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When Work And Family Collide: Keeping Your Job From Cheating Your Family (2011)

by Andy Stanley(Favorite Author)

4.19 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1601423799 (ISBN13: 9781601423795)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Multnomah Books

review 1: - I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. – Struggling to find a balance between work and family is a difficult position to be in, regardless of whether you're white collar or blue collar (or even a stay at home/work at home parent), and with a husband who works third shift I was intensely interested in some help with finding the kind of balance the author speaks of in this book.We are told, on page three, that this book "is about establishing priorities. A priority is something you put ahead of something else. A priority is something you say yes to even when it means saying no to other important things." The goal, then, is to not let work cheat your family by becoming a higher priority.One part of the book I deeply app... morereciated was the comparison to the emotional load one feels when one feels, well, cheated, to having to hold onto a heavy rock all by oneself, as well as the idea of the exhaustion factor - the feeling as though you just can't hold on any longer to this heavy burden you've been left to carry all on your own. This doesn't have to refer simply to the ability to stay in the relationship - at least while I was reading the chapter it really hit home in a different way. There's no way I can imagine not being able to hold on to my husband, but I can relate to the exhaustion of holding on to other emotional strains and burdens while trying to make our relationship work, and just feeling like I can't take it anymore, wanting to beg my husband to find another way to prioritize and organize our life together because the load feels too heavy, like I'm carrying it on my own because of the way he works (and sleeps, because of being on third shift) makes him so unavailable when it comes to the way I need for our family to function. I guess I'm just trying to say that I understand feeling "cheated...."Anyway, the first section of this book relates to looking into relationships that have been tested because of feeling "cheated" - the emotions and struggles of the person feeling cheated, the way it can come between people, the need to be aware of the "vital signs" of the relationship and family....And then the second section pertains to coming up with a "strategy for change" - making up your mind in terms of priorities, making a plan to try to do better, testing the plan, etc, etc.It's a short, quick read - I read it in one sitting, though there are discussion questions in the back of the book set up so that people can read it in a four week "course." I felt that this book did well to show both sides of the coin - how difficult it is to be both the person feeling "cheated" and the person doing the "cheating", and I would recommend it to anyone striving for more balance in their life, or anyone who feels as though their spouse should.I'll bring this review to a close with the quote I feel most sums up this book:"Don't cheat the people who love you most. Don't cheat the person who's looking forward to spending the rest of his or her life with you. Don't cheat yourself of the peace that comes with knowing you're squarely in the will of the One who created you. Don't cheat your kids of the security that comes with knowing that they're Mommy and Daddy's priorities." (page 132)
review 2: If I’m honest, I’ll admit that I cheated both work and family to read this book…I listen to Andy Stanley’s leadership podcast as well as the “Best of North Point” podcast and one of them recently featured the topic contained within the pages of this very book. And since I work for a company that strongly emphasizes (at least in word if not deed) the importance of a proper “work/life balance,” it really struck me as quite relevant and intriguing. I mean, I’ve heard what the corporate world has to say on the matter and I – like most of us – know what I would like to believe I practice, but what does the Bible have to say about it?Stanley, who’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, covers the topic of priorities and maintaining a healthy focus on work and family by providing examples from Daniel and offering practical advice. It’s clear from the statistics on family life that this is a problem plaguing the masses and one that needs to be addressed more openly. The book is convicting without being accusatory and offers suggestions without being overbearing. It’s also a pretty quick read, partly because – if you’re at all like me – you’ll be captivated and engaged from cover to cover. (If you don’t believe me, get started with a sneak peek now). Very worthwhile investment. less

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