434 / 465
An article in the Harvard Business Review titled “Manage your Work, Manage
your Life” chronicled research conducted by the Harvard School of Business.
This research included interviews with over 4,000 executives and yielded
interesting perspectives related to establishing work-life balance.
Not surprisingly, the definitions of professional success, personal success, and
acceptable work-life balance varied by gender. Females place greater
emphasis on individual achievement when defining professional success and
men focus more on financial achievement. Even in this day and age, the
research found that men identify with the role of breadwinner, while women see
their contribution as leaving a positive impression on their children. There was
one attitude that was common between men and women and that is the guilt
associated with professional success when it interferes with their close
relationships. Both genders defined personal success as
not
having regrets
about “missing out” on time with their loved ones.
The first step in establishing a deliberate work-life balance is to assess your
attitude about success, happiness, priorities, and your goals. Once you have
done that, there are several tools to assist you in maximizing your effectiveness
with both areas of your life.
432
Section 18 – Planning For Your Future