Toward a Balance of Work and Play

Spencer, Ernest

doi:10.1080/j003v05n04_07

Cited by 11 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 1 publication

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“…For example, cooking may have a very different meaning as a work occupation than as a household chore, and shopping may have a very different meaning as a burden versus as a source of recreation. Thus, simply counting hours may be an “overly simplistic” (Spencer, 1989) approach to the complex issues of harmony and overall systemic functioning that are implied by the life‐balance construct. We suggest that the psychological meaning problem is the most difficult one for time‐use approaches to surmount.…”

Section: Problems With Time‐use Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Balance and Well‐Being: Testing a Novel Conceptual and Measurement Approach

Sheldon

Cummins

Kamble

2010

Journal of Personality

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Although a balanced life has always been viewed as desirable, there are problems with extant conceptualizations and measures of this construct. Here we introduce 2 new life-balance measures, based on time-use profiles, that address these problems. One defines life balance as objectively equitable time use across multiple life domains, and the other defines life balance as low subjective discrepancy between actual and ideal time-use profiles. Study 1 finds that both measures predict concurrent well-being, in both U.S. and Indian samples. Study 2 shows that fluctuations in balance predict fluctuations in well-being over a 3-week period. Study 3 replicates the Study 1 findings using a different time assessment technique, based on the Day Reconstruction Method. Study 4 assigns participants the month-long goal of enhancing their life balance, finding that those who achieve this goal enhance their well-being. In all 4 studies, the balance effects on well-being were mediated by psychological need satisfaction associated with balance.

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Section: Problems With Time‐use Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Balance and Well‐Being: Testing a Novel Conceptual and Measurement Approach

Sheldon

Cummins

Kamble

2010

Journal of Personality

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Comparison of Objective and Subjective Life Balance Between Women With and Without a Personality Disorder

et al. 2016

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Life balance is associated to health, well-being and quality of life and is a target of psychiatric rehabilitation interventions. However, little is known about this life dimension in women living with personality disorders. The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to compare and explore relationships between subjective life balance, objective time use, quality of life and perceived stress in women without a mental health disorder (n = 43) and women with a personality disorder (clusters B and C) (n = 30), aged between 18 and 50 years old. The variables were measured with the Life Balance Inventory (subjective life balance), the Occupational Questionnaire (objective time use), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (perceived stress) and the Quality of Life Index (satisfaction and importance with life domains). The analyses showed that women with a personality disorder spend significantly less time in work but more time in daily tasks and leisure. Subjective life balance, quality of life and perceived stress were significantly lower in women with a personality disorder (p < 0.05). In women with a personality disorder, subjective life balance was explained by quality of life (R = 27.5 %). In women without a mental illness, subjective life balance was explained by quality of life and motherhood (R = 36.1 %). To support the recovery of women with personality disorders and their quality of life, it is important to address objective and subjective time use to enable accomplishment of a variety of meaningful activities.

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Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings

Hammell¹

2006

Spinal Cord

167

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Study design: Meta-synthesis of qualitative research. Objectives: To identify, compare and synthesize the factors found to contribute to, or detract from the experience of a life worth living following spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Published articles were identified from the Medline, CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts databases, a hand search through selected journals published since 1990, and from reference lists. These were assessed for their relevance to the focus of interest and appraised for rigour and quality. The key themes that emerged from the data were summarized, compared and synthesized. Results: The search located 64 papers and four books, of which seven papers met the review criteria for relevance and rigour, and in which 10 main concepts were identified: (1) body problems, (2) loss, (3) relationships, (4) responsibility for, and control of one's life, (5) occupation, and ability to contribute, (6) environmental context, (7) new values/perspective transformation, (8) good and bad days, (9) self-worth, (10) self-continuity. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the utility of synthesizing qualitative research to provide a greater depth of insight into the factors that contribute to, and detract from, quality of life (QOL) after SCI. It also provides a more nuanced understanding of the experience of QOL following SCI than is achievable by quantitative methods. Future qualitative research is required to probe further the concepts and connections identified in this study, and to identify how rehabilitation services might best address these issues. Sponsorship: N/A. The vast majority of research into QOL following SCI has adopted a quantitative approach, 3 reflecting researchers' assumptions that quality can be measured quantitatively; that the determinants of QOL following SCI can be reliably predicted by able-bodied researchers; and that the subjective experience of a life can be objectively and accurately discerned by another person. These assumptions have been challenged [5][6][7][8][9][10] and it has been argued that the results of these studies are both misleading and of questionable value. 11 Indeed, it has been suggested that how someone attempts to 'measure' QOL says more about their own values, priorities and fundamental orientation to life than it does about the QOL of the people whose lives are ostensibly being studied. 3,12 Quantitative research is hypothesis-driven, requiring researchers to predetermine the variables to be measured and thus to identify in advance those factors that are relevant and important to the issue under investigation. This inevitably limits the range of possible findings. For example, if 'pain' is not included as a variable in a quantitative study of QOL then pain will not be found to influence QOL. Quantitative methods are therefore Recognizing the inherent problems with attempts to quantitatively measure QOL among people with SCI many researchers have advocated the use of qualitative methods that can explore both the meaning of QOL for people with SCI and the f...

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Toward a Balance of Work and Play

Cited by 11 publications

References 1 publication

Life Balance and Well‐Being: Testing a Novel Conceptual and Measurement Approach

Life Balance and Well‐Being: Testing a Novel Conceptual and Measurement Approach

Comparison of Objective and Subjective Life Balance Between Women With and Without a Personality Disorder

Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta-synthesis of qualitative findings

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