This chapter summarizes much of the books content, which is divided into three parts. The first part (Chapters 1-3) describes the conceptual foundation of the research on work-life balance (definitions, importance of the construct, and the link of the construct to employee wellbeing). The second part (Chapters 4-8) describes five behavior-based, personal interventions that people commonly used to achieve work-life balance, namely (1) engaging in multiple roles and domains, (2) increasing role enrichment, (3) engaging in behavior-based compensation, (4) managing role conflict, and (5) creating role balance. Part 3 of the book (Chapters 9-12) focuses on four personal interventions of work-life balance that are cognition-based. These are (1) segmenting roles and domains, (2) integrating roles and domains, (3) engaging in value-based compensation, and (4) applying whole-life perspective in decision-making. Based on the psychological principles underlying these nine personal interventions, we developed concrete training material for instructors of work-life balance to use in the context of workshops and seminars.

In this chapter we discuss how people try to achieve work-life balance and maintain an acceptable level of life satisfaction by reducing role conflict. Reducing role conflict is typically operationalized by (1) matching role resources with role demands, (2) managing time, and (3) managing stress. We also discuss intervention programs that organizations can use to help their employees achieve greater work-life balance through managing role conflict.