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.

Gina Burg | Photographer and Mixed Media Artist

Work-life balance is essential! I love everything about working as a creative, but having your own business means you’re almost always working. One must learn to keep strict business hours, and no matter how much you want to, you simply cannot reply to a business email or phone call after your ‘business’ hours. Every time I have made an exception, those are the clients I regret working with. One late text turns in the multiple and snowballs from there. We live in paradise, and it is incredibly important to get outside and experience the natural beauty of our home. When I take a morning to free-dive in the ocean or ride my bike, I am energized for the rest of the day and am at my most productive. Read more>>

Florelle Rodenberg | Fine Artist and Live Wedding Painter

Initially, when I started Florelle Studio I was saying yes to every wedding I could book. While I know I needed to do that starting out to get my bearings and gain some traction, it was exhausting. Not only was the pandemic in full swing, but I had booked weddings years in advance for 2020 and 2021, working 3 day weekends and rarely being able to take time off. I also would work all week painting commissions, leaving little time for my own fine art work. Read more>>

Shan Y. Chuang | Performing Artist & Dancer

When I came to New York, I didn’t know the concept of work-life balance. Coming from a traditional Asian household, I always heard my mom’s voice in the back of my head that I needed to work hard, use every second of the day, and do things fast. When I just moved to the U.S, everything was new to me. At that time, I didn’t know how long I could stay so I had to make everything out of it. I said yes to every work opportunity, rushed from one audition to another, and was always in the “go go go” mood until I dislocated my ankle. Read more>>

Dánielle Bazzoni-Lawrence | Managing Director, Zone Marketing Limited

When I started Zone Marketing Ltd. in 2017, I hit the ground running and really made work my absolute priority. I had the freedom and energy to fully dedicate myself to working and building my business reputation in a competitive field. Giving back was also something I valued in my life, so I made my duties within the Rotary Club of Kingston (RCOK) a priority when I joined the club in 2016. Just a quick year later, I got married and soon after had my beautiful daughter, so I really had to learn how to balance my family life, work and of course, my charity obligations. It is a fact that it is impossible to be in all places at the same time, so I think it is important to be as organized as possible when managing multiple roles. Read more>>

Marry Vuong | Pediatric Neurology/Neurosurgery Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Fashion Designer, & Wedding/Event Planner

My balance has definitely shifted a lot after residency. When I was a pediatric pharmacy resident, I was working 12 days a week and balance consisted of staying afloat, finishing my projects, learning, and working out. Now that I am well into my career, I guess I missed being busy, so I started taking on more business ventures: small intimate gatherings & lucy tran collection.I thrive with the chaos of juggling tasks and like to use all parts of my brain, so balance to me means using my left and right brain, always. Read more>>

Beatriz Lora | Cheesy Executive Officer

Owning and running a business has been a learning curve and a challenge when creating a good work life balance. Effectively running all aspects of a business – such as being your own social media manager/content creator, bookkeeper, customer service, and sales person, is certainly no easy task. All areas are equally important but time consuming, presenting a challenge to create this essential work life balance. Bee Cheesy is my passion project, my baby, the one thing I am really proud of, and when I started this journey, I wanted to dedicate all hours of the day to it. Read more>>

Kate Jaramillo | Nutrition Coach Business Mentor & Mom of Four

The main reason I started my own business was to have a flexible schedule that would allow me to be home with my children. Like many entrepreneurs, though, I found myself chained to my phone and computer, working just about all waking hours of the day. Time with my children was always cut short, and I chose to believe that I was setting an example of what a strong work ethic looked like. One day I had the opportunity to interview a successful female business owner. When I asked how she balanced her work and family life, she jokingly said, “Oh, I balance nothing!” A short time later, her family life crumbled, and her business slowed down as a result. Read more>>

Valerie Carmel | Licensed therapist, Author and Speaker

Listen, I am so grateful my work-life balance has improved over the past 2 years! When I first started my practice, I was a side hustler. I was working days at the hospital full-time and running my practice in the evening. I started my business in 2020, when the world was full swing into the COVID pandemic. Here I am, a single mother, trying to figure out virtual school, protect myself and him from contracting COVID every day I went to work, riding the massive learning curve of entrepreneurship and not have a nervous breakdown! Read more>>

Alexandra Adams | Owner and Founder of Yellow Bird Music – A music studio where children and music soar!

That took a long while to figure out. I’m still learning. But for me more than anything, it’s a feeling. A feeling of what feels good within me. Am I happy? Being present in the now, holding tight to moments that make everything in my world go round. Taking time to enjoy this life I live. If I feel a sense of balance, then so can everyone around me. Life is ever changing with no clear paths, ever. It’s how we understand and learn from these life events that give us our own balance, or learning of, I feel. Read more>>