A host of factors, developments, and dynamics have made most industries more competitive than ever.  As a result so many of us wonder whether there is still such a thing as work-life balance. We reached out to the community to hear perspectives on finding the right balance.

Jan Hill | Event Planner & Designer

Work-life balance… this is something that I have to consciously consider all of the time. It can be tough for entrepreneurs to take time for themselves, family, and friends. And I don’t mean doing things that you have to do or are obligated to do… I’m thinking about leisure and fun time. We get so bogged down and focused on our businesses and the urgency of making sure everything is running smoothly that we forget to eat, rest, and just take a breath. I’ve learned over the years that we must take time and care for ourselves or we won’t be any good for others or our business. Although I’m still busy and work abnormal hours, I’ve learned to set calendar appointments for myself and schedule and book vacation time so I can’t make excuses. Burnout is real and I definitely don’t want that to happen! Read more>>

Brandi Shelton | Master Blender & Tea Lady

My balance has changed as my mind has changed. I wore all of the hats in the company and hired help when needed. When I changed my mindset and hired to grow, I was able to find work/life balance. I’m the business owner of the brand and operate best when I’m wearing that hat. When I’m an owner AND employee for an extended period of time, I’m not good to the brand or myself. I see balance as creating a schedule and staying disciplined. I have office hours and give 100% to my brand while “on the clock”. Once I’ve clocked out for the day, I am able to give 100% to my family and myself. Read more>>

Alexis Hudson | Photographer, Public Health Scientist & Owner

Just like all relationships in life, there are necessary ebbs and flows. Two phases of a tide that must coexist in order to maintain movement. As things shift and time passes, circumstances inevitably change. But one must keep moving. I find that Balance is in adapting and being able to do what is necessary as moments present themselves. I think it is important to be flexible in life. As my work becomes less of a job and more of a direct expression of self, work and life harmonize and become synonymous. Prior to fully diving into entrepreneurship, I received my bachelor’s degree in Global Public Health and Chemistry from New York University and my Master of Public Health degree from Emory University. Read more>>

Genesis Be | Rap Activist & Founder

I’ve worked up to a point where, my work is my life and my life is my work. Purpose, I think they call it. I don’t put as much emphasis on profit, like I should. I’m more focused on impact. By realigning to my life’s purpose, and spending my energy on the impact of my work, the money just comes. It wasn’t always like that though. I’ve worked really hard to get to this point. I’ve worked for other people most of my life. I made a conscious effort in my late twenties that I needed to change that. I prayed on it, quit my salary position and took a leaf of faith. The very next month, everything changed for me after I did a protest that went viral. That was in 2016 and my brand and impact has just consistently grown since then. I think intuition and understanding your value is key to aligning with your purpose. Read more>>

Chelsea Counts | Branding and Product Developer & Licensed Beauty Professional

This is such a great question-WOW! For me….work, life, balance is a consistent practice that I want to make sure becomes a true way of life for me long-term. It’s about being present with whatever I am doing, ENJOYING that present moment & making sure I pace myself in that present moment. I witnessed my single Mother be a Full-Time Mom to my twin sister & I while she was also breaking barriers as a successful entrepreneur. We saw first hand the true definition of work-ethic is “having no excuses to give up.” As my businesses progress & prosper, my balance has definitely changed over time – for the better! Being that I use to be a “workaholic,” I neglected enjoyment of life with my family & friends, vacations & mental breaks for myself – all because I wanted to “get ahead of work.” Life & God showed me firsthand, that my peace of mind, soul, spirit & body is priority over any meeting, task or project. Read more>>

Kat Stockton | Art Director, Illustrator & Designer

When I first started my career in 2009, I just focused on being at work from 9-5 and that was about it for structure. I was young and having fun. Personal and work life were intertwined with friendships, collaborations, and after work happy hours. As I have gotten older I’ve started to value more separation between the two. I am more picky about my relationships at work and try to bond professionally with colleagues who love the work like me and just want to make something really cool. This doesn’t mean I’ve given up on happy hours and bonding, I’m just more careful about who I go to happy hour with and try to elicit more control over the discussion. Another difficult lesson in work life balance is saying no. Sometimes you get multiple freelance opportunities at once and you really want to say yes to all of it, but if you do, you won’t sleep for weeks and you will be miserable. It is important to say no sometimes and know your limit. Read more>>