year and a half but just started walking again due to the strength God gives me everyday.
I loved this book as it brought up many comments and questions for my teen daughter.
I believe we live in a world where that is “supposed to be” our focus. I know I have focused on my to do list in exchange for time with family but then you get reality checks. First my mom passed away and then five years later I had a brother pass in January, one in March and then my precious daddy in November so I learned nothing, but God, is more important than family. They are such a precious gift to us and we need to realize it before it’s too late.
It is sometimes hard to balance work and family time. We make it a priority to take every Sunday off ( unless an emergency). We try to take 1 week a year off to go on vacation or just stay home away from work. We do eat as many meals as we can together.
This is most definitely my husband and I. But this past year we have been making a diligent effort to change. We take more time to do our favorite things like camping. We turn our cell phones off, so work cant call while we’re on vacation and we cant check emails and that sort of thing. We’re making an effort to do this in the evenings as well, but its harder. Life is short and it flies by. We are a work in progress, but we’re getting there.
Everyone enjoy yourself and stay blessed!
I work a full-time job, plus I’m a freelance editor, so it feels like I rarely get any downtime. It’s hard to balance the need to relax with the need to make a living! I need to do a better job of scheduling some time to do non-work activities, just like I schedule my work activities.
Finding more time in a world that only craves more time. I often find the essential me time while I am in the kitchen cooking or baking or absorbing myself into a good book.
I work two jobs, which often ends up being more than 40 hours a week. I also am in my church choir and in a “showboat” production for two months which supports a local Kiwanis. However, this leaves me very little time and energy to do some of what I also find fun to do: writing fiction. I have yet to find the balance between work, duties, and fun.
I think that many people, especially men, struggle to find balance between work and rest. I think it is so important to be in community with others so that we can help and encourage each other in this area. There is a reason God designated a day of rest each week. He knew we need it to refocus on him and those we love.
I find beginning each day with my Lord and Savior puts life into perspective. Days I neglect putting Jesus first often don’t go very well.
Got my first set of your books a few years ago from LTD Commodities. It was the Discovery series and I was hooked. I asked for gift cards or money for my Birthday and Christmases so I could buy more of your books. I haven’t had time to read the most recent series yet.
Got my first set of your books a few years ago from LTD Commodities. It was the Discovery series and I was hooked. I asked for gift cards or money for my Birthday and Christmases so I could buy more of your books. I haven’t had time to read the most recent series yet.
I just finished the series of the Amish Millionare that You and Jean wrote. Do you have more series that both of you have written?
I don’t have the answer, but do know that I need to be more aware of the choices I make daily about how I use my time, value my time, and realize it’s often the small things that count. I think I often work to fill my time as I think that I would waste more time/use it unwisely if I wasn’t working. I need to be more of a self-starter and make my own choices instead of what pleases everyone else – for that I need constant prayer for God’s power and wisdom.
I think you should pray about it and give it to God. Only he can take the need to work all the time.
Love Wanda’s books! She’s taught me so much about and made me admire the Amish lifestyle. I’m looking forward to her latest book!
What we can do is try to spend time praying about this. What I do is I have a time management schedule. I schedule what I call “days off”. These are days where all I do is spend time with my family and friends. I also use this time to recharge my batteries, so to speak. Also, everyday I have what I call “Me and God” time. I take prayer walks. I make these times a priority.
Happy Fall! 🍂🌾🍁
I know from experience how quickly one’s family grows up. Family night helps with quality time. Movie nights, game nights, reading together are what my family still do when visiting together.
Thanks, Cindi
I try not to work to much and neglect my family. I try to carve out time to spend with each one separately. A game night with the kids and a date night with my husband or just a relaxing night by a fire. We prepare meals together and have a card game.
Greetings,
First I wanted to thank you so much for sending me your signed copy of Healthy Options cookbook! I’m so excited to start using.
Now I wanted to comment on Finding time. I have always struggled and with busyness and still do. What has helped me is I pray and ask GOD to help me prioritize my time and quiet my spirit. I write my daily to do list and a list of things I want to accomplish to include projects that have to get done not in one day. I am trying to be done at dinner time and do no more but relax with my husband and my family if they are visiting. I have to choose to stop for not only my health but the health of my relationships. I had to admit that I have a problem in this area and change it.
Oh wow, I’m afraid the workaholic is me, but not by choice. We are so short staffed that we all are working overtime. Trust me, I’d rather be home enjoying my family and so me time. I’m praying about what to do. I love my job, but working a ton of hours is hard.
My husband has a habit of trying to get everything done all in one day. I ask him to slow down and take some time to be with me. He’s when the work is done. I say , I may not be here tomorrow for you to finish the
work you have to do
on me. He says what do you need. For you to just sit and share a word of love with me.
