By far the most common conversation we have with the folks we interview is about work-life balance. Starting a business or pursuing a creative career makes finding work life balance really tough because there is no clear start and end to one’s work day. We’ve shared some of our conversations on the topic below.

Spenser Chambers | Colorado Wedding & Elopement Photographer

I have to be very productive in my working hours. I find that I get so much more accomplished when I give myself breaks. These include breaks for myself, my littles, and date nights with my fiancé. We are a family of 8 so the balance is real when juggling a career, 6 kids, and all of their busy schedules. When life got busier, ironically I became more organized. I used to struggle and get highly distracted when I gave myself less personal time. I found that my productivity levels were lacking but somehow I was working more. Currently, I have implemented block times between 2-4 hours and give my full attention and energy to it. Let me just say, I can get done in a few productive hours what it used to take me a few days to attain. Time has definitely opened my eyes to this balance and I am so thankful I am able to fully enjoy life and work. Read more>>

Lauren Zimniski | Pro Dog & Puppy Trainer, CTC

I love this question! I worked in the corporate world after college for about 5 years. I loathed having a 9-5, which for two years of that was actually 8-6! Jumping right into that world coming from college where I could make my own schedule, work and study when I wanted to, and had the freedom to move about as I wished felt so incredibly stifling and infuriating. And on top of that, it was incredibly looked down upon to use PTO, so for the first two years I barely took any time off. Read more>>

Nicole Waters | Food Enthusiast & Digital Creator

As Bites With Coco has grown over time, it has been more difficult to find time outside of my 9-5 to focus on getting content and showcasing new businesses. I think finding the balance between a demanding, full time career and your hobby outside of that is a very common struggle. In the last two years, I have found *somewhat* of a balance that works for me so that I can make sure I am able to put my best effort into Bites With Coco – this involves planning out content about a month in advance, going out during the week after work when possible, and really maximizing weekends. I’m also someone that needs downtime to recharge, so the calendar can get crazy really fast! I always make sure to leave some room for those days when I want to go camping with my partner, do non-food related actives, or just stay inside my cozy apartment all day. Read more>>

Olivia Bartlett | Interior Designer

Great question! I am still fine tuning my work life balance, but I no longer feel the need to take on so many projects at one time and constantly be churning out work. This always left me feeling burnt out and seemed like a never ending cycle of saying yes to things just for the sake of building a portfolio or thinking a project would take less time than it actually did. I think that’s something every designer experiences, but I am now in a place where I can say that I learned the word “no” and feel like I have much more discernment now – which took a lot of trial and error Read more>>