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.

Cady North | Financial Advisor and Author

I used to believe that the only way to get ahead was through hard work and becoming more efficient. Ironically, all my effects to succeed in this way ended up leading to burnout. Sometimes the traits that make us resilient, like an “I can do it myself” attitude, over-functioning, or over-responsibility, can lead straight to burnout, anxiety, and depression. So, in 2015, I left my corporate job and went on a 6-month sabbatical free from work, achievements, and to-do lists. It was transformational. It allowed me to reset my expectations for work and inspired me to create my own business helping women one-on-one with their personal finances. It also imprinted a new goal forever in my mind: do and measure what nourishes you. Time off is really important to me. So, I measure days off as one of my key performance indicators. I stopped using to-do lists and instead rely on time-boxing in my calendar — a gentler way to plan projects and activities. I also actively reclaim empty time slots on my calendar. Many would simply fill these with more work and to-do list items. Read more>>

Justin Wright | Composer and Music Producer

To be honest, balance has become a massive component when it comes to a healthy and well-rounded lifestyle for myself. At least this is what I attempt to do. The concept, or mindset, of balance positively affects my work, and it also permeates into everything that I am a part of. Exercise. Friends. Family. Romance. Consuming entertainment. Food. Travel. Etc. I often like to think about phases in my life in regards to statements or mantras. For a time “rhythm” was a mantra of mine that I was seeking after. My life was so hectic with what felt like a zillion things going on (touring with bands, freelancing as much as possible, working side-jobs to help with income, trying to keep up a social life, etc.), that I did not have any balance or rhythm. To me, I feel like humans tend to be drawn toward stable things that offer security and consistency. After so many years of not having balance I learned that (for myself) I needed a more consistent rhythm throughout all that I do. This is not to say that anyone’s life should be routine or on some sort of auto-pilot (unless they want it to look like that). Read more>>

Julia McMahon | Dental Hygienist, Rock & Roller, Photographer, Mother

Work life balance has definitely changed for me over the years, but most dramatically I would say in the last 10 years. My younger self equated my personal value or sense of accomplishment more with how much money I had or whether or not I would own a home someday, etc. I was under the impression that if I worked hard enough or long enough, I would be able to grab the proverbial “brass ring” for myself. As I began to approach middle age, inflation & cost of living made this dream seem further & further out of reach. Watching my pay scale top out in my profession made me feel like a failure to myself & my family. Then I had a series of life changing health problems, including a stroke from which I nearly died. The hospitalizations and long slow recovery made me realize that I hadn’t been living in the moment, but merely going thru the motions trying to attain the impossible. It took me almost dying to figure out how to finally start living. Read more>>

Carly Allen | Marketing Associate & Brand Influencer

I’ve been developing a work life balance since I started working as a publicity intern in college. Separating these two aspects of my life has definitely proved challenging since social media plays a large role in my career and my personal life. Digital detoxes proved to be a vital part of this. Taking a break between work and personal projects that use the same tools (social media/general screen time) help me separate the two into more manageable pieces. I think developing my own routine has helped me immensely so work doesn’t bleed into my personal life and vice versa. This balance has improved over time and I hope I’ll be able to increase my time away from my computer/off of my phone to avoid mindless scrolling when possible. Read more>>

Jesslan Urquhart | Photographer

When I first started my business full time, work was my life. All of it. I poured everything I had into it, & that is truly what I loved. As life has grown & changed, I’ve gotten married & had three kids, finding a balance has been so so necessary. With my first baby, I tried to be the best at everything all the time. I tried be everything to everyone, & as a result, nothing was getting my best work. My work was suffering, my parenting was not what I wanted it to be, & my social life was close to nonexistent. I had to make a change & decide to be fully present where I was. When I was parenting, I put work & other things out of my mind. When I was working, I gave it my all. I didn’t let myself feel guilty about enjoying the moment anymore. And honestly, things turned around! That balance saved me from burn out in all areas of my life! I really feel like my work reflects that too. As my family grew, I realized where my passion lied in photography–it was in the moments that would last a life time. The ones that would be shared years down the road, with kids & grandkids. Read more>>

Kayla Teague | Wedding Planner

Before I launched Simply Gorgeous Events, I was very happy with the balance in my life. I would go to my 9-5 corporate job on the weekdays, then spend the rest of my time doing things I loved. After launching my business, that approach completely shifted, understanding I needed to work hard to build a brand from the ground up. In the first few years, I took on more work than I wanted and sacrificed a lot of that personal time. And you know what happened? I burned out. Yes, I built a business quickly and am incredibly proud of it, but I was left exhausted, uninspired, and unmotivated at the end of each wedding season. Going into my third year of business, I vowed to myself to know my worth and prioritize the harmony of balance in my life. So I raised my prices, safeguarded my “important dates”, set boundaries with clients and vendors, and took on less work. As a result, my business is stronger, my clients are happier, and my overall health is better. Read more>>

Judith Christensen | Artist

Balance implies a satisfactory distribution of time and energy between making art, making a living, being with family and friends, gardening, and attending to other responsibilities. There just aren’t enough hours in a day for all of that. As far as studio time goes, can there ever be enough? Not for me. I’d like to be in my studio every day, all day, practicing making art—not necessarily producing art, but practicing art. To be able to try new ways of doing and new ways of thinking about what I’m doing I need to feel my time is limitless. And there are days, sometimes even weeks, when my studio time is extremely limited. While it’s easy to feel like an artist when making art, when life intrudes and studio time is inadequate or nonexistent, it’s equally easy to feel like a sham artist. Fortunately, I have now been at this long enough to realize there will always be ebbs and flows. And, I’ve experienced enough fluctuations to be able to reassure myself that once life calms, I can and will return to the studio. Read more>>

Chelsea Caddick | Hair & Makeup Artist, Owner of Chelsea Rose Beauty

My work-life balance is always changing. I don’t see it as a straight level to maintain, I see it more as a seesaw scale that goes up and down. In different seasons and stages of my business, there will require a lot of dedication and workload from me and that may make me feel like my balance is off, but I know it won’t stay like that forever. Once I accomplish a big (or small goal) in my business then I go into dedicating more time to my relationships and pour into myself more so I feel rejuvenated. I think it’s really important to make sure you don’t stay on one side of the scale for too long otherwise, you may lose momentum. Read more>>

Deanna Haala | Photographer, Designer and Vocalist

Over the years my work life balance has definitely changed. It is important to recognize with life’s changes, you need to make the necessary adjustments to have a good balance. When my children were younger, we had two incomes coming in which allowed for more family time in the evenings and weekends. Later in life I became a single Mom and had to work a lot more, therefore some adjustments needed to be made. With going to school and working several jobs, it was very tough to make time for myself let alone my children. I was very lucky to have the help of my older two with my youngest. Work life balance has its challenges, but if you can learn to roll with the punches, you will do just fine! My work life balance right now is the best it has ever been. I have the privilege of working from home as well as going into the work place. I have the best of both worlds! Having this flexibility allows me to be home with my family more, set my hours and get out into the workplace. I have time to exercise, my favorites being Jazzercise and walking. My children and I are both health conscious, so we have fun cooking together or for each other. Read more>>