Work-life balance: foreign models for studying multi-purpose activity

Context and Relevance. The psychological well-being of a contemporary individual largely depends on the harmonious integration of various life domains. The proliferation of information and communication technologies, intensification of labor, and the introduction of flexible and remote work arrangements contribute to heightened tension and stress, as well as the blurring of boundaries between work and other life domains. These developments underscore the need for research into the complex interrelationships between work and non-work life, life domain balance, and strategies for sustaining it. Objective. To provide an analytical review of the international theoretical framework that enables reconceptualization of the traditional work–family interface and inter-role interaction models as a foundation for psychological research on the specifics of individual regulation of work–life balance within the digital environment. Results. The article examines: work–family interface models, including inter-role conflict and enrichment; demands and resources models describing the spillover of demands and resources between work and family domains; boundary theories pertaining to work and non-work domains; the concept of work–life balance; and models of information technology use that elucidate the specifics of boundaries and life domain balance in the digital environment. Conclusion. The reviewed theories and models facilitate a shift from inter-role interaction toward the study of multi-goal activity, which places the individual at the center—alongside their goals, priorities, and psychological experience of harmonizing all life domains.