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.

Abbie Stout | Edwards House | Cedar & Sage Mercantile

Work life balance is a funny thing for a business owner. It seems that work and life becomes integrated. I work so that I can enjoy life. I am an entrepreneur because of the lifestyle. I enjoy having the flexible schedule and getting my work done when I am alined. If I feel alined with creativeness today, I may work on marketing. Tomorrow, accounting and so on. The balance is key! Read more>>

Kristina Embree | Event Planner | Harlow Events

I must always think about balance. My family comes first and then my new baby which is my business. A typical day in a life is wake up, workout, kids wake up, make sure they are fed, dressed and teeth are sparkling clean. Then we head to school, I take my youngest to mommy and me gym, tucker her out. While she naps I work for two hours, pick my son up from school, take him home for a late lunch or to the park and then hockey. After that I take a deep breath! Bath, dinner, stories, mediate with the kids, watch a show with my husband then work for another 3 hours in the evening! Read more>>

Margaret Hampton | Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Being a mother of two boys and married balance is always something I am looking to find- until recently. What I have learned is that balance is a good goal to have but it’s never actually attainable. I have found that when work is going great and business is full, I slip behind in being a fully present mother, and visa versa, When I give my all to mothering, work suffers. So the answer for me is to give myself grace in knowing that it all can’t be smooth and perfect and to let myself off the hook. I do my best where I can and try to just ride the ebb and flow that life always provides. Read more>>

Haley Hasler | artist, portrait painter, teacher

Working the daily running-of-a household into the private contemplative world of the painter can be a challenge for many artists. For me, the two worlds have always melded together. Since I paint about my daily life, and I paint portraits of the people who inhabit it, you could say that the work-life balance is my subject. Read more>>