12 Blessings from Taking a Job During the Year of St. Joseph

Carolyn Astfalk ponders some unexpected benefits she and her family experienced when she began working outside the home last year.

For the first time in more than fifteen years, I took a paid job outside of the home. At the beginning of the school year, I accepted a position as cafeteria manager at our parish grade school, where three of my children currently attend. It amounts to less than twenty hours per week and coincides with when my children are at school. 

It’s not been a one-hundred percent positive experience since I previously used those sixteen or so hours each week to accomplish other things, but as the Year of Saint Joseph came to a close, I took stock of all of the benefits of my new job. 

This isn’t to say that working outside of the home is ideal or necessary for every mom, but if you view the prospect as being only a detriment to your family’s life, I share these unexpected benefits-in-progress for you to consider. Some of them took me by surprise in the best way. 

Reliance on God.

On days when I’ve been tired or encountered some other obstacle, working from my couch was not an option. I’ve had to rely on God to get me through the day and to guide my steps. 

Opportunity for prayer.

The circle of people I encountered daily had been small. Very small for a very long time. Now I encounter dozens of people daily and have opportunities to pray for each of the children that come through the lunch line as well as our entire school community. I’ve also been quicker to go to St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers. 

New relationships.

I’ve gotten to know several good people who volunteer regularly, including the octogenarian who has been handing out cartons of milk to children for more than a decade. He is an absolute treasure and a privilege to know. 

Forced efficiency.

With less time to work with, I’ve had to consider my priorities carefully and use my time more judiciously. It’s been an exercise in discipline. 

Increased income.

Yes, I earn money as well as a tuition discount, and it has been beneficial to my family. There’s also a satisfaction in being able to contribute to our household’s financial welfare in a tangible way. 

Physical fitness.

Being on my feet for three hours or so each day was an eye opener as to how sedentary I’d become. Additionally, I’m away from the temptation of snacking while sitting at the computer. Being up and on the go has been instrumental in my dropping about thirty excess pounds. 

A good kind of exhaustion.

Tiredness from physical work is different from the tiredness that I’d experienced being home. It has meant for improved sleep, even if I still don’t get enough of it. 

Greater self-discipline.

I’ve had to be more disciplined about my bedtime, which is a challenge for a natural night owl. If I want the energy to do the job, I need adequate sleep. My days have taken on more structure as I schedule tasks around work hours to run errands or get things done when the children are not at home.

Being in touch with my children’s day.

I’m more in tune with my children’s school day, knowing what is happening at school firsthand and getting to hug each of them when they come to the cafeteria for lunch. After a year of homeschooling, their school day absence would seem long. 

Work satisfaction.

There is a simple pleasure in completing my work. Unlike mothering or writing-related work, this job has a beginning and end absent in the never-ending tasks that await at home. I know that when I leave the sink empty at the end of the workday, it will stay that way until morning. That doesn’t happen at home! 

Outside accountability.

Being accountable to someone besides myself has been a good experience, forcing me to be more conscientious. On a related note, outside acknowledgment of a job well-done is appreciated. Moms don’t always get that at home, and when they do, well, it’s family after all. 

Others are forced to step up.

When Mom can’t do it all, others need to step up. This gives my husband the opportunity to demonstrate to the children how our household is a shared responsibility. The kids not only learn responsibility but practical life skills as well.

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As the Year of Saint Joseph came to a close, I took stock of all of the benefits of my new job.  #catholicmom

I don’t know what next school year holds for us—who does, anymore? But I do know that accepting work outside the home after all these years has been a blessing in at least a dozen ways.

Copyright 2022 Carolyn Astfalk
Images: Canva Pro