April 30, 2025 • 23 mins
Juggling Your Business, Family, and Life? Let's Find Your Rhythm. Welcome back to Balanced! It's Steph, and if you're a small business owner trying to navigate the demands of your work, your family, and everything else life throws your way, you're in the right place.
In this practical 23-minute episode, we're moving beyond the myth of perfect "balance" and exploring how to create a sustainable rhythm that integrates all the important parts of your world.
What We're Exploring for Busy Business Owners:
- [1:01] Beyond the Myth of Equal Time: Why striving for a perfectly divided day often leads to feeling overwhelmed, especially when family is in the mix.
- [2:35] Recognizing the Natural Flow of Your Life and Business: Understanding that some periods will naturally require more focus on one area than others, and that's okay.
- [5:12] Aligning Your Actions with Your Core Priorities (Business, Family, and Personal): Making conscious choices about where to invest your limited time and energy based on what truly matters.
- [7:18] Integration Over Immediate Perfection: Viewing the process as a continuous effort to weave together your different roles, rather than achieving a static state of "balance."
- [9:33] Creating Supportive Structures for Your Day and Week: Developing flexible routines and systems that accommodate both your business needs and your family commitments.
- [13:05] Intentionally Focusing Your Energy: Recognizing that sometimes intense focus on your business is necessary, followed by dedicated time for family and personal life.
- [15:02] Your Daily Check-In: A Simple Tool for Staying Connected to Your Needs and Adjusting Course: Taking a moment to assess your energy levels and priorities.
- [17:15] Accepting the Imperfect Reality of Building a Business and Raising a Family: Understanding that some weeks will feel more chaotic than others, and that's a normal part of the journey.
- [19:03] Evaluating Where Your Time Goes: Is It Serving Your Business, Your Family, or Yourself?: Learning to identify and minimize activities that don't align with your priorities.
- [21:08] The Real Goal: Feeling Present and Engaged in What You're Doing: Prioritizing your overall well-being so you can thrive in all aspects of your life.
Ready to Find a Sustainable Rhythm for Your Business, Family, and Life?
- Stop feeling overwhelmed by the juggle. Book a free consultation to explore how clear bookkeeping can create space for both your business growth and your well-being.
- Are hidden cash leaks impacting your business and your peace of mind? Get your FREE Leaky Bucket Report, it reveals 52 often-overlooked ways your business might be losing money, so you can patch the holes and breathe easier.
- Stay Inspired for Managing Your Business and Life: Subscribe to Balanced!
- Share This with Other Small Business Owners Juggling Family: Help them find a better way!
Want more tips on balancing business and life? Follow me on Instagram for insights on bookkeeping, business, and everything in between!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Steph Blain (00:41):
Hey there and welcome back to another episode
of Balanced, the podcast wherewe explore the art of
harmonizing business growth withpersonal wellbeing.
I'm Stephanie, and today'sepisode is a special one because
we're gonna talk about the verything this podcast is named
after.
But here's the honest truth.
Even though the word balanced isright there in the title of this
(01:02):
show, I don't actually believethat balance is some perfect
equation that we're meant tosolve.
If you're imagining somePinterest perfect pie chart of
work, play, family, fitness,self-care, all neatly divided
into equal pieces.
I don't really believe that'srealistic, and I definitely
don't think that that should bethe goal.
(01:22):
I believe balance is an everyevolving practice, not something
you master once and keepforever.
It shifts with you, grows withyou, and requires regular
reflection to keep it alignedwith the life you wanna live.
Today we're gonna talk about thepressure to balance it all and
why chasing an even equal splitin all areas of life can
(01:42):
actually throw you off track.
We'll also talk about whatbalance looks like when you run
a business, have a full life,and are juggling both your
ambition and your peace of mind.
Because maybe what we need isn'ta stricter plan.
Maybe it's a softer definition.
One that allows us to beflexible, honest with ourselves,
and willing to move with theseasons of our lives and work.
(02:03):
So if you've ever felt likeyou're not doing it right,
because your work life splitdoesn't feel even, or because
some weeks you feel like you'reliving at your desk and others
you feel completelyunstructured, you are definitely
not the only one.
So with all that, let's get intoit.
Let's start by calling out theelephant in the room.
