Establishing Balance: An Experience Sampling Methodological Study of the Work-Life Interface

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine whether daily perceptions of work-life balance effectiveness and satisfaction were related to within-day, between-day, and between-individual levels of stress when mediated by positive and negative mood. Additionally, this research also explored the influence of available family-supportive work environments (FSWEs) in impacting the perception of work-life balance. Based on 879 individual assessments across 68 individuals, I adopted an experience sampling methodology in which participants were asked about their daily perceptions of their work-life balance, mood, and stress over a period of five days three times a day. My findings suggest that family-supportive work environments are related to perceptions of work-life balance effectiveness. Furthermore, work-life balance perceptions are significantly related to stress within days for individuals, and mood does appear to partially mediate the relationship between work-life balance and stress both within-day and between-individual. Contributions to the theoretical field of work-family research and practice are discussed, and future directions are suggested.