Leadership in the Balance
Balancing Act: Shifting To Find Equilibrium

Do you feel that you never have enough time or energy? Are you pulled in too many directions? It may be time to re-think what work-life balance means to you.

"We are connected 24/7. Blackberries, text messaging and email all contribute to the workload of US workers - not to mention the complexity of the current business environment. As a result, most of us are feeling the pressures of constant attention to work and are sacrificing other pursuits," says CCL's Joan Gurvis, co-author of Finding Your Balance.

People often define work-life balance as having equal or sufficient time for all they want to experience: career, family, friends, community and leisure pursuits. With the pressures of work, "the inclination is to continue to try to do things quicker and faster," Gurvis says. "We think we can keep doing more, but we're left without adequate time to stop, reflect and focus - which is one reason that people feel they are out of balance."

The typical image of balance - the scales with work on one side and life on the other - isn't useful for most people seeking a greater sense of balance. There is another way to view balance, says Gurvis. "Balance is not a matter of managing your time or giving equal effort to two opposing sides; it is about aligning your behavior with what you believe is really important to you."

"When our lives don't reflect our values, we feel that inconsistency as some measure of imbalance," Gurvis says.

Finding balance is about making clear choices that support your core values and then making adjustments over and over. Gurvis prefers the image of the tightrope walker taking one step at a time, intuitively feeling the tension of the rope and his position in relation to the tightrope. Sometimes the balance pole dips violently one way and sometimes it dips gently the other, and sometimes it is perfectly still. One sudden motion requires another in the opposite direction, a counterbalance.

Achieving balance or being centered in your life works in much the same way. The act of aligning your values and your life choices is a dynamic process that requires attention and calibration. "Balance isn't a one-time decision. You must constantly reassess your life, your challenges and the consequences of your choices," says Gurvis.

"You will feel balanced when you create and live a "whole" life - even if that means you work many hours," she continues. "Balance requires focus and hard work, but the payoff for having a full and rich life, both at work and in our personal lives, is amazing."

Pressures Skew Balance for US Workers
Workers in the U.S. spend 20% more time on the job now than in 1970.
Families and Work Institute study found 1 in 3 U.S workers are chronically overworked, while 54% report feeling overwhelmed by their workload.
Factors linked with overwork include multitasking and working during leisure hours.
More than 1/3 of workers were not planning on using all of their vacation leave.