The traditional definition ofbalance is kind of a trap.
(02:25):
We've been fed this idea thattrue balance means giving equal
energy to every part of ourlives, every single day.
Equal energy to work, rest,family, relationships, fitness,
self-care, creative time,errands, fun, personal growth.
The list goes on.
But here's the problem.
That kind of evenness doesn'texist in real life.
(02:46):
If you're a business owner,especially, you know how some
weeks are wildly fall, you havelaunches tight deadlines,
overlapping client projects, andthen other weeks might feel
quieter and a bit more spacious.
That fluctuation can give you amisguided sense that something
is off, like you're doingsomething wrong or falling
behind, but that fluctuationisn't failure.
(03:07):
It's the nature of runningsomething dynamic, something
that grows and shifts.
In a 2022 survey by QuickBooks,they found that 60% of small
business owners say theyfrequently work on weekends, and
nearly 40% say they work morethan 60 hours a week.
That's not just a timecommitment, it's a rhythm that
can feel intense andunpredictable.
(03:28):
And when you're in that kind ofcycle, it's easy to question
whether you're doing somethingwrong or out of alignment.
But that fluctuation, the highdemand weeks followed by quieter
ones.
It's just part of the flow ofentrepreneurship, and sometimes
the imbalance is what createsmomentum.
The key is knowing that it'stemporary and choosing to move
through it with intentioninstead of guilt.
(03:50):
So instead of aiming for someimaginary equal energy,
perfection in all areas of lifeall the time, I wanna introduce
the idea of rhythm.
Rhythm means that there aretimes when work takes the lead
and times when rest are playsteps forward.
It means listening to the seasonthat you're in and letting that
guide you.
Let me give you an example frommy own life.
(04:12):
When I was prepping for thelaunch of this podcast,
everything else had to moveaside a little bit.
I was scripting, recording,editing, creating content,
working with timelines anddeadlines.
And yes, I was working longerhours than usual, but I knew
that it was temporary.
I wasn't failing at balance.
I was investing in somethingthat mattered to me deeply.
(04:32):
And because of that, the thingis I didn't resent it.
I actually really loved itbecause balance to me doesn't
mean everything is calm at alltimes.
It means I know what season I'min.
I know my goal.
I'm not stuck here, and whenthis season wraps up, I'll have
more space for other thingsagain.
This has taught me thatsometimes balance is really
(04:53):
about clarity.
Clarity in what matters mostright now.
Clarity in where I'm headed.
I don't need every part of mylife to get equal time.
I just need to know whatdeserves my energy today and
trust that the rest will get itsturn.
I think a lot of us get caughtup in guilt cycles because we're
constantly measuring ourselvesagainst the invisible standard
of balance.
(05:14):
We think that if we work late orwe skipped a workout or we
didn't make a homemade dinnerfor the family, we're somehow
doing it wrong.
But what if balance isn'tsomething that you achieve in a
single day, but something youbuild over time.
There are days that I'll worklate into the evening, fully
immersed in a project, and thenthe next afternoon I'll take two
hours off to run errands in themiddle of the day.
(05:35):
Other times it means saying yesto quality time with family, no
matter what that looks like,because I've built my schedule
to be flexible enough to show upwhen I'm needed, that is
balanced to me.
Not measured in hours, but inintention and choice.
That's why I became a businessowner in the first place, to
have the freedom to design alife that bends and stretches
(05:55):
with me and to recognize thatthe beauty of being in control
of your schedule isn't that itlooks the same every day, but
that it supports the life thatyou wanna live.
Balance isn't a static finishline.
It's a rhythm you get better atrecognizing and flowing with
over time.
So let's talk about whatstructure really means when
we're aiming for balance.
First of all, we tend to assumethat structure means rigidity,
(06:19):
like a fixed routine or aperfectly color-coded calendar
that you have to follow.
But that's not what realstructure looks like in a
balanced life.
Real structure is supportive,not restrictive.
It's something that holds you,not something that holds you
back.
In fact, studies show thatpeople who plan their time but
still remain flexible, reporthigher productivity and lower
(06:40):
stress.
According to the AmericanPsychological Association,
individuals with a strong senseof time management paired with
adaptability tend to experienceless burnout and more
satisfaction in both personaland professional spheres.
