Ever struggled to achieve a work-life balance? This book claims to have the answer to all your problems.
It offers a simple, step-by-step guide to address the age-old dichotomy of how to juggle home and work priorities, and is aimed at people who want to take control of their lives, Balanced Living attempts to help you explore your options and move towards your goal.
With real-life case studies and a range of practical exercises, it explores several areas including work, home and leisure time, your finances, and life and career objectives. It has a handy summary at the beginning of each chapter, enabling the reader to dip in and out of which-ever area they want to work on.
In attempting to do this, it has to be said that the authors have taken on a rather ambitious project. But the book is unpretentious and focused, and manages to cover a lot of different topics. It may not solve the impossible riddle of how to achieve a perfect balance, and the case studies are not always relevant, but the exercises are concise and effective, and prompt further analysis of your lifestyle.
Yet despite raising some interesting points, such as how your background influences your work style, the chapters tend to skim over the wider issues. And while the authors ask some interesting questions, it fails to deliver tangible answers, leaving you with the feeling you have been a little short-changed.
Nevertheless, the book is accessible, easy to read and offers a valuable insight into your home and workplace identities. Its only downfall is that it lacks real depth and is more of a stepping stone to further reading, than a life-changing reference to really get your teeth into.
The Book of Balanced Living |
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Anna Duggan is a workforce information adviser at Ealing Hospital NHS Trust. She is currently reading Fifty Ways to Personal Development by Andrew Forrest; and The Handbook of Communication Skills by Bernice Hurst.
