Fathers Struggle With Work-Life Balance

Working fathers are feeling the heat due to the tough economy, and it's making it difficult for them to balance their personal and professional lives, according to a recent survey from CareerBuilder. Many dads say their relationships with spouses/significant others and their kids are suffering due to job-based pressures. "For many households, the recession has affected family life as much as personal finances," says Alex Green, general counsel for CareerBuilder and a father of three. "Many families need dual incomes, and post-recession work environments often entail longer hours." While greater corporate acceptance of flex-work arrangements can help, fathers can make things easier by establishing no-work-zone boundaries while at home and learning how to diplomatically say "no" without a backlash, CareerBuilder advises. Nearly 730 working fathers took part in the research.