24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week. Junior investment bankers regularly work 80-90 hours a week. Many other high profile professions require the same level of commitment. Often those on the outside claim that working 80-90 hours a week is bad/wrong/terrible/silly/etc but we’ve spoken with so many folks who say working that much has been the best decision of their life – it allowed them to develop a deep and strong skill set far faster than would have been possible otherwise. In other words, by working 2x the hours, they were able to generate 5x or more the rewards. And depending on where you are in your career, investing heavily in your skills and competence can pay dividends for a long time.

Kaili Meyer | Copywriter & Brand Messaging Specialist

The concept of work/life balance is a tricky one. On the one hand, when your “work” is something that feels like a part of you — your passion, your mission, your why — it’s sort of impossible to leave that behind when transitioning out of work and “into life.” For me, the lines are a little blurrier than just shutting off my computer and getting on with my day. Read more>>

Nikole Goebig | Owner of Mesa Public Auction

Finding work life balance is a constant battle, that sometimes I feel I am losing. I was a stay-at-home mom for 12 years and now owning and operating an auction house selling 1000 items per week, Life has changed! It has been very trying to find balance with my kids, our social lives, marriage, chores, appointments and of course our business. Being a stay-at-home mom, I was 100% involved with our kids, volunteering at school and participating in the PTA, always had a clean house, hosted many parties, always made time for date nights and outings. Read more>>

Rachel Mostofizadeh | Family Storytelling Photographer

I love my job so much, so it is sometimes extra hard to balance everything that is important. I am the PTO president at my kids’ school, which can be pretty time-consuming. My kids are involved in a lot of activities and sports, so that combined with all of my daughter’s therapies makes for a pretty packed schedule. What I have tried to do in the last few years is to schedule time to work each day. I am generally in my office from about 9am to 1pm on weekdays. Read more>>

Sharon Coleman | Licensed Clinical Social Worker and mindful yoga instructor

To be totally honest, work life balance has been difficult for me. I love my work and believe that helping people learn better skills can be life changing. That belief has caused me to say yes when I should have rested. I had to figure out how to make me a priority in my life. I now schedule self-care in my daily life. Every morning you will find me exercising, meditating and eating a healthy breakfast. This small adjustment has been a life changer for me! Read more>>

Oksana DerDerian | Speech Therapist & Embodiment Guide

Balance to me is mixing productivity and structure with ease and connection. For my businesses to be successful, I understand that I need to put in the time and work hard, but I also need to remember to slow down. Although rewarding, constant work can bring anxiety and stress. I had moments where I felt stuck and helpless, as no matter how efficiently I worked, things were not flowing. I had to remind myself to pause, reflect and connect to my purpose: Read more>>

Julia Varner | Realtor, coach and mentor

My personal and professional life balance has changed over time in such ways that I’ve learned some key elements of success that allow me to operate at a high level without sacrificing the priorities in my personal life.. initially, I engaged at a high level of production when I first started my career, and was highly successful, however, other areas of my life fell short. My health was poor, my personal relationships were not being nurtured and time with family and friends was lacking in quantity and quality. Upon realization that there were areas that needed attention. I made a decision in mid 2016 to take a step towards the balance many professionals crave. Read more>>

Kimera Morrell | Vocalist, Songwriter, and Music Business Consultant

Had to learn this one the hard way! Entrepreneurs are at high risk for burn out! I’m quite happy with my work life balance now, but it was quite a learning curve. When you’re following your passion it can be exciting to want to work non-stop on your business, sometimes taking no breaks and forgetting to eat meals! But this can royally work against you. Fatigue is real, burn out is real, and REST is real. I had to slow down, and ironically it made me progress faster. Read more>>

Mishele Revelo Walston | Mother, RN, Entrepreneur

Just like Goldilocks, the best fit is finding your balance. We have a saying in Spanish that roughly translates to : shine the candle to your saint not as bright that it burns it or as light that you can’t see him. Finding balance in life is thought but worth it. Everything in life must be balanced. You can wake up in the morning and have a tea with an angel and then have a wine with the devil. It is easy to be on one side and criticize the other. The key is being able to understand and get along with your shadow. Read more>>

Sean O’Dwyer | Hiker/Writer

I don’t know a single person who feels like they’re on top of work/life balance in these pandemic years. Certainly not parents. If you have fewer commitments, I suppose a certain kind of balance might seem attainable. For the rest of us, the growth seems to be in accepting our limitations and learning to go with reality. Am I exhausted? Am I burning out? Is this bringing me any joy or does it feel like a slog? Can I take care of myself? Can I get enough rest? Is there space for this right now? How much? What’s realistic this week? Can I let go of fantasy timelines and just accept it’s going to take longer than I imagined? Read more>>