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.

Christina Gayman | Public Relations Professional & Outdoor Enthusiast

I think “work life balance” should truly be thought of as “work life integration” – especially if you enjoy what you do for work. I’ve held many communications, public relations and marketing roles at newspapers, magazines, marketing agencies, and both privately held and publicly traded companies, and I never found a true “balance.” Read more>>

Katrina Leno | Writer

When I was younger, in my twenties, I definitely fell pray to the mindset that if I wasn’t constantly working on my writing, I was somehow failing in my creativity. I would write for six, eight, ten hours a day, only feeling accomplished if I was utterly exhausted by the evening. This is a great way to reach a place where you never want to write again. As I’ve grown and matured, I’ve realized how important balance really is. Read more>>

Zi Xu | Freelance Illustrator

The concept of a work-life balance has always been a challenge for me, as I think it’s difficult to not do too much work especially when you’re pursuing a freelance career. When I first started doing professional art, I was working non-stop to the point of damaging my health. At some point, I had accumulated so many tiny damages (such as pinching nerves on my arms and getting various aches and pains from sitting for too long) that I decided something needed to change. Read more>>

Erica Mae McNeal | Actor and Model

This is a great question! I would say that the balance between just life and my career has definitely changed- especially since graduating from college. While I was still in school it was easier to balance my social life, because I saw my friends all the time in class and at work. But since graduating and booking roles more consistently, it has been harder to find times to “just be”, you know? Read more>>

christos tsantilis | Pro Audio Mix Engineer/ Acoustic studio Designer

In my younger years, I focused on completing as many tasks in a day as possible. Rest time only came on Sundays. After many years of living that lifestyle, I learned that without proper rest, productivity was lower than I would hope for. Today, I pace myself. I manage my time wisely to make sure my focus is utilized properly throughout the day. Read more>>

Nobutaka Emura | Cinematographer

I’m all about carving out my own slice of time that’s completely work-free. Since graduating and with these strikes causing turbulence in my industry, it’s been a bit of a juggling act to find those opportunities. But I’m getting there. I truly believe that maintaining a balance between personal and work time is a game-changer for mental well-being. Read more>>

Hanna Jaeun | Artist/Painter

When I was first showing my work in galleries, I have to admit my work life balance was severely unbalanced. I had two jobs and one of them sent me across the country every couple of months. Whatever spare time I had was spent painting to meet deadlines. On top of that, I didn’t really know what I was doing which made painting all the more time consuming. Read more>>

Lady A | Vocalist, Songwriter, Producer, Storyteller, Activist

In the beginning of my career, like so many. We work hard to create and push our brand that at times, we lose sight of family, friends and yes, they understand, they support and push us. However, as your brand, your business, your artistry comes to fruition; even in the slightest way, we need to remember life balance, self-care, family and friends are important. Read more>>

Jared Cohn | Filmmaker/author/inventor

There is no attempt or thought management on my work life balance anymore. My life, my personal life, my business life are the same life. Everything I do has something to do with the journey of the work I’m doing. I love my family, friends, I value relationships, but I am on a journey and nobody is going to do the work for me. Read more>>

Spencer & Shayne | Co-creators and Owners of BLAMO

When we started our company we would work 10-12 hour days 6 days a week and on the 7th day, unable to do anything else, we would sleep. That was honestly our pace for about 10 years. We were younger, and had more energy, and cared about what we were building, and felt like we needed to put that much energy to keep it all running. We made some decisions, for example how we design and self-producing our own product, that locked us into this pattern. Read more>>