Six and a half years ago, I made the jump from working 70+ hour weeks in natural gas for $40k to software development. The transition wasn't just about better pay. It was about creating space for what truly matters: my family, my faith, and my health.
Now, with a one-year-old daughter Adeline and my wife Hillary, that balance is more critical than ever. AI has become my secret weapon for making every hour at work count.
The Game Changer: AI as My Development Partner
I use GitHub Copilot at work and Claude Code for personal projects, and the difference is night and day. What used to take me hours of Stack Overflow diving and documentation reading now happens in minutes. AI doesn't replace my thinking, it amplifies it.
Here's what that looks like practically:
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Faster debugging: Instead of spending 30 minutes tracking down a stubborn C# issue, AI helps me identify patterns and solutions in 5 minutes
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Smarter code reviews: AI catches potential issues I might miss when I'm tired or rushing
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Rapid prototyping: Testing new ideas in TypeScript or React becomes a conversation, not a research project
The Real Win: Strict 40-Hour Weeks That Actually Stick
Before AI, staying within 40 hours meant constant trade-offs. Rush the code, or work late? Skip the research, or miss dinner?
Now I can deliver quality work consistently within my boundaries. When 5 PM hits, I'm done. No guilt, no lingering tasks that "just need five more minutes."
Beyond the Keyboard: Health and Presence
Here's what those reclaimed hours look like:
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Morning walks with Hillary and Adeline instead of early coding sessions
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Disc golf rounds that keep me active and competitive (still working on that PDGA rating!)
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Bible study and church involvement that grounds everything else
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Actually being present for bedtime stories instead of mentally debugging code
The Stewardship Perspective
As someone who takes stewardship seriously, AI feels like using the tools God has provided wisely. Just like a carpenter uses better tools to build more efficiently, I use AI to code more effectively. The goal isn't to work less, but to work better so I can be faithful in all areas of life.
The Long Island Truth: It Just Works
At the end of the day (and yes, I know I say that a lot), AI isn't magic. It's a tool that, when used thoughtfully, gives you back what matters most: time and mental energy for the people and purposes that define your life.
The transformation from blue-collar grind to balanced tech professional taught me that success isn't about grinding harder, it's about working smarter. AI is just the latest chapter in that story.
What tools or strategies have helped you create better work-life integration? Send me an email and share your story!