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.

Andrew Williams

This is something that I will always struggle with. I am going through a very busy season of life, and I feel like I am constantly saying “NO”. I am saying no to golf, trips, dinners, meetings, etc. My children are 3 and 5 years old, and they get all of my attention when I am not working! I will have a social life again someday, but I am totally happy spending all my time with my wife and kids! (She prefers that I make the distinction of “second wife” lol) Sarah… The second wife… Is the only reason I am able to make it through the week. She is so supportive, and she understands what it takes to be successful. I am so thankful that she listens to my ideas, that she doesn’t mind talking about work and that she is willing to be flexible when work changes our plans!. Read more>>

Justin Walker & Quintin Shirley: Owners of Darla Rae’s Sea Moss & Premium Juice

Our balance has changed drastically. We knew starting a business would require a shift in priorities; oftentimes sacrificing time spent with friends and family. In addition to working full time jobs, time management is crucial to keep the business moving without jeopardizing current income. Balance is a tough but necessary discipline to have in general. Our partnership works in a way that supports the workload of the business in addition to personal life. Realistically, theres never enough time in the day. Therefore, you have to create time to grow your success. Read more>>

Helen Ngo: Entrepreneur & Financial Empowerment Coach

Balancing my life sounds like I have to juggle multiple responsibilities at once. As if I have in one hand my work and in the other hand my personal life. I don’t juggle my responsibilities; I prioritize what needs to get done. Each day is opened with answering the question: “What’s the most important thing that needs to get done today that will get me closer to my goal?” Work is not labor; I view work as the art I create in my life. As the main sculptor of my life, work is something I continuously design, shape, mold, and change so that at the end of my life, I am able to look back and proudly say “look at my life’s work. Isn’t it beautiful?”. Read more>>

Daniel White: Visual Artist & Podcaster

This is the million-dollar question and so hard to answer as a creative because I know how hard I need to work to get to where I want to be in the creative industry. Even though I have big goals for myself and my business, balance is key to preventing burnout and becoming my best self. But I have to admit, it’s become harder to balance as I have dived deeper into the industry with podcasting, writing music, and videography. All that said, balance is complicated. But over the past couple of years, I’ve utilized a weekly planner to leave days open to relax, spend time with friends, and do things I want to do without feeling any pressure to work. On the days in between, I make a to-do list that helps me stay on top of daily tasks that help achieve the goals of my business. However, I always make time for myself every day, either before bed or first thing in the morning. Read more>>

Adi Devta Kaur: 500 Hour RYT Registered Yoga Instructor Trained in Rishikesh, India |Reiki Master| Meditation Teacher| Sound Bath Therapist

Being a yoga instructor means holding space for the community and people that you serve. Sometimes the needs of others can be strongly placed in front of your own needs. This is then a reaction that leads us as teachers to be unfit for the job. Showing up for the community means showing up for myself first. There were times that I would just run and run, go and go, when energetically I didn’t have it. My body began to ache because of taking on too much. Some of these pains were not my own. I began to experience the symptoms of my clients. This had to change immediately. Read more>>

Jelece Morris: Foodpreneuer & Consultant

I have been known for working on a few-many things at the same time since I was a child. As my purpose in life has been further exposed and refined, I have narrowed in on where and how I spend my time. I do not believe in multi-tasking but know I have picked up some avid task-switcher skills over time. Balancing it all really comes down to me understanding my priorities. I check in with myself every so often and ask ‘What are my main focus points of life right now?’. That answer tends to evolve with each stage of life I approach. Setting boundaries has helped me keep things balanced. When I understand what I can and cannot do, it makes it easier for me to make more concentrated choices without overextending myself. I often remind myself, I am only one person and there are still only 24 hours in a day. Read more>>

Jon’ll Boyd: Experience Curator and Digital Marketing Strategist

Work/Life balance for me has truly been an evolution over the history of growing and transitioning my business while growing a family and transitioning into who I need to be as a mom for my boys and a wife for my husband. This was an area I was not the best at in the beginning because like many women entrepreneurs and high achieving women, I felt a since of needing to prove my value and my worth inside my home as well as within my industry/career. I’ve since then embarked on a deep spiritual and personal journey to rediscover myself through radical self love, personal and professional development and making sure that it is all rooted in joy. It has caused me to learn how to redefine how I do life and business by developing processes that support both. Learning to carve out time to give me what I need first which I call my “me time” so that I’m fully equipped to give to who and what I need to throughout the day. This has shifted my mindset and how I approach the day. Read more>>

