Work/life balance at a research-intensive institution: Institutional policies and practices

Creating a satisfying balancing between work and life is challenging no matter what the job or profession.  Nevertheless, academia presents a unique set of challenges, especially when considering the sciences at a research institutions, because of the postdoc phase and the make-or-break tenure process.  I discuss these challenges along with some institutional policies that may mitigate their impacts. I also raise questions about aspects of academia that may actually facilitate a good balance relative to some other professions and how we can increase their impact.