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.

Kaitie Bryant

I’ve learned over the years of being self-employed and raising children that work life balance is less like a balance beam and more like a juggling act. I tried for years to figure out the perfect amount of time devoted to work in all of its untraditional hours and perfect time devoted to family to find there is no perfect equation. The reality is that one will require more and one will have to get less of my time and attention, and the challenge is to figure out which one to focus on and when. I heard a wise woman entrepreneur talk about her family and the juggling metaphor, and her words still ring true for me. She said some balls are rubber and bounce back, like her work, while other balls are like glass and more fragile or precious, like family relationships. Read more>>

SeQuoria Smith

Work life balance… I typically work 4 days a week and am off 3 days . I love the balance and my days off give me one day to recharge, one to reset and a third to do whatever I didn’t accomplish during the other two. Definitely being a single mom it’s important that I make time . Read more>>

Nicole Bechill

Did you know that being in a band (or being any kind of artist actually) you really need to define your work/life boundaries firmly. I am not saying we in Shehehe have done that. We try to enrich our lives in other ways but there is a also this drive that keeps us pretty dedicated to crafting our music, touring and recording and that can be all consuming. Although I love making and listening to music (particualy music that is on the heavier side) I actually find it helpful to be in quiet spaces during my off time. I enjoy walking, hiking, meditation and art galleries. As a group I wouldn’t say we have completely figured out the balance but I do feel lucky to be able to part of this create force that rolls on, its never boring and I’m usually always working on something. My best advice for others is to really carve out time to rest, for me its a work in progress but the intention is very much there. Read more>>

Karla White

When it comes to work-life balance, I believe it is a constantly changing flow. Work-life Balance doesn’t really exist unless you’re constantly working on it. I am a mother with two teen boys and my husband is also an entrepreneur, balancing our busy schedules takes patience and more balance than you could imagine. Communicating the needs of the business to my team, who is my husband, is how we keep it as balanced as we can. Our kids joke that all we talk about is business but that is how we keep our lives running. Communication is what our businesses need, our schedules and our kid’s schedules take a lot of work, so balance sometimes looks like a graceful ballerina and sometimes it feels like a tightrope. Read more>>

Siwei Steven Zhou

As someone pursuing a creative career, I find work-life balance a weird subject because I never really stop “working” in some way. Life is the source of our creativity; every moment I live provides me with something that can go into the final product I produce. Of course, family is always my priority. One thing you would never have more is time with family and friends, and that should be treasured at all times. I am very blessed to have friends and family who are as passionate about the creative business as I am, so our “off-time” talk still relates to how we can create. With time, that became a harmony of some sort.
In addition, pursue a career that you are passionate about. That passion is infectious; it attracts people with a similar passion, and they will become your friends of a lifetime. Read more>>

Tiffany DeBoer Owens

Work-life balance has been a BIG thing I have worked on over the past year. I have always hustled and honestly overworked myself. I love to work and to be successful, so it is easy for me to fall into the hustle culture. This past year I have prioritized rest. To do this, I had to bring boundaries to our business. Boundaries can be scary for a business owner, but it is necessary! Through my faith, I realized the importance of having a Sabbath and resting each week, so I can show up as my best self. The first thing I implemented was not working on Sundays. It helped me find a balance between work and rest! I usually start with one habit and then once I nail that one, I add another.  Read more>>

Li Mechelle | Content Creator

Although I still work a full-time job, I broke my day down into four parts since there are 24 hours in the day and I want to utilize all of those hours. So I have 8 hours of work at my job and then 4 hours to myself where I can just meditate and do what I need to do to keep my mental straight, and then I dedicated 4 hours to my passion and then 8 hours of sleep. Some days are different than others, but I try to fit in as much Me time as I can and as much time for my passion and my “brand” which is myself, so that I know that I am still on the path to being that successful woman I want to be. Read more>>

Eulie | Mediagrapher

I’ve been doing photo and video work for over seven years, and recently, I became a parent. Work-life balance has become extremely important to me. I’ve learned that the work will always be there, so stressing over deadlines is a lose-lose situation. My child will always come first, so I make sure to set boundaries with clients and designate times where I can give my full attention to my daughter. This approach helps me stay focused and ensures that I’m present in both my work and personal life. Read more>>