Theoretical perspectives of balance and the influence of gender ideologies

Abstract

Despite increasing attention to balance in everyday life and its impact on health and well‐being, the concept of balance lacks clarity and consensus. Aiming to clarify the fundamental concept, this article discusses four theoretical perspectives drawn from literature: quantity of involvement across occupations, congruence between values and occupations, fulfillment of demands of roles/occupations, and compatibility in occupational participation. As gender is one factor associated with individuals’ perception of balance, the influence of gender on each of these four perspectives is also explored. Finally, these theoretical perspectives are applied to the example of parents: we discuss how gender ideologies and power relations between heterosexual partners may influence perceptions of balance in everyday life in the family context. Implications for future research are discussed.