The Myth of Work-Life Balance

Many companies extol the value of work-life balance for their employees, but the reality for senior executives? There isn’t any. Modern-day telecommunications, the hair-trigger requirements of financial markets and the pace of global organisations create 24/7 work lives for most executives. So forget work-life balance. It’s time to think about personal organisation and relaxation.

The first step overloaded executives should take is to put in place the support structures that can allow them to focus on their key priorities. At work and at home, who are the people who allow you to best leverage your time and energy – the folks who keep track of major projects at work and those who help with child care or household management?

Many new executives get caught up in the merry-go-round of business reviews, email and late-night conference calls. And it can be difficult if not impossible to break away from this routine even for a long weekend.

The cumulative effects of such pressure can be damaging, both to the executive’s health and to his effectiveness. Overstressed leaders can lose their sense of perspective and creativity. Office conflicts become personal. The ''flat spots’' of our personality – our arrogance, inflexibility or aversion to risk – become evident. And most of us revert to tried and true solutions – the enemy of breakthrough strategies.

But two-week family vacations are a thing of the past in most organisations. Instead, executives combating stress should seek out those activities that allow them to relax – even if only for 15 minutes a day. One CEO I know works out vigorously every morning; another ends a day of work listening to jazz at home. These moments of relaxation are critical to maintaining your resilience at the office.

Many managers are ''sprinters’' early in their careers. Recognition and rewards come their way quickly. However, to succeed at the C-suite level where the pressures are greater, it’s critical to equip yourself for the long haul. And that means making sure you have the necessary support structure, and those precious few moments of relaxation to help you maintain the optimism and vision required of a senior leader.

(John Beeson is principal of Beeson Consulting, a management consulting firm specialising in succession planning, executive assessment and coaching, and organization design. He is also the author of "The Unwritten Rules: The 6 Skills You Need to Get Promoted to the Executive Level.'').

© 2011 Harvard Business Publishing