Men may be from Mars and women from Venus, but apparently they are much more alike in their desire for work/life balance than was previously assumed. Research shows that fathers are doing more child care than they used to. A 2005 survey of Fortune 500 male senior executives found that the younger the executive, the more likely it was that he cared about having more balance between his work and personal life. Half of them wondered if the sacrifices they've made for their careers are worth it, and over half would be willing to sacrifice income for more time away from work. Most of those surveyed thought it was possible to restructure jobs so they could have more time for things outside work and still achieve their professional goals. But here's the rub — most of them felt that bringing up these issues to the boss would hurt their careers.

They are going to have to find ways to do it. Psychologists acknowledge that your happiness is more likely to come from your loved ones than from work. The strength you derive from them will fuel your job success. In a Fortune Magazine profile, CEO David Neeleman remembers being caught up in what he termed the “money, power, and glory” when JetBlue went public in 2001. The head of his church brought him back to earth by reminding him that, “It's all about your family, your relationships. You've got to balance that with your work.” From that moment on, Neeleman made sure that most evenings and weekends were designated family time. The decision had a positive effect on his family — and his business. With life harmonious at home, “you can be a lot more focused at work,” he says.