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.

Neslihan Ostrowski | Product Photographer

Work and life balance is not easy and it is not always even. Sometimes you set aside more time for work, sometimes you set aside more time for family and when the time comes you have to set boundaries and have balance in your life. When I first started in photography in the early 2000s, I was still a student and I worked all the time to get work.  This meant I was working on projects that are not related to my current focus of product photography.  I worked on artistic projects, model portfolios, fashion photography, baby photography, and lifestyle photography.  You name it I probably did it. Read more>>

Dyanne Klinko | Photographer & Producer/Host of Backstage Pass, a Facebook project

Balancing my work and my personal life has taught me many things. As a wife and mother, it is critical for me not to loose focus on the most important part of my life, family. When my work starts to cross over into my personal life, I can see obstacles forming rapidly. A husband doing activities on his own, not talking with my children as I should. My absence is the worse part of loosing my balance in life. I look at balance like a scale. Fifty/fifty. If the scales start to dip to one side, or the other I begin to loose either my family time, or the dedication I put into my photos and my interviews. Keeping a balance is something I have to work at everyday. Read more>>

Nicole kirshner | SoCal Intimate Wedding & Elopement Photographer

Work life balance has been my biggest strength and weakness all at the same time. But because it has been such a weakness, it has also become one of my biggest priorities lately with my business. It is so easy to assume that as a business owner you can take on each and every roll on your own but that is nearly impossible. Within the last few years I have struggled with my own mental health because of the lack of balance between work and my real life. However, ever since I have prioritized boundaries in my personal and work life now I feel like I am finally able to give my business my full attention and my personal life the same. Read more>>