How to improve work-life balance

People are more likely to blame work than family when a conflict arises between the two, but frustration can be minimized by scheduling things well in advance and avoiding too many surprises, according to a new study published in the journal Group & Organization Management.

Researchers at Indiana University surveyed 269 people about specific work-family conflicts and found that 69 percent blamed work for the various conflicts, while only 22 percent blamed family. Five percent placed the blame on other external factors while only six percent blamed themselves.

The researchers found that the order of events made a big difference in where the blame was placed. If the work event had been scheduled first, people were more likely to blame family and vice versa. The worst offenders included last minute office meetings and surprise visits from relatives.

People may be able to minimize some of the frustration by scheduling events well in advance, both at home and at work, and keeping surprises to a minimum, suggests lead author Dr. Elizabeth M. Poposki.