Care for the self, overcompensation and bodily crafting: The work–life balance of disabled people

Abstract

This article argues that studies on work-life balance have neglected the impact of the self-care needs of disabled people in managing their health in and outside the workplace. Taking a social constructionist approach, we outline how the heteronormative discourse of work-life balance is not only gendered but also ableist in that it assumes an individual who is able-bodied. By analysing the narratives of 66 male and female employees with a broad range of impairments, this article investigates how they experience work-life balance issues and reflects on how gender intersects with these. It further highlights the strategies disabled people develop, conceptualizing the individualized work of 'bodily crafting' that is undertaken to articulate work and life. Through the perspective of the Othered body, we extend current critical debates on fitness and health discourses in organizations.