Faith and family are priorities for many people trying to find a good work-life balance.
It was supposed to be a part-time job.
But the workload, travel requirements, and responsibilities made Keturah Lee’s IT program management position as stressful as any other full-time job.
A Washington, DC resident was working less than 30 hours a week at a federal agency during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“But I had a full-time job,” she said.
“It was very stressful. I was taking all the responsibility and trying not to drop the ball. It was a never-ending cycle. I felt like I had to be on all the time.”
A few months after the pandemic, Lee decided to be one of nearly 50 million Americans to quit or change jobs during the 2021-2022 period dubbed “The Great Resignation.”
While some were left with no choice due to unemployment, many moved in search of better opportunities.
A recent LinkedIn survey found that work-life balance is the top concern, surpassing compensation and benefits.
Lee decided to find a job with less pressure and more flexibility so he could spend more time volunteering as a Jehovah’s Witness.
prayers answered
As the pandemic raged, she studied to become an American Sign Language interpreter.
She got her certification, quit her IT job, started working part-time as a freelance interpreter, and found her prayers answered.
“I made it a matter of prayer,” she said. “I didn’t want to be hasty. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision.”
Even without the pandemic as an impetus to take our priorities and life goals seriously, Jehovah’s Witnesses’ emphasis on service and family has led many of their Christian faiths to thrive for decades. They have chosen similar jobs and given them a wealth of learning experience. To succeed with less.
“Living a balanced and simple life protects us by giving us more time and energy for spiritual matters,” says Robert, a spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States. Hendricks said.
“Spirituality has a direct effect on a person’s emotional well-being. That is why Jesus said that those who are conscious of their spiritual needs are happy.” , requires constant effort as each of us strives to maintain balance in our lives.”
Video shows containing practical suggestions based on Bible principles from jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, helped Lee recognize the value of living simply and help others through his ministry. It was helpful.
“Less also helps reduce stress,” she said.
“I live within my means. Spending less and getting and buying only what I need has helped me live a less stressful life.”
Faith and Family First
Gail Martin likewise doesn’t regret reassessing her priorities more than 20 years ago.
She quit her powerful yet all-consuming job as a systems analyst to put her faith and family first.
Martin of Riverside, Calif. said:
“It also allows me to spend three months a year in Illinois with my family and help my brother take care of my mother.”
The key to long-term success on less is regular reassessment of your life, she said.
“What might work now might not work eventually,” she said. “Sometimes you have to make adjustments. It’s an ongoing process.
She often returns to jw.org’s free resources to “manage money, choose a career, how to be happy, and whatever needs to be considered about her priorities and values,” she said. I was.
Martin is currently reassessing his life in preparation for retirement. She doesn’t yet know what adjustments she’ll make to further simplify her own life, but she keeps having what makes her happy.
“I think that if you put family and God first, it will be much more fulfilling than working until you die,” she said.
