Most guys wear several hats: husband, father, son, co-worker, and friend, just to name a few. So, as a man of God, you understand the challenge of balancing work and family biblically while keeping all those plates in the air at once. You get how tough it can be to manage everything. You recognize how hard it is to keep your head in the game like you should.

But you also know that when you’re able to get it right, the balancing act of manhood can produce peace and satisfaction beyond measure. The question is, How do you get there?

Your primary source

In historical research, scholars identify two kinds of sources: primary and secondary. Primary sources include eyewitness accounts or firsthand knowledge. These are usually recorded “in the moment” or soon afterward. They aren’t filtered through anything else, so they are considered the most reliable. Secondary sources are what others have said about primary sources, so researchers have to be more careful about validating their reliability.

For guys, biblical guidance for families—including work-life balance questions—should be your primary source. Advice from books and the wisdom of mentors can be great. And blogs (like this one) can provide helpful insights. But those are just secondary sources when compared to what God’s Word has to offer.

So, as you’re thinking about how to make the most of the time you’re given each day, make Scriptures on work-life balance your primary source of guidance. That’s God’s plan, and it’s always your best option for managing work and family.

What the Bible says

As you start to examine biblical guidance for families and for balance, you’ll find that God has a lot to say. While you won’t come across a “Thou shalt eat meals with your family each night” or “Thou shalt not skip your kids’ soccer game,” you can find helpful principles for family and work. And from those principles, you can knit together a solid, biblical approach to managing your time effectively.

Below, I’ve identify three important principles for managing work and family biblically. These aren’t necessarily new or earth-shattering, but they are foundational for guys who want to dig deeper into Scriptures about work-life balance.

Time is your most precious resource

In a world that sometimes skews toward materialism, it’s easy for men to forget what really matters in life. Chasing wealth or climbing the corporate ladder have their place, but they aren’t what life is all about. To the contrary, time is the most valuable commodity you have. 

If you’re house burned down today, the loss would be devastating. But you could replace most of the material things you lost. If you waste a moment of time, though, it’s gone forever. You have no way of getting it back. Which is why the Bible challenges us to “number our days carefully” (Psalm 90:12) and to “pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

We’re only given so much time on this planet, so we have to use it well. And that includes learning how to balance work and life from a biblical perspective.

Your work is important

Some people see work as a curse. They think labor is a byproduct of God’s judgment after Adam and Eve sinned in Eden. But the truth is, God gave humans work earlier in the story, when everything was still “very good indeed” (Genesis 1:31).

From the beginning, Adam had a responsibility to rule over God’s creation as His steward (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15). Later, God introduced Eve as a helper, a partner to work with Adam in fulfilling God’s mandate (Genesis 2:18-22). In the New Testament, Paul drew a connection between work and worship: “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23).

So, instead of a curse, work is a way to offer praise to the Lord. That gives it value and purpose, which also gives us value and purpose. When it comes to managing life and work biblically, we must recognize that our careers are important and that honest work is blessed by God.

Your family is more important

While your job is important, it pales in comparison to the God-given responsibility you have toward your family. Your career will last a few decades at best, but the investments you make in your family can resonate for generations. In fact, when it comes to biblical guidance for families, we’re not talking about 9-to-5. We’re talking about eternity.

To that end, the Bible challenges us to invest in our spouses. Paul told the men of Ephesus to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her (Ephesians 5:25). Again, that requires time and a measure of sacrifice. Apart from your relationship with God through Jesus, you don’t have a more important relationship than the one you share with your wife. Nurture that well by making sure work doesn’t steal the attention she deserves.

Likewise, dads are called to be the primary spiritual mentors of their kids. When God established the Passover celebration, He intentionally designed it to include a dialogue between children and their elders (Exodus 12:24-28). And when Moses shared his final words, he reminded fathers of their responsibility to talk about spiritual things with their kids (Deuteronomy 6:20-25). Centuries later, the psalmist echoed this idea: “We . . . will tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed” (Psalm 78:4). The purpose was to ensure that “a future generation—children yet to be born—might know” and “put their confidence in God” (Psalm 78:6-7). 

That doesn’t mean you can only talk to your kids about spiritual things, but it does mean you need to invest the time it takes to keep the lines of communication open. If your work schedule leaves your family members feeling abandoned and isolated, you need to evaluate your priorities and compare them to a biblical view on work-life balance.

Adding details

As a writer, I don’t sit down and start typing immediately. I spend time thinking about the big picture. I come up with a rough outline (usually handwritten) that guides what I’m wanting to communicate. Then, once I have the framework, I can fill in the details of each point.

The biblical guidance for families and work shared above represents the bigger picture. It’s the broad framework for balancing work and family biblically, the skeleton that holds everything together. Now, you get to add the details—and those will vary depending on your specific context. What works for one might not work for all, but discovering what works for you (and acting on it) is incredibly important.

As you think through how these Scriptures on work-life balance fit into your narrative, you can keep a couple of tips in mind. First, avoid distractions. The Bible says, “Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, when you work, work hard; and when you’re at home with your family, be completely at home with your family. Do your best not to bring your work home to the detriment of your family time.

Second, make family time with each individual a priority. You’ve probably heard it said that it’s important to keep dating your wife after you’re married, and it’s true. My wife and I are empty nesting, and all the time we invested in staying connected when the kids were still in the house is paying dividends now. 

Likewise, spend quality time with each of your children. Identify activities that give them life and share those experiences with them. Even if those activities wouldn’t be your first choice, you’ll be making memories and creating stronger bonds through time together.

And it all starts with managing work and family from a biblical perspective. If you can let Scripture define your work-life balance, you’ll make a difference in the lives of your family members—and grow closer to God and them along the way.