I think balance is going to look different to everybody, like it just means you're getting the right amount of everything you need to be happy. I talk to people all day at work and I'm generally somebody who needs a good chunk of time away from people. If I don't have a job where I talk to people I'm more likely to seek that out in my personal life. Either way is fine really, as long as it balances out in a way that works for me. In the end it's all about how you feel about the time or energy you dedicate to different things in your life, they might not all demand the same and nobody else can really say what will work for somebody else.
Agreed. I also find that my balance between work and home and social relationships enhances the happiness in my life. When something goes really well at work, people around me may care, or get jealous, depending on how secure or successful they are at the time. At home however, or with my brother, or extended family it's always nice to know that I can share with someone disconnected from my occupation and have them genuinely say, "Cool to hear that things are going well for you right now." Also, I find that, especially after we had kids, my wife and I found a far greater success with leaving work frustrations at work and seeing those frustrations as smaller and more compartmentalized. Heck, I also find that taking a break from obsessing with work allows me to have the perspective that has allowed for me to recognize my greatest solutions to problems I'm facing at work.