By far the most common conversation we have with the folks we interview is about work-life balance. Starting a business or pursuing a creative career makes finding work life balance really tough because there is no clear start and end to one’s work day. We’ve shared some of our conversations on the topic below.

Kelsey Aida Roualdes | Self-Empowerment Author, Blogger, Coach

I’ve learned to go with the flow of my own personal energy. Luckily, working for myself gives me the freedom to produce and create when I’m inspired… and to take breaks when I need them to rest and recharge! In general, I highly disagree that the majority of the week should be dedicated to working and only two days are for personal time and rest, so I have set up my life in a way where my workdays only take up 3-4 days of the week maximum and that gives me plenty of balance. Some periods in my career I”ve felt inspired to work more and work harder, and other times I’ve taken months to a year off and lived off my savings. Being great at saving and managing my finances well gives me a lot of freedom to choose when and how much I want to work. Read more>>

Celia Ma | Artist and CEO of Paint The Town

When I first started Paint the Town in 2016, and then reinvented the business to focus on virtual events in 2020, work life balance was a luxury I did not have. That may be a controversial statement, but I truly believe that as a founder in the “starting up” phase of a business, it’s a rare luxury to accomplish your goals on a 40-hour work week. So 90-hour weeks were common for myself and my co-founder, Phil, in the early days. That being said, we quickly learned that trying to do everything ourselves was a fool’s errand and completely unsustainable. After pivoting our business in 2020 and solidifying new product offerings, we invested most of our energy in building scalable processes and infrastructure, and developing our rockstar team. With all that to lean on now, we can allow ourselves to breathe a bit more. These days, we try to remember that there will always be more work to do, but that our best work and happiness comes when we are living our lives with balance, mindfulness, and healthy personal and social connections. Read more>>

Emily Mearns | Energy Coach & Course Launch Expert

Work life balance is the key to maintaining and sustaining an aligned and thriving career and life. Learning to harness your innate internal energy and wisdom allows you to blend both aspects of your life and work so you stay in a more constant state of being and feeling grounded and centered. I grew up with the mentality and approach that you need to work hard to be successful. I applied that approach to my life’s goals and career only to find myself quickly burnt out and in a state of constant lack and over giving which took me away from actually experiencing and enjoying my life, my family, and my career. I deeply believe in taking the practical actions steps necessary to bring the internal ideas and innovations to life and I also believe that this can be done in a way that feels expansive, fun, and exciting. Read more>>

Gregg Anderson | CEO of Origin 63 | Smart B2B Technology Solutions For Growing Brands

My work life balance has dramatically changed over time. In college I launched a marketing consulting business that took off three years after graduation. In 2018 my business partner and I raised a private equity round and from there, our work life “imbalance” was born. We worked 80-hour weeks, including late nights and weekends as the company quadrupled in size over a three year period. I think we’ve all been taught by society that to be successful one needs to work hard—and that the harder one works, the more successful one will be come. I was convinced that if we could do more we could grow faster and outcompete our competition, but I was wrong. Working too many hours actually made me less productive and my ability to be creative becomes non-existent. I started losing friends. I started to become lonely and detached from my family. Over time, I become overweight, started having panic attacks, and lost my edge that made me the entrepreneur I am. Read more>>

Jennifer Flynn | Intuitive Guidance For a Strategized Business

Work life balance has been a particular area of focus for me in my life so much that it became the focal point of my business and career. I help entrepreneurs and business owners build a business that acts as a vehicle for a life they love to live. On my own journey I have learned the importance of being BOTH professionally and personally fulfilled. I might argue that your don’t truly have on without the other. You have to find your fulcrum between them. There are times when it is necessary to create an intentional imbalance to achieve ones goals. they key here is it has to be intentional and not accidental. The accidental or default imbalances are where life gets tricky. I have found that it is necessary to educate people on what balance really means when applied to work life balance specifically. Balance is a bit of a misnomer. It is not a static point but rather a more dynamic act of juggling. Read more>>