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.

Al McPherson0oplki

I never have a single answer for the question: “What do you do for a living?” I feel like as artists and creatives we are always creating and destroying, metamorphosing between different facets of ourselves.

I wear different hats, like so many LA creatives. I have worked in production for several years, from TV and features to shorts and web series. I perform with a live-theatre experience every year called “The Nothing Special Show,” which is written, directed, and performed by close friends of mine who have started their own artist collective. This collective makes a magazine, which I model for and write in. I adore modeling, so I work with numerous alternative clothing brands in LA as well as freelance amongst the ever flowing wave of LA models. Read More>>

Crystal Bao

During COVID, my idea of work-life balance completely flipped. At first, I was honestly thrilled—everything went online, and I finally had all the time in the world to just draw. I was more productive than ever. I’d spend the entire day making art, and it felt amazing… at least for a while.

I had gone back to China during the pandemic, but my classes were still running on UK time (I was enrolled in a UK school back then), so I had to stay up all night to attend them. It completely threw off my body clock. After a few months, I started to feel the effects—my back hurt, I was barely moving, my sleep was messed up, and I wasn’t getting any sunlight. Read More>>

Calvin Bak

Over time, I’ve come to realize that work-life balance isn’t about perfectly dividing your time—it’s about being fully present where you’re needed most and giving yourself grace when things shift.

My day job in tech allows me to support my family and show up as a reliable team member and leader. I take that seriously, and when it’s time to focus on work, I’m all in. But outside of that, I’m a dad of two and a photographer of eight years. Photography started as a creative escape— Read More>>

Sung Jin Kim

As a full-time ceramic artist, finding a healthy work-life balance has always been important—but over time, I’ve come to see just how essential it really is. When you’re working independently, everything depends on you. That freedom is great, but it can also be risky. Without structure, the line between being a self-driven artist and just feeling lost can get pretty thin.

A lot of people envy the flexibility of a creative lifestyle, but what they don’t always see is how much discipline it takes. I try to stick to a routine—going to the studio in the morning, finishing in the evening, and taking weekends off like most people do. That kind of rhythm helps me stay grounded. Read More>>

Megan Vasquez

Work-life balance is something I think every entrepreneur grapples with, especially in the creative and events industries where the hours are unpredictable and the demands can be all-consuming. As the owner of a wedding planning company, I’ve experienced firsthand how easy it is to let your business take over your life—because you care so deeply about your clients and the work you’re doing. But when I became a mom to two boys, everything shifted. Suddenly, I wasn’t just managing timelines and vendor calls—I was managing bedtime routines and preschool drop-offs too. Read More>>

Arielle View

Sometimes I feel like I have a great grasp on this idea, and other times I make choices that eventually put me in a position where I long for it haha. Definitely an opportunist, so it’s hard for me to say “no” to creative jobs and experiences!

Actually (and this is still a developing thought), over time I’ve come to think that there’s no such thing as “work life balance”, and that its unattainable. Parts of our lives will always take priority over others, and these parts will adjust over time as we do. Kind of like a pie chart where the slices of pie are added and/or taken away. And that’s totally okay. It’s just life. Read More>>

Kyle Stanley

For most of my early career, I thought work-life balance was about dividing hours, how many I spent in the operatory versus how many I had at home. But over time, especially through personal burnout and mental health struggles, I learned that balance isn’t about hours, it’s about alignment.

That realization is what inspired me to create some of my businesses. I now believe that real sustainability comes from mastering our mental and relational health. Balance, for me, means feeling connected to purpose, being present with my family, protecting time for recovery, and leading with intention both inside and outside of the practice. Read More>>

Maria Alcantar

I’m a believer that without the risk, there is no reward. While I tend to be an over thinker, I weigh the pros and cons of every decision. I’ve learned to move forward even when there is a chance of failure. If there’s an opportunity to grow or do something greater, I’ll take the risk every time. Read More>>