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"Much research has documented concepts related to the balanced life in the literatures of organizational/industrial psychology and human resource management. These concepts include work-life balance, work-family conflict, work-family interference, and work-family interface (see literature reviews of various concepts related to work-life balance by Allen et al., 2000; Bulger & Fisher, 2012; Byron, 2005; Casper et al., 2007; Danna & Griffin, 1999; Eby et al., 2005; Eby, Maher, & Butts, 2010; Greenhaus & Allen 2011; Kalliath & Brough, 2008; Kossek & Ozeki, 1998; Lee & Sirgy, 2017; McNall, Nicklia, & Masuda, 2010; Sirgy & Lee, 2016, 2017; Sirgy et al., 2008; Yasbek, 2004). In the literature on subjective well-being and quality of life, only a few studies were found that specifically addressed the concept of life balance. For example, Diener, Ng, and Tov (2008) reported a study involving a representative sample from around the world to assess people's affect balance (positive versus negative affect) on the previous day and the various activities they had engaged in. The study found that the most popular activity that most people engaged in was socializing with family and friends. In this context, the study also found a decreasing marginal utility of this type of activity. That is, to ensure an optimal level of life satisfaction, people attempted to engage in a variety of activities because satisfaction from one type of activity diminishes in time. Sheldon and Niemiec (2006) demonstrated that life balance is achieved not only by the fulfillment of psychological needs (needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) but a balanced effect among the satisfaction of these needs"--
List of contents
Part I. Introduction; 1. Life balance: setting the stage and understanding the language; 2. The imbalanced life; Part II. Inter-domain strategies to increase overall life satisfaction and achieve balance; 3. Engagement in social roles in multiple life domain; 4. Engagement in roles in health, love, family, material, social, work, and culture domains; 5. Engagement in new social roles; Part III. Inter-domain strategies to increase domain satisfaction and achieve balance; 6. Integrating domains with high satisfaction; 7. Compartmentalizing domains with high dissatisfaction; 8. Reallocating resources across domain; 9. Reducing role conflict; 10. Using skills, experiences, and resources in one role for other roles; 11. Concluding thoughts.
About the author
M. Joseph Sirgy is a management psychologist. He has published extensively in the area of business administration, business ethics, and quality of life. He co-founded the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, the Macromarketing Society, and the Community Indicators Consortium. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his research, teaching, and service to the management discipline.
Summary
Written for professional, academic, and lay audiences, this book discusses the major principles of life balance, how it contributes to life satisfaction and personal happiness, and how it can be attained. Throughout, two sets of inter-domain strategies are described, both of which are designed to increase satisfaction.
Foreword
Comprehensive discussion of strategies from behavioral science used to enhance subjective wellbeing and achieve the balanced life.
