One of the most challenging aspects about running any business is the concept of balance. Employers and employees alike face it -- the push/pull that exists between one's home life and professional life. The following list might give you some ideas about how best to achieve harmony in all aspects of your life:

• Workplace flexibility, including flexible work schedules
• Paid and unpaid time off, including sick time, maternity/paternity leave, and sabbaticals
• Health and well-being, including Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Caring for dependents, including child-care and elder care support
• Financial support, including adoption assistance, convenience services, and discounts
• Community involvement, including time for volunteering and disaster relief help
• Managing cultural challenges, including programs to retrofit a company's culture to incorporate work/life balance.

Source: Kathie Lingle, Director, Alliance for Word/Life Progress, and affiliate of World at Work.