By far the most common conversation we have with the folks we interview is about work-life balance. Starting a business or pursuing a creative career makes finding work life balance really tough because there is no clear start and end to one’s work day. We’ve shared some of our conversations on the topic below.

Claire Davis | Artist & Songwriter

Since starting my own business I think the balance has definitely tipped more heavily towards work because there are a lot of demands of you as a small business owner. You can’t really clock in and out the same way you would a 9-5, there’s a lot of research, admin, and networking involved in being a part of the music business and it often doesn’t stick to a specific schedule. Because I do something I love it makes it easier to dedicate more time to it although I’m conscious of reserving time for myself and my loved ones to recoup and avoid burnout. Read more>>

Kelsey Swanson | Photographer & Teacher

My work life balance has become work-work-work life balance between a 9-5 job, my photography work, and a seasonal part-time photography job. I keep my life active and full between jobs and hobbies as I enjoy the busyness and making time for what I love to do. I do my best to create weekly schedules that allow for my dance and reading hobbies after work, and my photography work and travel on the weekends. I think the balance and mix of it all is chaotic but I’m doing what I love so I enjoy it. Read more>>

Katrina Bell | Licensed Professional Counselor

My work life balance has looked different throughout the different phases in my life. Early on, in my careerI feel like I had no balance. I would stay at work after hours and spread myself too thin when it came to family, friends and other obligations. I would often be tired and overwhelmed. My life was very chaotic and I made that my “norm”. I believe that my upbringing had a great impact on how I operated in my adult life. I often saw others around me juggle many different roles/tasks with ease and I felt that this was the way to do things. I was fortunate to have a supervisor that required us to take mental health days quarterly. This forced me to take time to do things that I wanted to do or to do nothing at all and it began to change the way I looked at balance in my life. Read more>>

Angeliz Bruno | Professional Wrestler & Writer

Over the course of my Pro-wrestling training and career, I have experienced a significant evolution in my work-life balance. Initially, as I began my training, it was a challenge to juggle the demands of my regular “Day job” with the rigorous training schedule and personal financial budgets needed for Wrestling School. However, as time went on, I have learned to adapt and find ways to strike a better balance between the two. Flexibility and adaptability have been crucial in managing my dual responsibilities. I had to come to an understanding that the nature of professional wrestling can be unpredictable. I had to think about the future and how to prepare myself for what is to come financially for training and physically for this particular lifestyle. Read more>>

Kelly Criss | Actor, Producer, Teaching Artist

My work life balance is headed in the right direction, after many years of me leaning heavily on the WORK end and neglecting the LIFE side a bit. By that I mostly mean overscheduling and overcommitting myself without leaving time for decompression and self-care. I’ve learned to value rest and not to judge it as laziness. It’s rest. Plus, if I consider myself a storyteller, living a full life will only enhance that. Work pays the bills and can certainly be very fulfilling. But if it isn’t balanced with life, then the stories I have to tell will all be about workaholics. Read more>>

Graciela Carrau-Hernandez | Chiropractor

The world that we currently live in revolves around “the grind, the hustle” and although, it is an incredible motivator to pursue ones passions, it can also hinder our ability to find balance between life and business. Balance for me is about prioritizing, making time for the things that are important like staying active and spending quality time with my family. For me, now that I work full time that looks a little bit different. I have establish a routine that allows me workout and get ready for my day of work before 7 am, and my night routine are more to get ready for the next morning and catch up with family and friends. Read more>>