So when we talk about balance,we're not talking about strict
time blocking or bullet journalsthat never shift.
(07:00):
We're talking about intentionalplanning with breathing room,
the kind of planning that saysthis is the ideal, but also
acknowledges that life is life.
Now let me walk you through howI approach this personally.
Not because it's the one rightway, but because it might give
you permission to make space foryour own version.
So each Sunday or Monday I do abrain dump of everything I wanna
(07:20):
get done.
I put all of it into mycalendar, work, family time,
errands, workouts, appointments,every single thing.
Then I spread it across the weekin a way that feels somewhat
realistic, but, and this is thekey thing, is I don't treat that
plan as long.
I adjust it every single day.
I check in with what's changed,how I'm feeling, what came up
(07:41):
unexpectedly, and then I movethings around.
My schedule is a living thing.
It breathes.
I'm always evolving how I manageit.
Sometimes I batch content,sometimes I color code my
calendar to make it feel moreintuitive.
Some weeks I feel like aproductivity wizard and other
weeks I very much don't.
And that's okay.
There's no one right way tostructure your time.
(08:04):
There's only what works best foryou in this season that you're
in right now, and that's wherebalance really lives.
So let's zoom out for a second.
If you are anything like me, theidea of balance probably brings
up a swirl of thoughts, someempowering and some not so much.
For years, I believe that if Ijust found the right system, the
right routine, the perfectcalendar strategy, everything
(08:25):
would click into place and I'dfinally feel balanced.
But what I've learned is thisbalance isn't something that you
check off.
It's not a final destination.
It's something that you keeptuning into moment by moment.
Season by season, it's less likea trophy that you earn and more
like a conversation that youcontinue to have with yourself.
And that means it's okay if itchanges.
(08:46):
In fact, it really shouldchange.
So if you've been holdingyourself to a version of this
balance that no longer fits, ormaybe it never fit, here's your
nudge to maybe rethink it.
Here are a few shifts that havehelped me get out of the balance
trap and into something moresustainable.
Number one balance is seasonal,not static.
You're allowed to have a heavywork week without guilt.
(09:08):
You're allowed to have a slowpersonal week too.
They balance each other out overtime, not in a single day, but
across the landscape of yourlife.
That's the deeper truth ofrhythm over rigidity.
Think about nature.
We have seasons for a reason.
Spring isn't trying to besummer.
Winter doesn't question itspurpose.
Your life will have times ofhustle and times of healing.
(09:28):
That's not imbalance, that'sintelligence and its intuition.
So if you are in a season rightnow where work is taking out
more space.
Trust that.
If you are in a moment where youneed more rest or more space,
honor that.
Trust that it all evens out overtime.
When you're intentional andaware, that's where the real
balance lives.
Not in a perfectly splitcalendar, but in your ability to
(09:51):
zoom out and trust the biggerpicture.
Number two, consistency doesn'tmean a rigid routine.
For me, it means beingconsistent in how I check in
with myself.
My morning routine changes, myworkouts change.
My eating habits shift.
Some weeks I'm cookingwholesome, healthy meals for my
family, and other weeks I'meating toast over the sink.
(10:11):
In between client calls, it'smaybe not that bad, but you get
the point still.
I come back to the same practicechecking in.
I consistently ask What do Ineed right now?
That question is everything,because when we talk about
balance, what we're reallytalking about is responsiveness.
Can you respond to what'sactually needed in the moment
(10:32):
instead of clinging to what youthink you should be doing or
what others think you should bedoing?
Consistency in this way becomesabout emotional intelligence and
body awareness.
Not about whether you meditatedat 6:00 AM because it was on
your list of things to do orcrossed off every task on your
Asana board.
It's about the habit of tuningin and trusting yourself to
pivot rather than pushingthrough on autopilot.
(10:55):
That's what creates sustainablebalance over time.
Not perfect routines, but innersteadiness.
It's a practice and not a plan.
Number three, messy doesn't meanbroken.
Some weeks look chaotic.
That doesn't mean I'm failing atanything.
It means that life is happening.
It means the unexpected cameknocking.
Priorities had to shift, and Ishowed up as best I could.
(11:17):
And honestly, that's whatbalance looks like more often
than not for me.
