Welcome back to the newest guest contributor to TPC, Kathleen Schafer:

Is Work-Life Balance Really a Woman’s Issue?

When people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home – Betty Bender

The simple eloquence of a few words is often the most powerful way to describe a complex situation. As I reflected on the recent torrent of stories about the “war on women,” this quote came to mind, not because it is the antithesis of conservatives’ views, and increasingly their legislative bills, rather because it goes straight to the heart of what they most fear—a shift away the almighty dollar as the demarcation of accomplishment to a more balanced perspective on what constitutes success.

The early 20th Century move to keep women from vibrant contribution outside the home created a host of challenges, namely the subordination of women and a lack of purpose beyond meeting the needs of spouse and children. During the 1970’s women entered the modern workforce in large numbers and their now ubiquitous presence has demonstrated that they can perform on par with men in nearly every sector of society. Despite their success in matching workplace performance, women find themselves besieged over reproductive issues, underpaid for equal work and stretched thin balancing the demands of home life and professional advancement—where does it all end?

This is where Bender’s quote comes in—and with it the question, how many women, or people for that matter, are truly living the life they want versus chasing a dream someone told them was important? The first wave of women entering the workforce are now at the pinnacle of their “power,” ensconced in the Halls of Congress, occupying corner offices and in top positions within academia, media and entertainment, accomplishments that were only dreams when these women hit the ground they would soon be breaking. They had to prove they could do it because no woman before them had done it. Women now in the earlier stages of their career have the luxury of asking, “do we still want to be one of the boys?”

And this is the question that scares the conservative end of the spectrum. Why? Wouldn’t they like women to return to the home “where they belong?” Yes, but only so long as it keeps them economically hungry to consume and to trade away free time to earn money for that appetite. What most business people want is to keep people wanting more money to buy more things, rather than creating balanced lives where joy, satisfaction and happiness are equally valued with revenue generation.

It is not difficult for women to envision a life espoused by famed author David McCullough; “Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.” In caring for children, family members and the community woman quickly discover the importance of meaning in their lives. Paychecks are important and so too is significant contribution based on one’s talents, skills and passion. Without attention to one’s own happiness and the capacity to share it with others, life’s pleasures quickly dim. Creating balance between time at work and home is essential and not limited to women—be it for family, recreation or hobby everyone is higher-functioning when they are happy and fulfilled in the workplace.

Work life balance questions inevitably come up whenever I talk about effective leadership, because so many people believe that success only comes through sacrifice to career and to biding one’s time until they have “achieved” the position and/or income that will provide it for them. The truth, however, is that success comes first through making a meaningful contribution that one enjoys; the accolades and abundance follow.

When it comes to this latest flare-up of the War on Women, is the focus on revoking reproduction rights only a way to assert control over women’s bodies, or does it also help deflect attention from the importance of balance as a key factor of success. After all, in constantly fighting these battles women feel good that they even have a choice about pursuing job and family and will therefore be less ambitious in asserting their desire to integrate both into a successful life.

So many of the major issues that have plagued the country during the past few years have unfettered love of money at their root. That mindset permeates much of society and is an irritant for many women who see value in both prosperity and poise. Because the economic playing field favors men, in opportunity and remuneration, the impetus for them to institute a change of focus is nominal.

If woman want the benefits of a balanced life to permeate our society, they will have to be the ones to take the lead. This will require women to develop life and work that best meets their needs while clearing the path for others to follow. By creating a new definition of success women will show that spending time to make money to buy stuff no one has time to use is crazy. And if Pearl Buck is correct, “to find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth,” they may also save themselves some money on skincare in the process!

Kathleen Schafer is the Founder and President of Leadership Connection, through which she has trained individuals and organizations–particularly women and other underrepresented groups–to be effective leaders. Schafer built the political leadership curriculum, still in use, at The George Washington University School of Political Management and is the author of Living The Leadership Choice.