Work-Life Balance is False?

Bustle published a piece about a Senior Vice President at Coca Cola claiming that work-life balance is false and work-life integration is in.  In today's world of hyper-connectedness it does become more and more difficult to separate work and non-work. 

At the same time, sometimes the answer to work simply has to be "NO".  The best leaders I know put clear boundaries on things and empower key members of their staff to make decisions for them when they're out of pocket.  In the article the exec talks about how she had to step away from putt-putt golf with her kids to do an email and that the kids should play the next couple of holes on their own.   A parent can phrase things any way they want, but the kids know that they are being deprioritized during a time when they are expecting the parent's 100% attention.  

As a leader, it is super important that you establish those boundaries, empower your team to act in your place when you're out of pocket, and make sure your family doesn't feel deprioritized when they're expecting your dedicated attention.   My kids are now grown and I can look back on the amount and quality of time I spent with them growing up with absolutely no regret.  When they're grown and gone you don't want to be wishing you spent more focused time with them.  That bell has already been rung.

OK, end rant.