We've been taught to associatebalance with calm order and
control, but sometimes it meansadapting to a week that threw
everything at you and you stillmanage to show up.
It means letting go of the to-dolist, saying no without guilt,
and knowing that messinessdoesn't cancel out progress.
(11:38):
If anything, the chaos is proofthat you're in motion, that
you're growing, stretching andnavigating real life, not some
curated version of it.
As Brene Brown puts it, youcan't get to courage without
walking through vulnerabilityand showing up in the chaos.
That's one of the mostvulnerable and courageous things
we can do.
Balance isn't about how prettyyour planner looks, it's about
(11:59):
how grounded you feel whenthings get loud it.
So when you're weak, feels likea tornado of commitments,
emotions, and unexpectedinterruptions, and you're still
breathing, still moving, andstill caring.
That's not failure.
That is resilience in motion.
Number four, busy doesn't alwaysmean bad when I'm in a heavy
season because somethingexciting is coming, like hiring
(12:20):
someone or launching a course, Iremind myself, this is on
purpose.
This is in service of my biggervision, and this is what I want.
And that simple reminder changeseverything.
It turns overwhelm intomomentum.
It reframes long days and extraeffort as part of a meaningful
investment, not as a sign ofimbalance.
(12:41):
Because here's what I'verealized, not all busy is
created equal.
There's a huge differencebetween being busy because
you're reacting to everythingand being busy because you're
building something.
One of them drains you and theother stretches you.
One of them scatters your energyand the other focuses it.
When we remember the why behindthe season we're in, when we
(13:02):
anchor into that vision that'spulling us forward, we can move
through these more demandingchapters without resentment.
We don't have to love everysingle minute, but we can
appreciate the growth that it'screating.
So if you're in a place rightnow that feels so full, but you
know that it's part of buildingsomething bigger, let that be
enough.
You're not doing anything wrong.
(13:23):
You're just in motion.
And motion towards your goals isone of the most powerful
expressions of alignment thatthere is.
Now.
Growth almost always comes withgrowing pains, whether it's in
business, relationships,personal development, health,
there's often a messy middlebetween where you are and where
you wanna be.
That's the part that you don'tsee as much of on Instagram.
(13:44):
That's the part that feelsuncertain, exhausting, and
sometimes unrewarding in themoment.
But it's also the part thatbuilds resilience.
It stretches your capacity, itprepares you for the very thing
that you've been asking for.
In business that might look likehiring your first contractor and
then suddenly realizing thatthere are systems that you
haven't built yet or launchingsomething new and facing the
(14:07):
technical hiccups, the awkwardedits, the unanswered questions.
It's uncomfortable, but it's nota step backwards, it's just a
necessary part of movingforward.
According to Gallup, businessesthat implement structured
onboarding and developmentprograms see productivity gains
of over 70%.
But here's the thing, thoseresults don't show up on day
(14:28):
one.
They come after the investment,the revisions, and the deep
breath moments.
So if you're in a stretch wherethings feel heavier, where it's
taking longer than you thought,or where it seems like you're
doing more for not much inreturn, that's not in balance.
That's growth in motion.
That's what it looks like tobuild a life and business that
lasts.
Let the growing pains be part ofyour proof that something is
(14:50):
working not wrong.
You're just working your waythrough.
And I can tell you I'm in one ofthose seasons as we speak, and
it is hard to remind myself ofthat sometimes, but I do, and
everything moves forward.
So there's one more layer tothis conversation that I think
often gets overlooked, and itmight be one of the most
important ones, which is thefeeling of being balanced.
(15:13):
Because let's be real, balanceis not just about what your
calendar looks like, it's aboutwhat your life feels like.
It's the difference betweenwaking up with a sense of calm
versus waking up already behind.
It is that low simmer anxietythat comes from living in
constant catch up mode and thedeep breath.
You exhale when you realizeyou're not chasing anything,
(15:34):
just moving with intention.
The truth is, so many of us havegotten used to living in
survival mode.
We normalize the hustle, theoverthinking, the mental tabs
always open, but long-termstress is not a badge of honor.
It's a slow leak in your energy,creativity, and your joy.
According to the AmericanInstitute of Stress, 77% of
(15:57):
people regularly experiencephysical symptoms caused by
stress and a staggering 33% feeltheir living with extreme stress
on a regular basis.
