Abstract
Purpose. It was the purpose of this study (a) to identify and describe the elements of balance that elementary principals perceive as most important to their personal and professional lives; (b) to identify the strategies elementary principals perceive as most important to maintain balance in their personal and professional lives; (c) to determine how successful elementary principals perceive they have been at maintaining balance in their personal and professional lives; and (d) to identify the organizational characteristics elementary principals perceived as important for supporting work-life balance of principals. Methodology. The study subjects were 52 elementary principals randomly selected from Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. Subjects responded to two research instruments: (a) an online questionnaire using the Likert scale and including open-ended questions, and (b) 11 principals volunteered to participate in follow-up telephone interviews to examine principals' perceptions related to research-based elements of balance and strategies useful to maintaining their own work-life balance. Findings. Principals rated relationships as the most important element to their own sense of work-life balance, along with time management. The elements of balance rated least important were spirituality and lightening up. The strategy identified as most important for attaining and maintaining balance was nurturing family relationships and friendships. Principals identified relationships and work-life balance awareness as crucial for organizations such as school districts to support in order to help principals attain and maintain work-life balance. Conclusions. The findings of this study support the conclusions that (a) principals who maintain healthy relationships are more likely to experience success in maintaining work-life balance; (b) principals who have developed and use time-management strategies experience more balance in their personal and professional lives; (c) organizations that promote collegial relationships in the workplace and teach work-life balance awareness can prevent possible illness and burnout in their school administration. Recommendations. Further research is advised: a comparative study between a school organization that provides a formal coaching/mentoring program for principals and one that does not. It is also recommended that research be done in a school organization that offers training for school administrators in areas of health and findings be compared with a school organization that does not.