The Myth of Work–Life Balance for Senior Executives

Work–life balance has become a widely shared ideal.

It is spoken of as something attainable. A state to be reached, then maintained. A form of harmony that seems almost self-evident.

And yet, for many senior executives, this balance is less a reality than a myth.

A Demand That Has Become Paradoxical

At senior levels, responsibilities do not remain within clearly defined boundaries.

They extend beyond them. They involve decisions that carry weight, stakes that exceed the immediate context, and a form of constant presence—intellectual, emotional, and at times even physical.

Added to this is a hyper-connected world, where the boundary between professional and personal spheres has gradually dissolved, work no longer stops. It extends. It seeps in. It follows. Not through explicit obligation, but because everything is accessible, at all times.

The Illusion of a “Middle Ground”

The idea of balance suggests a controlled distribution: some work ; some personal life.

Time allocated to each, clearly defined.

But this view assumes a world that no longer exists.

Roles are not sealed off from one another. Responsibilities do not pause. Important decisions do not respect schedules or weekends.

The attempt to maintain this balance can itself become a source of tension—the quiet strain of never quite achieving it.

What Is Really at Stake

For many leaders, the question is less about balance than about coexistence.

How does one live with a role that demands so much, without becoming entirely consumed by it?

How does one remain engaged without being absorbed? Present without being overwhelmed?

These are not simple equations. And they are not resolved once and for all.

A Largely Silent Responsibility

At this level of responsibility, it is rarely possible to express this tension openly.

Some role calls for steadiness, availability, control.

Acknowledging difficulty in “balancing” can—wrongly—be perceived as a lack of perspective or capacity.

So many adapt. Adjust. Arbitrage. In silence...

Towards a Different Perspective

Perhaps the idea of perfect balance needs to be let go.

Not as a failure, but as a form of clarity.

Accepting that some phases of life are more demanding, that certain responsibilities take up more space, that intensity is part of a role.

And shifting the question:

No longe: r “How do I balance everything?” but rather: “How do I remain grounded within this intensity?”

An Ongoing Adjustment

It is not about finding an ideal formula but about learning to adjust, continuously:

• recognising one’s limits without necessarily reducing one’s level of engagement

• preserving moments of pause, even if imperfect

• accepting that balance is fluid, unstable, at times absent

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In a hyper-connected world, balance is no longer a state ; it is a living tension. A subtle calibration, always to be revisited.

See next article for some concrete suggestions to improve your work-life balance