Work-life balance is a constant challenge for many top executives as well as physicians and nurses in the ranks. Here is how five CEOs view the trade-off:
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said he believes work-life balance is a "debilitating phrase because it implies there's a strict trade-off," according to the Chicago Tribune. He said he views it as a circle, not necessarily an equal balance. His happiness at home and at work fuels the energy he brings to the other half of his life and vice versa.
Outgoing PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi was quite candid about the difficulties of work-life balance. She famously told The Atlantic in 2014: "I don't think women can have it all. I just don't think so. We pretend we have it all. We pretend we can have it all." She said she and her husband have co-opted many people to help them.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek takes a "ruthless" approach to organizing his time, he told Fast Company. "What I tell my friends is, I like to be invited, but I probably won't come. … It doesn't mean that I don't enjoy your company. It's [sic] just means that I'm focusing on something." He also said he blocks out alone time to allow for creative thinking. "I might go for three days and not sleep because I’m focused in that moment," he said.
Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post and founder of Thrive Global, has made it her mission to combat burnout. In a live LinkedIn session, she spoke about making sleep a priority and unplugging from social media and technology. "When it comes to managing my personal time, for example, I always choose sleep over watching Game of Thrones or scrolling through my Instagram feed so that I can wake up recharged and ready to face my day with optimism. Also, definitely don't judge yourself, which can only add to our stress," she said, according to Inc.
VMWare CEO Pat Gelsinger told The Wall Street Journal he tracks his personal and professional responsibilities in a chart, which is maintained by his secretary. He accrues points for time spent with the family and at work. The data "took the debate out of it," he said.
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