Ken Cooper | Teaching Innovation.

Consider the following: Works long hours. Carries wireless device everywhere. On the phone at kid's soccer game. Checks in frequently over vacation.

Does this describe your life? If you're like the hundreds of executive education students I teach each year at the Harvard Business School, you point to the hours you work, the places from which you work (even on vacation), the times at which you work (even when supposed to be spending time with family and friends), the fact that...

I was always encouraged from an early age to be balanced in everything that I do. Generally speaking, I'd say that's pretty reasonable advice — but it's not always right. Sure, achieving a perfect work-life balance should be a top priority for most professionals, but the same advice just doesn't apply to entrepreneurs — we're a different lot.

As entrepreneurs, we have zero sense of balance. We're all in, all the time. It doesn't matter if it's day or night, weekday or...