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.

Imani Givertz | Photographer & Social Media Manager

I would say that this pandemic has really impacted the way I understand work-life balance. I used to be a productivity addict with a co-dependent mindset on my achievements. Covid-19 has completely knocked that out of me because 1) I couldn’t work for a period of time and I learned that I am much more than what I do or how much money I make. 2) when I could work again, I had to be extremely cautious of how I was treating myself and my body, and that meant not overdoing it so my immune system could stay strong. Now, as we all start getting back into the workforce, I’m trying to keep the awareness I’ve obtained and still work extremely hard but rest really hard at the same time. I’ve learned that I serve others way better if I take time to serve myself as well. Read more>>

Chris Hernandez

Over the past 9 months my work life balanced has pretty much become 14-17 hours of work five to six days a week. I know it’s not the most glamorous thing to say but I also think it’s important to show the real grit that comes with owning a company. I think social media has allowed so many people to just front this life style when in reality it’s grind. But this is what takes at the moment since we are in transition to growing the business more. I think once we get more established in are new areas we can pull back the reins and catch are breaths. But rite now it’s grinding time and I honestly love it. I only need an hour to lift weights and six to sleep so I’m doing alright. Read more>>

Bettina Benizri | Entrepreneur & Wedding Planner

I once went to a conference where the subject of the speaker was: “Is there such a thing as a work life balance?” In my opinion, same as the speaker’s, there isn’t a “balance” to anything in life, you just got to make it work with what works at the time. Nothing ever really goes to plan in life and nothing is ever easy, some weeks you’re able to workout 4-5 times a week with a beautiful diet and other times you’re lucky you’re able to have time to walk the dog and eat a vegetable. Life’s hard and if you want to succeed in business, it’s going to get A LOT HARDER. You’re going to most probably lose a lot of “friends” and receive a lot of uncalled for opinions but that’s just part of the ladder and it shouldn’t affect your “balance.” Read more>>

Chris Walker | Consulting Hypnotist & Weight Loss Coach

When I first began my business I became so busy helping others that I neglected myself. My life was totally out of balance. I became the overweight Weight Loss Coach and felt like a fraud. My excuse was, I so busy training clients that I didn’t have any time to train myself. This was partially true but the reality was, I wasn’t aware of how badly I was doing in the nutrition department. I was eating way too much! My heaviest was 215 lbs. I didn’t realize it at the time but I was an emotional eater and would frequently reward myself with out of control “cheat days” because I felt I deserved it for all of my hard work of training clients and running a business. (sound familiar) Regular cheats for me were takeout from Burger King or my favourite Pizza and Chicken joint. Even though I knew a lot about nutrition I was blowing it big time! Read more>>

Marcella Prieto | Fashionista & Small Business Owner

Work life balance is certainly one area that has evolved over the course of my professional career. From the onset, my focus and drive were on my own professional successes; I was driven by a self-fulfilling passion to excel and be the best at what I was doing in a way that I pictured success to look like. I worked hard, traveled frequently, and continuously challenged myself, taking on increasing levels of responsibilities along the way. I was fortunate in this regard, I met wonderful people professionally and benefited from my travels, seeing many interesting places along the way. The path I was naturally on changed for me the moment my husband and I realized we were expecting our first child. However, prior to this, I always had an ambition to open a woman’s clothing boutique and to be a small business owner. Read more>>

Danny Bastos | Life Coach, Speaker & Author

I am a very practical person and professional. I do what I gotta do, As a Mom of Two, a wife, an International Life Coach, Author and Speaker, I know what is important. I prioritize what is the most immediate thing that requires my attention and compromise what I have to, without guilt. I am very straightforward and know how to make decisions easily even under pressure. I do take special care of my family as it is the only only place I am irreplaceable. Read more>>