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.

Hollis Dorsey | Studio Manager at Metropolitan Studios

When I was in my 20s, I was very results driven when it came to my work. And I live, breathed, and ate work. It was a full consumption of my life and as much as I prided myself on my work, I missed out on a lot of opportunities with loved ones and I would take my work home with me and let it wear and tear on my mental health. As someone in their early 30s now, I understand that I can appreciate the results, not cause myself anxiety to get there, and leave the work day behind to enjoy time with my wife. I now understand that work/life balance means being able to love and enjoy what you do 24/7 but not doing those things 24/7. Read more>>

Hannah Washington | Business Development Manager

My balance has changed honestly based on the companies I’ve worked for…depending on how much that company has valued it themselves. I’ve always struggled to fight for something that isn’t provided by a company, namely things like boundaries. I’ve worked at companies where you couldn’t step away for 5 minutes and if you did had to let someone know where you were going all the way to a very high trust, high autonomy job that knows we all have lives but trusts employees to get their work done. I think about balance like an ebb and flow. I have a general time frame that I get work done but know I can pick things up at different hours. Read more>>

Candy McBride | Fitness-Minded Educator & Entrepreneurial Supermom

Initially, the challenge was in trying to excel at everything simultaneously, which often led to burnout. I wanted to be the best educator, an innovative entrepreneur, and a present, nurturing mother. However, I soon realized that aiming for perfection in every aspect was unrealistic and counterproductive. Over time, I’ve learned to prioritize and accept that some days one role may take precedence over others. For instance, there might be days where my focus is more on my children’s needs, and on other days, my entrepreneurial or educational responsibilities take the lead. Read more>>

Rob Hardy | Filmmaker

Achieving a work / life balance is always interesting. There’s the balance of work, play, family and community. It’s hard to give each the same amount of time and attention because circumstances and deadlines often dictates what takes priority at any given time. My balance has changed as my life evolved. When I was younger it was all about my career (the business, the company) and my personal life. As I got older, married and had kids, it was tough owning a business, working a lot on the road while being active at home. Whenever I leaned heavy into one area, the other would suffer. A friend suggested I prioritize what was most important at the time, make concrete plans to insure that I made time for milestone events at work and home, while carving out time for myself to just ‘be’. Read more>>