In an effort to preserve our various traits and qualities as people, many of us strive for a work/life balance between our professional and personal selves. But in the larger context of our world and its economy, professional (and associated productive) behavior can be treated as more crucial to one’s value. How can professionally-oriented attitudes cast shadows on the practices (unprofessional or otherwise) of our personal lives. Is truly free and personal time threatened by the demands of a professional mindset? Should a workplace extend empathy to it’s employees and their varied lives?