Situation: The CEO typically works long hours and frequent weekends. This taxes family life and has resulted in neglect of activities that were previously enjoyed. How do other CEOs maintain a healthy work-life balance?

Advice from the CEOs:

• Life is more than work. Just the fact of your asking this question indicates that you already know that too much focus on work is not good for you.
• Develop and devote time to your hobbies. The CEO and engineers in one company developed a company robotics club, and even participate in robotic competitions. This has a number of benefits:
  • It provides fun away from work while keeping their creative engineering skills sharp;
  • In the process of competing, they meet and form relationships with potential business partners and customers;
  • It builds camaraderie and cohesiveness within the team;
  • They have the opportunity to involve their kids in this activity, and
  • They translate this into a public service by assisting local schools who have their own robotics clubs.
• Regular exercise, particularly with a group, helps you to be more effective at work. This is supported by substantial objective research.
• Involve other people – friends and family – in your hobby or exercise activity – it will help to both strengthen relationships and resist distractions.
• To assure that this becomes part of your life, put it on the calendar and don’t let other priorities displace it.
• Learn to say “no” to things that would displace this activity.

Key Words: Work-Life Balance, Hobbies, Family, Exercise, Health, Priorities  [like]