I technically work from home, but I’m not putting in nearly as many hours as I should be. I sometimes keep my computer on while I’m not working. How can I be honest about when I am and am not working? And how can I do better going forward?
Your question highlights the less-discussed piece of the ongoing quest for work-life balance. Most working professionals are chasing what they perceive to be the appropriate work-to-leisure ratio and flow. Our LinkedIn feeds are soaked with articles about the importance of taking breaks, avoiding 10-hour workdays, and using our vacation days.
While there’s a lot of discussion about how to navigate being overworked, we don’t often consider what we should do when we may be underworked. Let’s explore how you can navigate the situation and honor a biblical view of work ethic.
Understand Your Work Agreement
I once worked for a fully remote company that valued trust and autonomy. Hands weren’t held. Employees had full permission to leave their home office to run an errand, take a quick walk around the block, finish a load of laundry, or pick up kids from school. If calendars were up to date and chat statuses were set appropriately, it wasn’t a concern. Even with such breaks, most employees worked well over the expected hours for their salaried positions.
In stark contrast to my experience, I had a friend who worked from home and was expected to clock in and out with minute-to-minute accuracy for her hourly position. Every keystroke was monitored. My friend and I were both working hard for our employers, though under different agreed-upon expectations.
To avoid theft of wages and the violation of workplace ethics, it’s important to understand the agreement in place between yourself and your employer. If you’re an hourly employee, consider the number of hours you agreed to work and be compensated for. How should those hours be tracked? Don’t hesitate to ask specific questions. Some employers want you to clock out when you take a bathroom break, while others wouldn’t want you to clock out unless the break extended beyond a certain length of time.
If you’re on salary, there’s likely less emphasis on your total hours worked and more emphasis on meeting certain performance indicators. Ask your employer what schedule expectations are in place for salaried positions. Is it OK to leave the desk for a midday errand on a day you’re working? At what point do you need to use a vacation day?
Communicate with Honesty and Transparency
You need to be truthful with those you’re accountable to at work. No matter the norms of your workplace, all Christians are called to lead honest lives (Col. 3:9). As professionals, we should work with integrity (Prov. 11:3). Here are a few examples of what that can look like:
No matter the norms of your workplace, all Christians are called to lead honest lives.
Share questions and requests openly with your manager. If you aren’t sure it’s permissible to stay logged on while you complete a 20-minute cardio workout or take the dog for a quick walk, just ask. Your manager will appreciate your efforts to understand (and adhere to) expectations.
Use your work calendar and office chat service as an easy way to communicate when you aren’t working. Set your status to “away” when you aren’t at your desk and turn on out-of-office replies when away from work for a more extended period.
Be proactive in sourcing enough work to fill the time you’re being paid for. See if a teammate needs assistance. Take on more work when you’re idle or catch up on the little things that get pushed to the back burner, like cleaning up the files on your computer or clearing out your inbox.
Take advantage of having enough time to work well. Don’t cut corners. Rushing through a task might mean you’re done quickly, but have you done your best work? Take the time to think critically, get creative, and refine your work. Prayerfully check your motives. Are you trying to see how little you can get away with doing, or are you working with excellence and integrity?
Biblical Work Ethic
A corporate accountant, a franchise manager, or a marketing executive may work rigorous hours with many holding her accountable. On the other hand, a remote employee, an entrepreneur, or a pastor may have a less rigid schedule and lots of freedom during the workweek.
What about you? You may work a job that has you under a microscope. Or perhaps you could get away with little effort and no one would notice. No matter your situation, you’re called to work hard and reject laziness (2 Thess. 3:10–11). When it comes to discerning right from wrong as a Christian, it isn’t simply a question of what’s permissible but of what’s biblical.
When it comes to discerning right from wrong as a Christian, it isn’t simply a question of what’s permissible but of what’s biblical.
As a child, I remember learning that God could see what I was doing even when I was the only person in the room (Prov. 15:3). He could see if I hid all my stuff under my bed instead of truly cleaning my room as my mother had instructed me. Now I’m an adult, but God still sees me. He knows what I do with my working time.
Remembering God’s omnipresence isn’t meant to serve as a threatening scare tactic but as a helpful reminder that we aren’t our own but belong to him (1 Cor. 6:19). As mature Christians, we mustn’t forget we’re accountable to God in all we do.
Our work is never out of sight, even if our home office is. And as we work hard for our managers, teams, clients, and organizations, we must remember we’re ultimately working heartily for the Lord (Col. 3:23).
The Gospel Coalition