Work-life balance is that ever-elusive state of being where an individual feels productive and successful in her work but still has the time to enjoy the other things in life: family, housework, hobbies, and vacations. Although librarianship is not the most stressful of professions, we still feel the crunch. Our jobs are all changing with the advent of new technologies, which can contribute greatly to our stress levels. We may feel the need to work extra hours to implement new services, learn new software, read more scholarly literature, write more articles, attend more conferences. The fact that librarianship is a service profession can also contribute to stress levels -- we often have to deal with too many difficult patrons, failing technology, or budget cuts.

The pace of modern life has been increasing as well. We are at the constant beck and call of our cell phones, PDAs, email and chat services. We multi-task more than ever before, and feel like we're wasting time if we're not doing at least three things at once. We go from hectic workplaces to hectic homes.

The Work Foundation says work-life balance "is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work. It is achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society." Individuals must work to find this balance, and organizations must ensure that their employees have the tools to establish it as well.

Work-life balance does not mean simply splitting your time equally between work and non-work activities. Our personal balance must depend on our own priorities. And the balance will change over time. A young professional starting a new career will work more hours. A new mother will shift a great deal of her time to caring for her child. We have to be able to manage work-life balance throughout our lives.

So now you know what work-life balance is. Now find out the benefits, and how you can achieve it in your own life.