Readers weigh in on work-life balance

Share your thoughts and see what other readers are saying.

Making time for both work and family is always a challenge. But in surveys of graduates of Harvard and the University of Chicago, Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz find that financial-sector workers have the hardest time striking this balance—even compared to workers in fields with reputations for being demanding, such as medicine and law. Goldin says students should keep these findings in mind when weighing career choices. We're asking our readers:

Did you consider work-life balance in choosing your first job? How have these concerns affected your career choices since?

We hope you'll join the conversation by leaving a comment below. (This discussion is moderated, so your comment will not appear immediately.)

Most popular

Harvard Faculty Approve a Cap on A Grades

Reforms to reduce grade inflation will take effect in the fall of 2027.

Harvard Alumni and Faculty Win Six Pulitzer Prizes

Winners include Jill Lepore, Bess Wohl, Pablo Torre, and Hannah Natanson.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Four stylized magnifying glasses arranged in a gradient background with abstract patterns.

AI Hunts For Stolen Harvard Coins

A museum curator and a computer scientist track down ancient coins taken in a legendary heist.

Three joyful graduates in caps and gowns celebrate together outdoors.

Your Harvard 2026 Commencement Week Guide

College reunions and Alumni Day will take place the following week

Woman with long hair, smiling, wearing a black sweater, in a textured beige background.

For This Poet, AI is a Writing Partner

Sasha Stiles trained a chatbot on her manuscripts. Now, her poems rewrite themselves.