Thanks to ever-increasing wireless connectivity, the boundary between work and personal life is constantly thinning. A new term, “weisure,” describes the increasing tendency to continue to work during leisure time (Patterson, 2009). Examples include reading work e-mail while spending time with the family and answering work-related cell phone calls during a leisure outing. This trend, according to Patterson (2009), is partly due to the increasing enjoyment of work, but also due to the difficulty faced in establishing clear boundaries between work and leisure time. That difficulty is magnified by the increase in the average number of hours in the work week for many in the workforce, as well as multiple roles. Many are parents, spouses, partners, employees, caregivers to elderly parents, and also engaged in continued education.
Whether you decide to enter the workforce directly upon graduation or attend graduate school, you will be faced with the challenge of juggling multiple roles and maintaining a balance. You will also be attempting to prove yourself as a new employee or as a new graduate student. The temptation to overwork will be great. However, it can have ethical implications, especially if you work in the psychology field. The stress you face may impair your effectiveness, leading to ethical ramifications (Barnett, Baker, Elman, & Schoener, 2007).
Using the Argosy University online library, research work-life balance. You may want to use some or all of the following search terms: work-life balance, job satisfaction, burnout, weisure, overworked, and self-care.
Write your initial response in a minimum of 300–400 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.
