How to Balance Home and Work Life in Marriage - Crosswalk PLUS Marriage Devotional

"Above all, clothe yourselves in love, which binds together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:14, NLT)

We live in a fast-paced world where we are always on the run. Work, shuttling kids, and attending to home life like laundry, cooking, and other household responsibilities pull couples in every direction daily. Amidst this chaos, losing sight of each other and what's important is easy. Balancing work and home life is difficult.

When things get hectic and someone drops the ball, it's easy to blame each other when things go wrong. Instead, you need to learn how to balance home and work life in your marriage.

First, write a list of all your responsibilities at home: chores, paying bills, the kids' after-school activities, repairs, and upcoming events (holiday pageants, church activities, work holiday parties, things that need repair, etc.). Take some time to talk so you don't forget anything. Write everything down.

Next, buy a dry-erase calendar with large squares to write on. Then add everything we mentioned above except the chores. Once you have everything listed, decide who is going to do what and on what day. Go over your schedules and see what the best fit is. Dad may drop the kids off on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and mom drops them on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Dad may pick them up on Thursdays and Fridays, but earlier in the week, he has meetings back to back all day. Even when you get things strategized, there may be some weeks where you will hit a snag.

Next, figure out your back-up plan. What will you do if you can't get the kids to school or pick them up? Do you have a friend, neighbor, or family member that can take them? What if one kid is sick at school and you can't leave work? This is the time to brainstorm together and make a plan.

Then, tackle the chores. This can go two different ways. If you are the only adults in the house and your kids are very young, figure out how to divide the chores between you and your spouse. I recommend each of you do one or two things each day so your to-do list doesn't pile up. Get up fifteen minutes early and tidy the kitchen. Instead of cleaning the whole bathroom at once, break up the sink, toilet, shower, and floors between four different days. When you get home, take fifteen minutes to dust the living room or vacuum one room of your house.

If you have kids in the home, give them age-appropriate chores to help. You can write up a chore chart and post it where everyone can see it. Give each child two or three jobs during the week based on age. If you have teenagers that drive, ask them to pick up your grocery order, dry cleaning, or dinner on the way home if you're getting takeout. When you have kids, don't let everything fall on you. It will not hurt them to pitch in and do some work. It builds character and work ethic.

You and your spouse also need to talk about balancing work. If your spouse has a high-stress job, allow them fifteen minutes when they get home to tell you about their day or vent and then put it away for the rest of the evening. Maybe you have a spouse who works for themselves, and you need to talk about boundaries and what time they will officially end their day. There may also be times during the year when taking on extra hours at work is not possible. Make sure you set boundaries with your boss. Also, make a rule that you will call or text each other if you are going to be late leaving work. This way, everyone stays on the same page, schedules can get adjusted, and no one will have any suspicions.

Let's pray.

Dear Lord,

We thank you for bringing us together as a couple, but as you know, things have been hectic lately. Tempers have flared and there has been a lot of blame. Please help us forgive each other and move forward.

We ask that you help us as we get organized so that we can have a calmer life that overflows with peace, happiness, and love rather than frustration and anger. Help us consider each other's needs and schedules as we embark on this journey of balancing home and work life.

In your name, we pray. Amen.

Application/Challenge Questions: Here are some things you can do to balance your work and home life.

-Discuss your daily life and all that needs to get done.

-Organize on a calendar when things need to get done, where people need to be, and who is doing what.

-Create a chore list for the two of you or the whole family.

-Discuss a solid back-up plan if you can't get the kids where they need to be.

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We hope you and your spouse are challenged and encouraged by today's devotional! For more of this premium marriage devotional, visit here.