The following are several items from a measure of work–life balance that was developed by Wayne, Vaziri, and Casper (2021) to assess perceptions of balance across multiple life roles. Work roles are those roles and activities that you pursue as part of your paid employment including the responsibilities that are part of your job. Examples include job-related tasks and duties, and anything that is part of your occupational or organizational roles. Nonwork roles are roles and activities that you pursue outside of paid employment, including family-related roles and activities and other activities you engage in due to personal interest or for people outside your family. Examples include family relationships and responsibilities, working on a hobby, spending time with friends, volunteering, religious activities, and exercising. Thinking about the past month, rate your agreement with each statement about how you combine your work and nonwork roles. When responding to items, consider the work and nonwork roles that matter most to you. Rate your agreement with each item using a five-point Likert scale: 

1) Strongly Disagree, 2) Disagree, 3) Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4) Agree, 5) Strongly Agree.

Overall Balance: 

1. There is harmony in how I blend my work and nonwork roles. 

2. Overall, my work and nonwork roles are integrated. 

3. Overall, my work and nonwork roles fit together. 

Involvement Balance: 

4. I am able to devote enough attention to important work and nonwork activities. 

5. I am able to be adequately involved in the work and nonwork roles that matter most to me. 

6. The time I spend in work and activities outside of work reflects my life priorities. 

Effectiveness Balance: 

7. I perform well in the life roles that I really value. 

8. I am able to effectively handle important work and nonwork responsibilities. 

9. I am successful in work and nonwork roles that matter to me. 

Affective Balance: 

10. I am happy in the work and nonwork roles that are most important to me. 

11. I feel satisfied in the work and nonwork roles that are most important to me. 

12. I am content with how things are going in the life roles that are my top priorities. 

Calculate your overall balance score and your separate involvement, effectiveness, and affective balance scores. In small groups of four to five individuals, compare your responses to those of your peers. What nonwork roles did you factor into your perceptions of work–life balance? Which dimension of balance did you score the highest and lowest? Were there any specific episodes of work–family conflict or work–family enrichment that affected your responses to the items? Meet in groups of two to discuss your results and be prepared to discuss your conclusions with the class as a whole.