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.

Karina Pimentel | Singer Songwriter & Freelance Artist

As an artist, balancing work life has been one of the most challenging, yet fulfilling, skills I have mastered over the years. For me, that process began back in college when I decided to attend Business School in the mornings, work as an office manager in the afternoons, and rehearse with my former band most nights. I knew that I had to continue my education, while still making money and pursuing my music dreams. Although it wasn’t easy at first, with time and experience I was able to find a harmonious balance throughout the different areas of my life. The key was to learn proper time-management and how to equally prioritize my career and artistic goals. Now I also see the work life balance as an ongoing journey, instead of a destination. Read more>>

Aixa Baez | Pop R&B Artist

I think of work life balance by picturing one of those vintage weighing scales that has my work life on one side and my personal life on the other. I have to make sure both sides are equal so that it stays level and either side doesn’t start sinking. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m putting equal time into both, but more so that my personal life has more quality per hour that is equal to the amount of hours I put into my work life. Achieving this balance has always been a challenge for me, but I have been able to get closer to it as the years pass. It’s very important to make sure that I make time for myself and my mental health so that I can perform better in my career. If I don’t make that time to check in on myself, I find that I’m less productive or burn out faster at work. Once I made that connection, I was able to make my mental health in my personal life a priority and look for ways to manage it better in my work life. Read more>>

David Chiverton | Musician/Drummer

Work, life, balance……There aren’t too many people that are “perfect” at this subject matter….And even if you have a good sense of balance, there are still moments when you have to reset in order not to lose control. I honestly believe through my life experiences and especially now that I’m a little over a year married, balance is an art within itself. As a professional musician and creative, im constantly in the pursuit of what’s next. I never allow myself to be satisfied with what I’ve already accomplished. I’m always in search of the next cool gig, album, idea or concept that can potentially provide for my family. As the husband, provider and leader of my family, it is imperative that I’m always thinking ahead……Whether that concerns our finances, our living arrangements, our transportation and even how/what we’re going to eat this week. Read more>>

Cari Garcia | Food Blogger

I’ve had my blog for 10 years now, so naturally my balance has changed over time. When I first started I was a young single woman with a 9-5 job. Now things have changed and I am a mom. I juggle a career, the blog (my side hustle), my son and my own personal life. In my life I find balance first by setting my priorities. Above everything, my four year old son is my top priority, next comes my career, then my blog. I make sure to set boundaries for myself such as, not answering emails after 8pm. Read more>>

Heather Deecken | Mental Health Therapist

Work life balance – what a challenging topic! There was one point in my life where I had a really poor work/life balance. Over the years, I adopted this mindset of, “The busier I am, the more successful I am.” It has been challenging to get out of that mindset, however I have become to recognize how wrong that belief is! When I was working a full-time agency job, I had a difficult time finding that balance between my work life and my personal life. When I wasn’t at work, I found myself still thinking about work. It even got to the point where my first thought in the morning would be, “What is on my to-do list at work?”. The unfortunate part is that I totally thought this was normal at that time. Read more>>

Jordan Esker | Songwriter & Producer and Technical Writer

While I’m unsure of what to refer to as my work, I will say that I’ve always maintained a healthy balance between my day job and spending time on making music. Over time, I’ve figured out how. to accomplish making more music in a lesser amount of time by just knowing how to produce the sounds that are happening in my head. I also don’t waste time in mulling over what to work on. I just start on something that I know needs to be done to work towards finishing a certain project. I also keep a lot of notes on what I’m trying to achieve, so that when I have the time to work towards it I can start from these notes and know what my intention was. Read more>>