Our community is filled with hard-working, high achieving entrepreneurs and creatives and so work-life balance is a complicated, but highly relevant topic. We’ve shared some responses from the community about work life balance and how their views have evolved over time below.

Jade Devitt | Real Estate Advisor & Musician

I’ve always tried to put life in front of work, I don’t always succeed. My burning desires have always been tied to being creative, whether as a musician /songwriter, for my band Gale Forces, expressing myself athletically as an adult league baseball enthusiast, or via travel & escape to the natural world. My career as a realtor has at times blended the two. I am part of a very creative based brokerage: PLG Estates. Often the clients I attract come from the world of creatives, and the clients fall into that category as well. In a town where aesthetics are key, presenting a home for sale is often like staging a set for the camera. And often the setting is as beautiful as the imagination can stretch. Read more>>

Kevin Leal | Storyboard Artist

I used to have zero work-life balance whatsoever. During college, I would just work around the clock to make my assignments and personal portfolio as great as they could possibly be which was a never-ending pursuit. Inevitably I burnt out hard and finally realized I had to start taking care of myself and give time to other facets of my life to be able to refuel that passion and energy to work again. Now I make sure to spend time away from work and look at it as a way to refill my creative tank. Read more>>

Jenny Quinones | Owner/Pastry Chef/Stay at Home Mom

Work life balance has always been a difficult one for me, especially in the Culinary field when the hours are long and almost always include weekends and holidays. Starting out work came first almost all the time, working 12-14 hours in the kitchen. Taking every side catering job or extra class I could find to learn as much as I could. As time went on I began to burn out and started looking for higher positions that allowed me earlier hours which helped free up more family time and earn more. Everything made a 360 though when I got pregnant and had my first daughter; I not only wanted to but felt the need to spend all my time with her and began to get severe anxiety when I as gone. Adjusting my schedule was not enough and I knew I wanted to be a stay at home mom. Read more>>

Hayley Oakes | Midwife Provider and Educator

I recently relocated from Los Angeles to the Santa Barbara area with my husband and two young children. We moved in with my mother-in-law as we transition to finding something more permanent. After years of juggling work, family and personal life, I feel like I have finally struck a nice balance. Being amongst family and their support is helping me reset my nervous system which makes me feel like a better person, wife and mother. Living close to the ocean and in more direct contact with the natural world is a humbling human experience. I feel as if I don’t ‘sweat the small stuff’ so much anymore ie it’s easy to feel that there are greater forces at play in this world. Read more>>

Danielle McCleerey | Executive Business Coach

The biggest mistake I ever made was believing that work life “balance” was the goal. For years I hustled and grinded so hard, just waiting to get to the point where life could feel balanced- with no success. Then it hit me- work life balance doesn’t exist. At least not for people who want to have a calm central nervous system. Balance insinuates 50/50. Nothing in work and life can ever be 50/50. When I would chase 50/50 I constantly felt like I was on a hamster wheel or rollercoaster that I couldn’t exit. Trying to balance on that tightrope, hoping it would start to feel good in my body. Having a calm central nervous system has always been the goal. The truth is- a calm central nervous system is not built by having balance. Read more>>