Here are the two worlds I live in. The yin:
And the yang:
That's my office and my farm. In my office I prepare for my classes. On the farm my work is of a completely different nature. Balance is so important to living a happy life. We need balance between our vocation and our avocation, between being with friends and spending time alone, between creation and consumption, between work and play. This morning I spent my time in the office pouring over what I would say in my 3-hour Greek class today. This afternoon I spent time pouring over a contract to have 73 acres sprayed aerially with herbicide so that my replanted pines can grow to maturity.
If I manage things properly, in 17 years these pines will be ready for harvesting.
In essence, I lead two lives, one rural and one gentrified. They complement each other nicely, I think. Of course, there is no perfect balance in this world of ours. But it helps if you can find something you love to do and then do it with a passion. I love farming but I also love teaching. I love reading but I also love writing. I love being outdoors running but I also love being indoors curled up with a good book in front of the fire place. The idea is to strive for a realistic schedule, not a perfect one.
At times your children may need you, while at other times you may need to travel for work. At times Jesus ministered to the crowds. At other times he retreated with his disciples to a sanctuary, a hiding place where they could find relief from their heavy loads of ministry. Creating a work-life balance is an ongoing process. We will constantly be adapting as our circumstances and interests change.
Let's not forget to periodically reevaluate our activities in life to assess whether or not they are lining up with our priorities.