Benefits November 7, 2003

Most Women Struggle With Work/Life Balance

November 7, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - With longer hours and more demands placed on them in the workplace, more than half (53%) of the nation's career women are struggling to achieve a work/life balance.
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A majority of the women responding to a QuickPoll conducted by CareerWomen.com said the average work week has them in the office 40 to 50 hours a week. Further, 24% said they are working too hard.

This presents a mixed bag though for the survey’s respondents. Where one in five said they job was too demanding, 43% of the career women who chimed in said they thrive when they have a lot to do. And for 14% of those responding, their job was perfect.

“Women report that their lives are a juggling act that includes multiple responsibilities at work, heavy meeting schedules, business trips, on top of managing the daily routine responsibilities of life and home,” said Jan Donnelly of CareerWomen.com. “Successfully achieving work/life balance will ultimately create a more satisfied workforce that contributes to productivity and success in the workplace.”

To further the goal of more balance between work and life, the QuickPoll provided the opportunity for women to offer their insights and advice on achieving the elusive work/life balance. From this, CareerWomen.com identified five strategies that the working woman can use to achieve this balance, the results of which point to planning and personal effort.

  • Budget your time both in and out of the office. Do this by scheduling time efficiently at work and putting yourself on your calendar and take some time for you and your family/friends.
  • Leave work on time at least three days per week.
  • Control interruptions and distractions through the efficient scheduling of time at the office. Try to schedule a block of time during the day without meetings when you can focus on your tasks with minimal interruptions.
  • Explore the availability of flextime.
  • Carpe deweekend! Plan your weekend time off as you plan your work week, such as scheduling activities with family and friends, a weekend trip, or just something fun.

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