Our community is filled with hard-working, high achieving entrepreneurs and creatives and so work-life balance is a complicated, but highly relevant topic. We’ve shared some responses from the community about work life balance and how their views have evolved over time below.

Andrea Soonthornswad | Spa Director

Over time and with advances in technology, my work life balance has become more of a work life integration. Because of this work life integration that many of us find ourselves in today, it is important to set boundaries for myself and others. During my personal time with family, hiking in the mountains, or practicing yoga, I make a point to set my phone aside and to only respond to emergency texts and emails. The same applies for when I’m at work and receive personal messages. Work life integration is a balancing act and it really comes down to having a strong support system. With a strong support system, I’m able to achieve professional and personal goals. If either are out of balance, then it’s time to pause and to ask for help from those that I can rely on. The pandemic has really put into perspective the domino effect when either work or life become unbalanced, which is why strong relationships are key to making it through the day, week, month, or year. Read more>>

Audree Grubesic | Owner & Founder

I didn’t really have a balance to my day. At the beginning of my career, I felt I had less structure. I really never blocked out time for work, family, and play. As my career changed and I started to have children, I started preparing more time for each area of work and family, the play was just scheduled when I was free. Since then, today I’m finding that balance in my spiritual practice with mediation is my daily morning ritual and it allows my work to flow much better. I’m working less on weekends because resting and playing are important contributors to my success in work and life. I am more confident in my work and breathing more in times of stress, reduces my feelings of anxiousness or anxiety. I’m also able to get my tasks done more quickly. I review things over several days, instead of an instant response. I’m allowing others to contribute and realizing more help allows things to get done in the right amount of time. Balance is the key to not having burnout, and I remind myself to feel more joy each day. I have also spread things out to get tasks completed and block out several times each week to help with the workload. Read more>>

Jaquikeyah Fields

After coming to college, I realized the importance of taking a holistic approach to my health. College became very stressful, and racial battle fatigue overcame me in my second year. In my classes, I learned that BIPOC individuals suffer from a multitude of stressors at once. I also realized coming to a PWI that discrimination, racism, and microaggressive behavior heighten my anxiety. I find anxiety to be disruptive to my body and how I treat myself. I took agency over my health when I made friends with meditation, shadow work, yoga, and reflection. These all brought balance to me because I developed tools that allowed me to combat racial battle fatigue. Read more>>