What’s the right balance between work and non-work time? The traditional 9-5 has slowly disappeared with the emails and zoom and texting going far beyond traditional business hours. We asked members of our community to share with us how they think about work-life balance.

Jordan Rose | Furniture Design & Fabrication

My work life balance has changed dramatically over time. When I first started my business, it was all consuming. I would work all day every day, doing everything I could to get the business off the ground. This would often result in an 80-100 hour work weeks and little time for anything else. After a few years of operating this way, I realized it was not sustainable long-term. I made a shift in my thinking to allow my team to have more autonomy and take some of the day to day burden off of myself. This was an excellent decision that allowed me to have a personal life outside of work. I was able to spend more time on my relationships, get married, buy a house, and just a few months ago welcome a new child into our family. Read more>>

The Future Babes | Rock Band

Our work/life balance has changed a lot since we started in high school. Fast forward about ten years and we’re still trying to figure out a solid balance. We’ve found that it’s important to manage our time well, make decisions with intent, and work efficiently as opposed to just working hard. With all of that said, the one thing we try to remind ourselves of is that it’s a gift that we’re still able to play music together and create. With all of the factors that go into putting on a good show or coming out with new music, sometimes it’s easy to forget to have a good time as well. Read more>>

Matthew Schwartz | Musician, Songwriter, Producer, Podcaster

Work life balance is extremely important. We live in a world where every object makes noise, vibrates, and/or creates popups, all commanding our immediate attention. Work weeks start at forty hours and extend further the farther up the corporate ladder you get. Being a musician and entertainer I thought it was part of my job to always be available and present, it’s not. Read more>>

Horace Ryans III | Photographer, Life Long Learner

I am a recovering perfectionist. I desired perfection in every aspect of my life: school, my social life, and even my own photography. I felt like if everything was perfect, I wouldn’t really need to stress; and with no stress I could be happy…Perfection, of course, is completely unattainable and unrealistic. Nothing is ever perfect. And even if it something was perfect, I know that I will never reach my own expectations for anything that I do. It’s like climbing a ladder that lengthens as you go up. This was reflected in how hard and how long I would spend on all of my work. Read more>>

Amanda Proctor | Content Creator

Being my own boss has been a huge lifestyle adjustment for myself and my entire family. In the beginning, I was working full time while also trying to grow my social media following, so there was very little balance. As I have grown my social media following, I was able to quit my job and focus just on my social media and my family! I always put my family first. My girls will grow up faster than I know it, so I want to make sure I am there to support every milestone along the way. Read more>>

Katelyn Smith | Candle maker & Flight Attendant

Work life balance used to be one of my biggest brags about my job as a flight attendant. I worked 3-4 days a week, and every other day I did whatever I wanted. It’s my favorite perk of the job, and I think it makes me into a happier, more well-rounded person. However, with starting Antisocial Apothecary and as it grows, my work life balance has gone out the window. Read more>>

Patrice J. Smith | Chef waves | private chef and owner

I have two functioning businesses as of now. I’m a private chef and I own a lash extensions business. Plus I’m a entrepreneur mentor and a million other things. Starting out I had no balance, no schedule or routine or guidance. Safe to say I was so stressed and overwhelmed. I never took days off to myself. Being an entrepreneur with no discipline you will burn yourself out. Now a days my life is a set schedule. I have two phones, multiple social media accounts to separate myself from my businesses some days. Read more>>

Amber Simpson | Minister for the Arts & Creative Educator

From a young age, I learned that you have to work in order to live. My parents worked from sunrise to sunset in order to put food on the table for me and my three sisters. I guess, in a way, poverty teaches you that work is the only means of survival. With that survival mentality, I spent the beginning of my adulthood working myself sick. I had given my life to my work. Read more>>