Malachi Mills: Singer/Songwriter

Every career path lends itself to different spectrums of finding balance and productivity but I can say from my experience, being a Singer/Songwriter requires resetting your goals and balance constantly. To stay sane in the music industry it has helped me to approach this journey first as an entrepreneur and second as an artist. I find more and more that even though it’s a grind, staying grounded in things like finance, organization and goal setting gives me the capacity to thrive in my creativity. Nothing comes without a price so setting my pace for a long term investment into a music career is pivotal for me. Practically this looks like working multiple jobs that are time flexible which allows me to keep music as a priority. Over time as my music career has grown to be financially sustainable and predictable I have shifted the income balance more to that direction, which I plan to keep up until music is my only form of income. Read more>>

Grace Offerdahl: Earring-Maker, Bartender, and Digital Marketing Specialist

I think America is one of the only countries in the world that puts so much pressure on work. Denmark has some of the world’s most efficient workers and they run on a 37 hour work week, distributed over 5 days. Every employee is legally entitled to five weeks’ paid vacation per year, and working overtime is discouraged across the country. In Italy, only 4% of employees work overtime, compared to the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) average of 11%. You request time off when you need it, and you call off when you’re sick – no guilt trip required. They believe that work should be secondary to enjoying your life. Read more>>

Margeaux Kittles: Professional Coach and Strategist

Work/life balance requires intentional planning, sacrifice and consideration. It doesn’t necessarily just happen. I’d have to argue that for most of us, I will not happen without careful consideration of goals and priorities. For me, these factors have changed over time. Just three years ago, my life looked totally different. I was a single professional, and able to focus solely on my priorities. Today, as the mother of 3 children under the age of three, a wife, daughter and an entrepreneur; finding a healthy balance is a daily goal for me. The most valuable piece of advice I can offer is to create a culture of grace. By extending yourself and others grace, you model flexibility and understanding to others around you. This helps when you need the same from others. I understand that the why I choose to balance it all affects the others around me. Read more>>

Monica Evans: Peace Fournine Apparel LLC., Owner

I am a wife, mother, and work full-time. Work-life balance is necessary. As a business owner, it is easy to get burnt out. When I first started my business, I did not have a work-life balance. I would work the business after hours when my family was asleep. I had to rebalance my life as our brand focuses on peace, love, and joy. I found tools to help me stay present on social media. Automation has helped out tremendously. I also designate certain days and times for content creation, engagement, and the administrative portion of the business. I love what I do. I love the lives I am touching through our social media platform and the messaging on our apparel. Read more>>

Tiana Carston: Online Boutique Owner

Coming from a family that had their own business it was a dream of mine to have my own. I have always had a “boss mentality” but I made a choice to start my family first over my career so working for someone else consumed my life. I worked two jobs as I tried so hard over and over again to launch my own business but fear got the best of me every time. I was afraid to loose my guaranteed income so I lacked consistency in any business I tried to launch. I recently became overwhelmed and I knew I had more to offer in me, a side no one had seen before. I wanted to be able to express myself not only because of my “boss mentality” but because I wanted to be a better Mother without fear of loosing my income. Being on the fast track I knew I needed to slow down it was becoming all to familiar of my past I prayed my way out of . I wanted to creative a more balanced and stable life for my family and what better way after much prayer then to pour some happiness and motivation into myself and take a step out on faith. Read more>>

Will Mordell: Photographer and Salesman

This is a big one for me – I just got out of college last year, a time where many of us feel busy all the time, only to look back and realize we had all the time in the world. Now, having been out for over a year I’ve found that my time is more valuable than ever. I work a full time corporate job that often requires me to travel, I have commitments to friends, family, my girlfriend, our dog, and obviously try to pick up my camera any chance I get. I’m still learning how to balance all of this to be honest. One part gets out of whack and the rest quickly suffer for it. Read more>>

Junior Charles: Music Artist & Songwriter

It took me a while to really find a balance between my career life and my personal life. Before, when I was single I only had to worry about myself and my career. That’s it. So I could go to the studio and record whenever I felt like it for how long I felt like. That all changed when I got married though. During the beginning it was hard finding time for one without neglecting the other. There was a point in time where I almost gave up music because I felt like I wasn’t spending enough time with my wife. That only lasted a few days though. I couldn’t stop thinking about music. The urge to create was irresistible. I just knew I couldn’t give it up. So after a few days of deep thinking and reorganizing my life, I finally found the balance that works for us. When I got home from my 9-5, I made sure to spend time with her. I would let her know ahead of time what days of the week I was planning on going to the studio. Read more>>

Brittney Price: Motivator, author, podcaster, speaker&sex development coach

In my opinion, balance doesn’t exist. I think we must be present and active in moments that are presented to us. Life requires so much from us so the best thing we can do is be present in every area while we have the moment. I think it’s impossible to find a happy medium when business and life pick up together. Just be PRESENT in all situations. Read more>>

