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.

Megan Arndt | Fine Art Photographer and Educator

Work/life balance is not easy to achieve, as anyone with a career knows! I think the idea of true, everyday balance between our work lives and our home lives is a myth. Over the course of a year, there are weeks or months when a career will take precedence, and there are stretches of time when family will necessarily become more important. Read more>>

Chad Neidt | Visual Storyteller at 37signals & Co-owner of The D-League, a boutique video production company.

I know this term ‘Work life balance’ has become a bit of a cliche and to some extent Mission: Impossible for many.

But I think it’s not only possible, it’s necessary for sustaining your life and career.

I realize many companies play a big part in not giving enough slack for people’s personal lives, but it goes both ways – we have to set boundaries with our workplace so they’re aware of the shit we won’t put up with. Read more>>

Jennifer Axcell | Entrepreneur and Champion of Rest

For most of us, I’m not sure work-life balance exists. The word itself, balance, implies that an equal distribution can exist. But our lives are not neatly compartmentalized like that—work bleeds into our personal lives, and our personal lives bleed into work all the time. Read more>>

Cora Carroll | Artist & Designer

As an artist and self-described workaholic, my journey towards achieving a healthy work-life balance has been quite the rollercoaster ride. Initially, I threw myself entirely into my art, often forgoing personal relationships, hobbies, and fun nights out in pursuit of creative perfection and professional success. However, after about 2 years of non stop “on the go” I realized that this unsustainable approach was not only detrimental to my well-being but also hindering my artistic growth in the long run. Over time, I’ve learned to approach the balance between work and life with greater mindfulness and intentionality. Rather than viewing it as a static destination, I now see it as a dynamic process that requires continuous adjustment and self-awareness. Read more>>

Kimberly Ngo | Tax Analyst & Small Business Owner

I started Pic-a-Niche right when COVID restrictions were starting to loosen up. Before starting my own businesses, I was in upper management for Target stores for almost 10 years. Although I was a salaried employee at Target, it was still a mandatory minimum of 50 hours a week and we rotated working weekends. I was accustomed to long days and working weekends. Target only closed on Easter Sunday and Christmas so, I eventually got used to working every holiday as well. But even with the store being closed, the team had to come in right at midnight or 4am the next day to turn over the store, so it still wasn’t much of a ‘day off’. Working retail during COVID was something that no one was prepared for and with the state of the world being the way it was, it was definitely one of the most difficult times in my career. My team was short staffed and I quickly found myself working 12-14 hour days that became the norm. That quickly led to burnout, which now being on the other side I see that it also drastically affected my personal life. Read more>>