Yes I know of a person that works so much I wonder how he has time for his family. We need to keep our priorities straight and make time for our families.
Well Wanda,
I Feel that work and play ought to be carefully approached just like anything else with an every day prayer for guidance and strength. Pray that God will guide you everyday to do your very best for your family and a safe and prompt return to them daily. Also to not lose focus on why you are working to begin with. You are working just to live bit living to work. You live to praise the Lord and be thankful for everything . By spending precious irreplaceable time with your family that makes the Lord happy because it shows Him you are thankful for the blessings He has given you. You can’t get time back, you have to spend it with the ones you love because God gave them to you.
My husband I consider him a workaholic..he has a full time job. And works weekends during planting & harvest seasons… plus he has a parttime job on weekends that he has free from fulltime job… seems the only time qe spend together is when I make him not work, if there is a family function to attend.
It frustrates me alot not being able to do things together.. ..
Can’t wait to read it! So excited !
I believe that Jesus is our example. He spent time with His work but also took time to rest, spend time with his disciples, and others He knew.
Yes my son works all the time. He really needs to get a life that makes him happy. You have to find that someone or something that makes you happy.
I would first list my priorities. Then number them. Sometimes life throws you curveballs and that is to be expected. I have to keep saying, God first, husband next, then family, and so on. I also learned to say “no” which was really the hard part but a necessary word. I don’t just throw that word around when it should have been yes, only for when it’s necessary for my wellness.
I know a few people who work too much. After losing a friend too soon to cancer, I try to tell myself that work will always be there and family and friends are sometimes more important. Take time to listen and be a friend. You never know when it will be the last time you see or talk to someone so take the time to do it while you can and they are around.
How very true! We have had several horrible accidents that took lives. I pray for all involved, how horrible to think that morning could be the last morning you see off or tell someone you love them. I could cry!
SpEnd time with God to help set priorities
My husband has been working hard for the last few years 6 and 7 days a week. It has hindered him from going to church and just wears him out. He is just now slowing down I told him no job is more important than church we have to get our priorities straight and slow down and enjoy life.
I love your books. When I start reading one it’s hard for me to put it down.
I grew up in with a workaholic in a small community in Ohio. My father would go to work in the coal mine, than worked in a garden to provide for food for the winter months and lastly he would take care of the farm animals. But he set aside one day that he spend his Sunday for worship and spending time with his family. Your books are touching to the heart.
It is really hard to find extra time for the little things and enjoy life. I had a chance to stop as I am in Florida and was involved in Hurricane Ian. We were without power for 5 days and internet, TV and phones for 6 days. It felt so good to have conversations with people and read books. I think we need to slow down every now and then to enjoy the little things in life.
I LOVE all your reading materials!
My husband needed to find less time working. He took up his photography again. I go with him. I take my knitting, or one of your books to read in the car. That way we are together for the day. We have lunch. I walk with him and set on a bench. We can enjoy being outside in nature. I’ve learned a lot of different bird calls and what they look like. We have definitely grown closer together.
Could you please enter me in the drawing for your new book!!
I was this same person until November 17, 2021 then do to my health career in billing & AR claims settlement my old broken wrist was swelling substantially & hurting some days from too much computer work all the way up to my shoulder. Some days I could cry as bad as it hurt but I had my fur babies to care for & family. My doctor said you are working your arm too much & you’re going to ruin it. Of course my job wouldn’t care I got resistance for even going to see about it. Family needs to come before a job or you.
I can relate to the Amish in the way that they put God first, family second. I admire them for that. I think we would all be less stressed and better off if we went back to a simpler way of life and not keep working for more and more, that you can’t take with you anyway. There is nothing more precious to me than time with God and my family. Being with God brings me peace and being with family renews my heart.
Time with God and family is very special.
I have always enjoyed being busy, but when my babies were born, I realized how quickly they would grow up and that made me more aware of balancing what was necessary and enjoying them while they were little. I have been thankful that I was able to realize that, now that they are older and have moved past needing me so much! My mom used to tell me to “make strong connections” with my children, and I know now how important that was. Teaching them to make our chores fun was a good way to interact with them and have time for the fun things later.
My husband and adult son work very long hours. Their boss have no relationship with his wife. So all his workers have to work long hours. I’m okay staying alone the whole day, but sometimes I missed them dearly. They work 6 days a week and a minimum of 14 hours per day. Sometimes they work 26 hours non stop. But I’m glad that we have an income.
I use to be frazzled and always in a rush. But now I’m not. If things get done that’s good. If not, there is always tomorrow.
I read books of yours years ago am rereading as we age things change i am so thrilled it also got me into reading bible again thanks