 

Nya Abernathy: Public Educator & Curriculum Designer

I actually do not believe in balance. In my estimation, work/life balance is a myth. Often we are convinced to chase this moment where everything feels “balanced” – the laundry is done, the kids are fed, the groceries have been bought, the bills have been paid, the projects are on time, the emails have been answered, the meetings have been scheduled…but do we ever ACTUALLY get there? No. And if we do it is momentary, at best. I prefer to think of it as engaging in life-giving rhythms. The rhythm of water or the rhythm of music changes, can slow, can speed up, and everything doesn’t come crashing down around us like we were spinning plates. There are adjustments to be made, and we can do that. There may be seasons where the rhythm is heavy on vocational or educational endeavors. During other seasons the rhythm brings us in tune with our familial or relational needs most. Read more>>

 

Ezz-Eldin Hassan: Bag Wizard at The Spindle

I was an early follower of the ‘Grind Life’ but after a couple of years realized that wasn’t sustainable to my Physical/Mental health and the health of of my relationship with my wife and 2 kids, I stayed up all hours making bags, and at times that work would suffer and I had to redo a lot of bags. But once I slowed down, all those relationships got way better, I was making better bags and coming with new designs in the process..I think the balance is necessary..make time for the ones you love and especially yourself. Not taking care of you will destroy your business. Get rest, Love your Loves and remeber you’re already lucky to be doing what you dig..do it on your own terms and make a way to live your own life in the process of doing cool shit. Read more>>

Debrika Wright Person: Actress

I have a very supportive family. They understand what it is that I am doing so sometimes they join in and be apart. Read more>>

 

Shan Terrell: Entrepreneur/Mom-preneur

I am a mother, spouse, business owner, student and so much more. Over time I’ve learned that I can not accomplish everything in one day. I would try to squeeze all of my “to-do-lists” tasks in a matter of a few hours. I was becoming overworked and irritable to say the least. Yet, I was not getting as much done as I thought I was. Now, I view balance as the core of my day. Essentially there is a time and place for everything. I delegate tasks for myself and if I need help I simply ask. I no longer bring the “office” work home. My home-life is mostly separate from my work-life (I slip up sometimes). I set aside specific days and/or times for my family, for myself and other things not associated with work. Balance by definition: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady. Proper balance has allowed me to do just that!. Read more>>

Patience Riley: Licensed Mental Health Therapist, Speaker, & Writer

Work/life balance…. What is that? My business has transformed over the years, and I’ve had to get creative in finding ways to devote time to work, myself and family. When I opened my private practice in 2017 I was in a completely different space than I am now, and had more time to devote to my side hustle. I still spent an endless amount of time with my husband and friends, and created a schedule where I worked in my business around my full-time job. Then, I had a baby and moved three times between 2019-2020 as I’m a military spouse and we go where the military tells us. The flexibility and time I previously had to devote to my business went out the window and I found myself on the slippery slope of finding work/life balance. My full time job changed from a flexible counseling position to being a full time stay at home mom. Since babies don’t allow you to clock in from 9-5 I had to get creative in how I viewed work/life balance once I decided to start working in my private practice again. Read more>>

Jennifer Edwards: REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties, East Cobb Office

One of the most appealing things about selling real estate is that I have a somewhat flexible schedule. Not entirely. I have to work when my clients are available and most of my clients are available outside of their normal working hours, meaning I do end up working a lot of nights and weekends. But the non-client facing parts of the job: marketing, research, planning– those things are the tasks I fit in around my family’s life. I have three kids, so when my youngest started school and I decided to re-enter the workforce, it was important to me that I still be able to do all the fun things I’d enjoyed with them when I stayed home, and I feel like I’ve done a decent job of balancing that. But then Covid happened. I remember I had a closing at the March and I said to myself, “well, I guess that’s it.” I didn’t expect the real estate market to catch fire like it did in the second half of last year. Read more>>

Zakiya Brown: Entrepreneur & Entertainer

This is honestly a great question and something I am still trying to perfect to this very day. I don’t think anybody has it all figured out in terms of the work/life balance. After almost 3 years in business I still struggle with either being all invested in my business and some times neglecting my personal needs or it’s vice versa, I’m still trying to find my middle ground when it comes to giving both the proper amount of time and attention. However, I think thats the most beautiful part about being an entrepreneur. You never stop learning and you never stop evolving. I do know I have become more dedicated and focused in terms of my consistency when it comes to my business because I’ve seen the the major difference in sales when I’m all in versus when I seem to be just going with the motions. Read more>>