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.

Sydney West | Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Trainer and business owner

Work life balance is a funny phrase to me. If you are passionate and driven by your goals and what you seek most in life, success, then the balance of work and life will never be. For me, I don’t see it as a balance. My life is my work and my work is my life, but I don’t see it as work. I love what I do and what I have the privilege to do every day. I wake up and strive to achieve all the goals that I wrote out the night before and I get the privilege to not worry about common life threats because I make sure they are not a threat. Read more>>

Andrea Guay | Fine Artist / Oil Painter

Over the years, my understanding of balance has evolved significantly. During my childhood, I had a rather typical experience where the promise of fun only emerged once all my chores were completed. Balance was prescribed. Now, as a full-time artist and a small business owner, I’ve learned to weave moments of tranquility between my various activities and have more self-possession. Being an artist means we look at the world differently, constantly observing, questioning, and thinking critically. Read more>>

Jane Cornish Smith | Artist and Educator

My work life balance has definitely changed over the years! I’ve always considered myself to be an artist, creating art from a young age having been exposed to the process by my mother who was a painter. I sold my work from time to time while focusing mostly on a career as a department store buyer until after the birth of our son. From there I painted from home while raising two kids with my husband. I also painted faux finishes and murals on interior walls and taught art classes for part time jobs. Read more>>