Is Your Life in Balance?
Work/Life Balance Quiz
A Quintessential Careers Quiz
Everyone faces the issue of time management at one point or another, but as more and more people deal with working at one or more jobs, fighting long commutes, managing a household, attending school or other training, raising one or more children, responding to increasing work and time pressures of the shrinking workplace, and dealing with aging parents, the days often seem to last long into the night and vacation and leisure time seem to be consumed with issues other than relaxation and personal fulfillment.
In fact, one study of more than 50,000 employees from a variety of manufacturing and service organizations found that two out of every five employees are dissatisfied with the balance between their work and their personal lives. The lack of balance "is due to long work hours, changing demographics, more time in the car, the deterioration of boundaries between work and home, and increased work pressure," says the study's author, Bruce Katcher, president of the Discovery Group, a management consulting firm.
How much is work invading your personal life, and how much of your personal life is affected by the stress of trying to balance all the many responsibilities in your life? Take our Work/Life Balance Quiz and see for yourself.
Directions: Answer true or false to each statement below.
- I find myself spending more and more time on work-related projects.
True
False
- I often feel I don't have any time for myself -- or for my family and friends.
True
False
- No matter what I do, it seems that often every minute of every day is always scheduled for something.
True
False
- Sometimes I feel as though I've lost sight of who I am and why I chose this job/career.
True
False
- I can't remember the last time I was able to find the time to take a day off to do something fun -- something just for me.
True
False
- I feel stressed out most of the time.
True
False
- I can't even remember the last time I used all my allotted vacation and personal days.
True
False
- It sometimes feels as though I never even have a chance to catch my breath before I have to move on to the next project/crisis.
True
False
- I can't remember the last time I read -- and finished -- a book that I was reading purely for pleasure.
True
False
- I wish I had more time for some outside interests and hobbies, but I simply don't.
True
False
- I often feel exhausted -- even early in the week.
True
False
- I can't remember the last time I went to the movies or visited a museum or attended some other cultural event.
True
False
- I do what I do because so many people (children, partners, parents) depend on me for support.
True
False
- I've missed many of my family's important events because of work-related time pressures and responsibilities.
True
False
- I almost always bring work home with me.
True
False