Factors Affecting Work Life Balance

This essay discusses the factors that determine and influence work life balance, with a focus on the arguments presented by Anne-Marie Slaughter and Richard Dorment. It explores the impact of gender equality, workplace attitudes, personal choices, and partner cooperation on work life balance. The essay concludes that work life balance depends on individual priorities and choices.

Running head: WORK LIFE BALANCE
WORK LIFE BALANCE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2WORK LIFE BALANCE
Introduction:
With the increasing amount of competition and the growing conflict of gender
equality, the marginality between work life and personal life is diminishing. With the greater
powers and responsibilities the balance between domestic duties and at office is constantly
becoming an issue. The most important aspect of such work life balancing depends not on a
single factor but is an issue that is more complicated and critical in nature. The paper will
look into the factors that determine and influence the work life balance of an individual and
evaluate through the context of the Anne-Marie Slaughter and the contradictions that have
been presented by Richard Dorment in his issue titled “Why Men Still Can't Have It All” and
outlines the conflict and issues that the men have to face in their work and domestic life. The
essay will weigh the arguments of Slaughter and Dorment and try to identify the major issues
that affect the work life balance.
Discussion:
The importance of balancing work and life is one of the important aspect of the
managing the stressful conditions of life. The management of the life and work is the key to
any happy family and it is imperative that in the environment where there is a constant
pressure of performing to prove one’s competence, the impact is felt by compromising the
family and more personal space of an individual (Bielby et al.). In the present day where
gender equality has almost been achieved and women are playing an important role in nation
building to healthcare to managing corporations equally at par with men, and equally men
being more responsible and devoting time at home, it is important to understand that the
psychological toll that is taking up with both the genders in order to decide whether their
choices are justified. The conflict as identified by Slaughter in her famous realisation that
‘Women still can’t have it all’ throws a light into how the priority of family restricts women

3WORK LIFE BALANCE
from performing at their highest competency at work which is not experienced by males since
the men tend to choose work when compared household responsibilities. Dorment argues
staunchly that the priority of men are not lesser rather their perspective is different which
does not make them love their family any lesser when compared to women (Esquire).
The factors that affect work life balance
The factors that affect work life balance is not something restricted to gender equality
or work life pressure. There are several factors that contribute towards influencing the
balance between work and life. For example, the nature of the industry or workplace is one of
the major issues that determine whether work life balance can be maintained or managed
well, the sexual orientation of an individual, the culture and the social class from the
individual belongs, the workplace attitude are some of the extrinsic factors which determine
whether the job would allow a work life balance or not. The personal factors include a host of
issues that decide whether an individual can manage work life balance or not. For example,
the choices of marriage and making a family, and the right time to do so are important
factors, the choice of having children are also one of the major factors that contribute towards
work life balance. Along with the choices that an individual makes while deciding about their
spouses and how supportive they are regarding the family is also important to note whether
work and life balance can be maintained (Princeton.edu.). The factor that how supportive
one’s partner is depends on how well an individual can manage work and life stability. The
flexibility of the work place is also one of the major factors that impact the work life balance
of the individuals. Apart from these factors such as personal ambition and future planning
and day care facilities are also some of the factors that determine the way work life balance is
to be maintained.
Among the above mentioned factors, I feel that the role played by the cooperation of
the partner and the choice of work place are the vital in determining work life balance. The

4WORK LIFE BALANCE
cooperation of the partner is one of the major factors that determine the work life balance of
an individual. With better cooperation form the partner, the management of life and work
becomes easier. It is important to balance domestic chores and work by distributing the work
load between the partners and a better understanding about each other work place and work
schedule would enhance how family matter and work life is managed. Therefore it is one of
the important factors that determine how well an individual can manage the hassles of work
and personal life.
Along with the choice of workplace is one of the other factors that I believe
determines how work life balance is maintained. The nature of work and the industry where
an individual works decides how an individual can manage one’s work and life. The
industries which require long hours of commitment at office or require unusual travelling will
interfere in the domestic life of an individual; and therefore it is important that any individual
is clear about the priorities and choose the nature of work one depends. One in order to
achieve success in the professional life has to compromise one’s personal life and cannot
therefore complain about the inappropriate work life balance that the work might offer.
Slaughter has described her realisations from these understandings that the balance of work
and life depends on the priorities that we set for each of us.
Conclusion:
As Slaughter and Dorment both provide their perspective, it has to be understood that
the work life balance is not an issue that is based on gender, race or differences, rather it
depends more on how we prioritise our necessities, i.e. family over work or work over
family, the way we set our preferences, the choices that we make and the finally living up to
those choices. The commitment made by us to and the choices that we make, determine how
we balance the stress between our work and our personal lives. It is therefore more important

5WORK LIFE BALANCE
to emphasize how our choices are made, how we determine them and the way we realise
them. Once these issues are figured out we can balance them equally well.
References:
Princeton.edu. Princeton.Edu, 2019, https://www.princeton.edu/~slaughtr/Articles/Why
%20Women%20Still%20Can%27t%20Have%20It%20All%20by%20Anne-Marie
%20Slaughter.pdf.
Esquire. "Why Men Still Can't Have It All". Esquire, 2019,
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a22764/why-men-still-cant-have-it-all-0613/.
Bielby, Denise D., and William T. Bielby. "She works hard for the money: Household
responsibilities and the allocation of work effort." American journal of Sociology 93.5
(1988): 1031-1059.