Work-Life Quality and Balance is probably the greatest challenge most of us face today. We refer to "work-life" as the holistic view that work and personal responsibilities, in practice, cannot be conveniently separated. Therefore, a new paradigm of self-management becomes necessary. The basic premise of this paradigm is "don't attempt to manage time, learn to manage your most important activities."

This process of self management begins with identification of your innermost values and how they translate into your major life activities. These are the activities that give you a "sense of satisfaction" and the "feeling of a life well-lived." The process involves the wisdom to balance professional aspirations such as wealth, position, status, and advancement, with personal values such as family, faith, service to others, and the well-being of one's self. In order to achieve this balance, each of us must make a "crucial decision" that might appear to have significant consequences with respect to our professional goals or personal relationships. This decision is commonly the breakthrough that is necessary in order to create the sanity and quality of life we desire.

Work-life quality and balance is fast becoming the primary goal for most individuals. A survey by PricewaterHouseCoopers reveals that 57% of all graduating students in eleven countries have work-life quality as their primary goal. Myriads of articles are included in over 11,000 publications each year aimed at helping people create the elusive balance, stability and quality of life they are searching for.

The complementary dimension in achieving quality and balance is an employee-support system by leadership. This dimension includes work-life programs, managing the whole person, and an adaptable culture that is able to meet the unique needs of different employees. Many organizations have made significant progress in the provision of work-life programs such as flexible work hours, childcare, eldercare, EAP and family support programs, etc., but most are still in the process of learning holistic management and creating an adaptable culture.

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