As professionals in all fields struggle with the ever-nagging problem of balancing work and family life, literature on this topic abounds. Ironically, many of these works focus on the issue in terms of social, gender, historical, and economic aspects—it is the rare study that provides practical advice to help families come to terms with the daily conflicts arising from the imbalance.
In Having It All, HBS researchers D. Quinn Mills, Sasha K. Mattu, and Kirstin Hornby fill this gap. The authors' mission is not to ruminate on defining the problem but instead to focus on ways that individuals can solve it in their own lives. As such, the authors have organized the book around six steps that will lead to contentment both at home and at work. Each step includes a personal story to illustrate the concept.
For example, in "Step 3-Make Choices and Accept the Consequences: Giving Up What You Don't Want Badly Enough," the authors tell the story of Marielle, a lawyer, whose plan is to work hard before she has family to avoid the conflict. The authors point out that while this strategy appears to be appealing, it carries its own risks and in reality trying to compartmentalize life is an illusion.
This book provides insight and perspective that will help readers achieve work/family balance on their terms.