Michael Anthony > Work Less, Pray More

This weekend would be a great time to reverse the likely trend in your life of working too much and praying too little.

A new study shows that people who work 55 hours a week or more are 33% more likely to have a stroke, and a higher chance of heart disease. Research also shows that people who practice selfless prayer are more likely to experience more happiness, peace and an overall sense of well-being than those who don’t. In other words, many of us should work less and pray more. Now is a good time to make your change, before your health, and life, are compromised. 

“People who work from the early morning until well into the evening, and whose work intrudes into the weekend, tend to harm their health.”*

People who pray for others are physically more healthy, and are better able to handle financial stress.**

“Emotional connectivity is escaping us these days – because we think life is about work. It’s not. Life is about life.”

You probably know that you need to work less and pray more. How can you succeed in making the changes that will improve just about every area of your life?

Here are some suggestions:

1. Make the Decision to Work Less

Have one day of the week where you disconnect from all “smart” and electronic devices – entirely. Including your phone. Take a sabbath, literally, from all electronic devices. Do this every single week. Read a book, go for a walk or a drive in the country. Go out for coffee or a meal with a friend. In the long run, doing too much will set you back, not get you ahead.

2. Separate Your Work Environment From Your Home Environment

Too many of us take our work home, when our homes are meant for family, rest, rejuvenation. Make your work place your work place and your home the place where you enjoy meals, laugh, relax and emotionally connect with family. Emotional connectivity is escaping us these days – because we think life is about work. It’s not. Life is about life.

3. Get Into the Good Habit of Selfless Praying – Daily

Learn how to implement the 7 Day Revolution in your life. And, don’t make most of your prayers focused on you. Focus on adoring God and praying for others. Research suggests that selfless praying comes back to you in great ways. In other words, you benefit when you do not focus on yourself.**

4. Stop Running Sprints; Start Running a Marathon

Life is more akin to a marathon, not a series of sprints. Pace yourself in work and prayer. As a cancer survivor who burned many candles from both ends, simultaneously, I learned the hard way that doing too much in human power, apart from enjoying God and people, is a bad boomerang that will come back to hurt you. Retrain yourself. Start treating life as the marathon it really is.

Are you working too much and praying too little? If so, it’s time to make some changes. In the long run, you’ll be glad you did. 

*Study: How working too many hours negatively impacts health
**Study: How prayer can improve your health and life

This post originally appeared on Godfactor.com.

Join the conversation About Michael Anthony

Michael Anthony is an award winning Bible teacher, passionate about God and helping people around the world discover and experience Him like never before. His is a comeback story, with three kidnapping attempts against him and several near-death experiences, including a battle with cancer. Mike simply won’t give up and won’t go away. His story is inspiring. His ability to communicate God’s Word is unforgettable. His ministry is noted for emphasizing the importance of living a life entirely surrendered to God. He is passionate about exponential life replication – helping people multiply their efforts by teaching others how to do what they do.

Mike founded Godfactor, Inc. in 2004 with his wife, Janet, after experiencing God in genuine spiritual awakenings in the South Pacific Solomon Islands in 1996 and 1998. There, his life and ministry philosophy were dramatically formed, laying the foundation for what would become Godfactor. An avid revival historian, Mike is constantly researching timeless, proven principles of spiritual awakening that can be successfully implemented cross-culturally, around the world. This is a major thrust of Godfactor. He serves as the ministry’s President, and travels the globe, sharing God’s story. Mike is an advocate for the Gospel, having traveled in over 20 countries, speaking and ministering in Africa, India, Australia, the Solomon Islands and the United States. He has served as a missionary, evangelist and pastor overseas and in the United States.