There are definitely things in life where what we say doesn't necessarily match what we do.  I guess the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do", is derived from such actions.  In recent years, I've found this saying to be true when it comes to work-life balance.   There is no shortage of articles, books, blogs, etc. dedicated to this topic.  Many companies highlight programs that support work-life balance for their employees.  However, many of us are working more than ever; spending more time focused on work related activities and less time in other important areas of our lives.  Not to mention that technology has made it a lot easier for us to stay in touch with our work activities around the clock and from any location.  However, it's not our fault alone, not totally.  Our culture in the USA is to be extremely productive,  work focused, and to pull ourselves up from our bootstraps.  This is all very good, but there is something to be said for balance - balancing hard work with living well personally. 

In my opinion, in order to be the best you can at work, you must build a balanced life away from work - giving equal time, if not more, to other interests outside of work.  I sort of see it like this......if the scale becomes too heavy on either side, we have a problem.   At best, we're just out of balance when this happens.  However, it's more likely that when we notice the imbalance has occurred, we've suffered set-backs and/or negatively impacted other areas of our lives.  How balanced is your life?  How would others around you answer this question?  If in answering this question you hesitated in any way, then it's time to think about making a change.  Working hard is a good thing, but working hard in expense of balanced personal life is not.  So, start thinking about ways in which you can have a more balanced life.  Maybe you can start to use your companies benefits designed to help you balance work and your personal life.  Maybe you can even ask your supervisor to work from home a few days a week or leave early on Fridays - whatever works for you.  Go on......take a chance!  You might be surprised at the answer.