Why Men Need Reminders To Care
I want to touch on a topic that hits close to home for me: why I believe men need reminders to care. Through sharing my experiences and insights, I hope to spark a conversation about this potentially universal struggle. Whether you’re a father, or if you’re a wife or girlfriend observing this in your significant other, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter.
Understanding Work and Family Balance
In my experience, men often have a lot of ambition when it comes to working. This drive, I believe, stems from our very creation story. Therefore, I believe work itself isn’t the problem. The problem arises when men, myself included, don’t naturally think about the inner workings of our families as often as we should. This can sometimes be attributed to our personality or natural tendencies to provide. It feels almost as if I have to remind myself to care about the equally important things, like family dynamics and household responsibilities.
Balancing Priorities
One major realization for me personally is how easy it is to lose sight of what’s important. My wife, Maria, has often pointed out that she wishes I’d think more about family matters. While I deeply care about my family, I tend to focus heavily on work, feeling the responsibility to provide, especially since my job has the potential for financial growth. Meanwhile, Maria, as a teacher, doesn’t have the same financial flexibility.
I’ve found that when I’m not in a balanced state, my priorities get twisted. My usual priority order of faith, family, social, work, and personal often becomes personal, work, social, family, then faith. This disorder not only affects me but also my relationships with those I care about the most.
Implementing Practical Strategies
To counteract this imbalance, I’ve started implementing practical strategies to remind myself of what’s truly important. Every morning, I have a daily check-in, which I’ve tailored to prioritize my faith and family before diving into work. This checklist begins with faith-based activities, like devotionals and meditations, then family tasks, followed by social connections, work planning, and finally personal projects.
Moreover, Maria and I have established a weekly check-in routine every Sunday night. During this time, we review the past week, assess our hearts’ conditions, and plan for the upcoming week. This includes everything from meal prep and household chores to checking in with each other’s spiritual walk.
Weekly Planning and Reflection
These small, consistent reminders have been crucial for maintaining balance. During our Sunday night check-ins, we talk about how we can better serve each other.
This practice not only organizes our week but also reinforces the rhythm that helps keep the most important things, the most important things. It’s natural to fall into selfish patterns where work and personal interests come first, but these reminders help reorient me towards family and faith.
Concluding Thoughts
So, those are my thoughts on why men might need reminders to care. If you’re a man reading this, I’d love to hear if you struggle with the same issues, or if you’ve mastered this balance—call me out, I need it! Iron sharpens iron, as they say.
It’s so easy to place work and day-to-day activities above family and faith, but recognizing this struggle and actively working to address it is key. I’d love for this to be a discussion rather than a monologue, so please share your thoughts in the comments below. If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to On Living Well and liking this article. Let’s keep this conversation going and work together on living well.
