The Balanced Life

"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"--