AB CD
Never Sometimes Very often Always- Do you manage to avoid being irritable
with your partner/family when you get
home from work? ❑❑❑❑ - Do you manage to avoid staying awake
at night thinking about work? ❑❑❑❑ - Do you wake up feeling refreshed and
well slept? ❑❑❑❑
Score 1 for each box you have ticked under column A, 2 under B,
3 under C, and 4 under D. If you don’t have a partner, answer those
questions that apply. If you don’t have children, miss out questions
7–9. If you work from home, adapt the questions as you think fit.Analyzing your scores
64–80 Your life is very well balanced.
46–63 You are trying to concentrate on your home life as well as on your
work.
28–4 5There are times when your work is intruding into your life.
10–27 Your work is dominating your life.
All of the leaders I have interviewed are acutely conscious of the dif-
ficult balancing act involved in reconciling work and family lives.
Most of them put some clear boundaries around weekends and
some of their weekday time. But, most of them also work very long
hours and travel extensively and internationally.
Several spoke of their partner as coach and critical friend.
There is, clearly, no right or wrong way of doing relationships. But,
at least the issue of how people spend their time is beginning to be
discussed more openly and sympathetically.
Brian Dyson, chief executive of Coca-Cola Enterprises,
describes the challenge of today’s hectic life:Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air.
You name them—work, family, health, friends and spirit—and you’re
Balancing Your Life 225