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.

Meesha Farzaneh | Designer

When I was first building my business, I had very little balance. Mostly because I felt like I didn’t have the luxury of only working on my business for x amount of hours a day and I didn’t have the money to hire help. I really wanted to get the business lifted off the ground as quickly as possible, so I worked like a madwoman for 2 years. I was working between 60-80 hours a week. Eventually, the business did take off, but it left me burnt out and exhausted. I understood the importance of hiring help and working as a team to keep the machine moving. I have a team of 5 employees and now I work about 3-5 hours a day, but sometimes it is a normal 8 hour day depending on what we have in the pipeline. I am kinder to myself now and if I need a day off, I don’t shame myself for it and listen to what my body needs. I am a lot happier now as a result and my team is a lot happier too!. Read more>>

Andrea Pender | Chief Business Officer

Work/Life Balance has definitely changed over time. There were times when I did not think the 40-hour work week was not enough. At times, it still is not enough, and I am sure we all feel that occasionally! At this stage in my career, I have put a few unwritten rules in place. My position requires quite a bit of client interaction, which has changed quite a bit with COVID. The biggest step in the right direction was when I made sure to limit my evening work events to one per week. Once I did that, I realized just how many people prefer to get work done during work hours – we all want to go home at the end of the day! That helped me prioritize my family and my health as well. Knowing it would be one evening…instead of four…was a huge step in the right direction! You can place these types of rules into your plan, but you do not need to advertise it. Years ago, I felt like I was doing all the work/life balance “stuff” such as yoga, journaling, meditation, but work/life balance actually came true when the shelter-in-place order occurred. Read more>>

Layla Luna | Artist

For the last thirteen years my studio practice came first. Every major decision was made in reaction to the impact it would have on my work. I moved to attend art programs, traveled for artist residencies, and chose “day jobs” that fueled my practice. Seven months ago, I became a first-time mom and my world was turned upside down in the most wonderful of ways. Pre-baby, I feared that motherhood would steal from my studio practice but that hasn’t been the case at all. Being a mom has profoundly broadened my awareness and my purpose is far more pure. I completely lost the drive to make work during most of my pregnancy and I was terrified that was going to be my new normal but my motivation came back shortly after having my daughter. I still feed my studio practice daily, it just looks different. Time in the studio can be unpredictable and I have shorter stretches of time, but my work has morphed to fit within the new parameters. Read more>>

Nyssa Kantorek | Instagram Blogger

My balance is certainly something that still requires work (a lot of work), but I’ve learned some tricks over the years. I am a full-time student involved in quite a few extracurriculars while also working to have time for myself and for the people closest to me. Often it felt like I woke up early, and didn’t have time to rest until late at night. Eventually, I got used to it, but I figured that if I don’t find a way to balance my heavy workload with my lacking social life and self-care time, I’d eventually burn out and cease to feel fulfilled by my work. Now, I am very willing to say no to an opportunity to work or get something done early to enjoy my life a little bit more. I found that by allowing myself more space in my work, I actually still get things done on time while also enjoying the time I spend with my friends on campus, my partner, or my family. I realized one does not necessarily have to suffer for the other. Read more>>

Harryette Glenn | Rachel Rose Weddings & Events

My work life balance has definitely changed over time. It seriously changes weekly. Being the mother of a six year old comes with it’s own set of challenges. Not only am I keeping up with my schedule but I’m also keeping up with her busy schedule. I make time each day to pour into one of the businesses. One thinking about work life balance my first thought is always what can I do that will reflect the most productivity and the least amount of stress. Every morning comes with a new to do list. Lists And notebooks have definitely become my best friends. Read more>>

Danielle Benoit | Mom, Writer, and Beautycounter Consultant

I’ve always been an “all in” type of person. If I commit to something, I like to do it all the way to the best of my ability. I get frustrated when there are too many things at hand and they cannot be executed “well”. And yet motherhood is very much the act of accomplishing everything in just an average ~feeling~ way (which is a fallacy in itself because moms are awesome overachievers by nature). Over time, I’ve had to adapt my expectations and let go of other things in order to put my best effort in the most important things. For example, I started blogging when my first born was about 7 months old. I was so excited to start writing again and to connect with other moms who were in the same stage I was in- career/goal driven but at home tending to their family. I researched social media strategies, created a website, and wrote draft after draft of blog content/instagram captions. Read more>>