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.

Amy Dose | Artist & Muralist

Ask someone how they are these days and the most common answer is: busy. We are a society who values busy-ness (business). I am no different. I have a family, a business, a “fixer upper” log cabin in the country, two dogs, two horses, a vegetable garden, and big dreams. Life- it can be a lot. My first memory of striving for more balance in my life was as a college student. I was a full time student and I always had a job. I used my day planner religiously, trying to fit in time with friends, time outdoors, time for meditation, and time for my creativity. It seemed like there was never enough time. Read more>>

Colin Trombley | Owner of Shredded East and Vocalist for In Shallows

My work life balance has changed pretty drastically over the years and the grind has never really stopped, which I’m proud to say. I started off as a weekend bag boy/babysitter/full-time student/ops manager at FedEx to where I’m at now… Risk Consultant/Skateboarder/Brand Owner/Band Member. I also like to squeeze in some youth skateboard instructing on the side, traveling to find my new favorite skatepark, and video editing for Shredded East. Read more>>

Ragen Chastain | Speaker, Writer, Trained Researcher, Activist

I think that work life balance is different for someone like me, because my work is also activism. So it’s not just about making a living but also about a personal mission to do what I can do to address injustice in the world. In my first career I was a business operations consultant and I worked hard to create boundaries to protect my work life balance. Part of choosing to be a professional speaker and writer in the social justice field was relaxing those boundaries and dedicating my life to this work. Read more>>

Bonnie Perry | Small Business Owner -1/2 Pints Jelly

Since starting my small business in 2017 my work life balance has changed drastically. Before I started my small business I worked full time for the North Clackamas School District. My 8 hours was split between 2 positions, 4 hours at the district office doing data entry and miscellaneous work and 4 hours at Sabin-Schellenberg as Attendance Secretary. (both the 4 hour positions I had should have been 8 hours on their own.) On top of my 8 hour job I also house/dog/child sat for about 7-10 people. Read more>>

Staci Bartels | Gym Owner / Trainer

I don’t think there ever is a balance…one always will crowd the other. So you have to find what works for you, what drives you, what keeps you sane, and what keeps you moving forward (both personally & professionally). No day is like the other for me (who wants to live a life of groundhog days?), and I’ll do my best to keep it that way. A big part of that though comes with time, taking things with a grain of salt, and picking your battles. Read more>>

Soozie Kinstler | Yoga Instructor, Energy mover, Essential Oil Lover, Bodyworker, and Biodynamic Craniosacral therapist

Self-care is crucial to maintaining a balanced, productive, and inspired life. My self-care practices change intuitively with the season or at different times in my life, depending on my busyness. Meditation happens every day, but it takes many shapes like yoga nidra, sleep hypnosis, or seated meditation. I am currently obsessed with playing my harmonium. I have attended Naropa and taken Indian classic singing how to chant Sanskrit mantras in a kirtan style in my last two years. Read more>>