These aren't just numbers.
They are red flags waving at ussaying This pace, this pressure,
and this constant push, it's notsustainable.
So what if balance wasn't aboutdoing less, but about feeling
(16:19):
more at peace in doing thething?
What if it wasn't aboutshrinking your goals or
simplifying your ambition, butabout finding that quiet
confidence that says, I'm okay.
I'm safe, and I'm allowed tomove slower today, or whatever
pace feels right for me today.
To me, the goal isn't to have aperfect plan.
The goal is to live from agrounded place, to feel calm in
(16:41):
the chaos, to know that even ifyour to-do list is long.
You're not drowning in it.
You're not sprinting throughyour life, you're participating
in it Fully balance is when yourinner world isn't dictated by
your outer one, and when thathappens, when you feel steady,
no matter how busy or quiet theday is, that's when the magic
really starts.
(17:02):
I will be honest.
This is something that I have towork on constantly.
I have not mastered thispeaceful, grounded state.
I still catch myself slippinginto survival mode or putting
pressure on myself to get it alldone.
Ask anyone who knows me andthey'll tell you that I'm no
stranger to the intense,hyper-focused zones that I
sometimes land in, but I'mlearning to pause, to breathe,
(17:22):
and to ask myself how I wannafeel and what area of my life
needs some love.
And I think.
That will probably always be awork in progress because we
don't arrive at balance in oneday and stay there.
We practice it over and overagain until it becomes more
familiar, more natural, moreours.
But it's an ever evolvingpractice.
So how do we actually keepmoving towards a balanced life,
(17:45):
not just in theory, but inpractice?
How do we support that innersteadiness, especially when the
external world is anything butsteady?
Here's the good news.
It doesn't require a massivelife overhaul, small,
intentional habits go a long wayin building a more grounded,
balanced life.
And these aren't just ideas.
They're supported by researchand psychology, productivity and
(18:06):
wellbeing.
So number one is daily selfcheck-ins.
This one might sound simple, butit's very powerful.
Start your day by askingyourself, how do I feel today
and what do I need most rightnow, according to research from
the Harvard Business Review.
Just pausing for a moment ofself-reflection can increase
emotional regulation and reducestress levels significantly.
(18:28):
You're not just reacting to yourday, you're responding with full
awareness.
Number two, read, learn, andreflect.
Personal development isn't justfor business growth, it's
nourishment for your mindset.
Reading books, listening topodcasts, journaling, or even
taking courses that expand yourthinking help you stay anchored
in intentional living.
(18:49):
People who engage in regularlearning outside of work have
reported higher satisfactionwith their personal and their
professional lives.
Number three.
Move your body your way.
This doesn't have to mean astrict gym routine.
Walks, stretching, dance breaks,literally shaking off the
tension.
Movement helps regulate yournervous system and increase
clarity.
(19:10):
Studies show that even just 20minutes of low intensity
movement improves mood andreduces cortisol.
Number four, create bufferspace.
This one is big.
Instead of overschedulingyourself to the max try building
in a buffer time betweencommitments, white space in your
day is not wasted time.
It's recovery time.
It gives your brain room toreset so you're not living in a
(19:32):
constant reaction mode.
Number five, stay curious aboutwhat's working and what isn't.
Balance is not a one-timeachievement.
It's a practice of observation.
What's lighting you up rightnow?
What's draining you?
What needs adjusting?
Check in weekly or monthly, notto criticize yourself, but to
stay in a relationship with yourrhythm.
(19:53):
Remember, this isn't aboutperfect execution.
It's about buildingself-awareness and self-trust
over time.
The goal isn't to control everyvariable, but to create a life
that supports who you are rightnow, and that's what makes the
idea of balance feel realinstead of unreachable.
Number six is practiceintentional boundaries.
Learning when to say yes andwhen to say no is essential to
(20:15):
living a balanced life.
Boundaries aren't about buildingwalls.
They're about creating clarityand preserving your energy.
When you say yes to everything,you dilute your focus and
exhaust your capacity.
But when you get intentionalabout your yeses and your nos,
you reclaim your time, yourenergy, and your peace.
As researcher, Dr.
Henry Cloud says.
(20:36):
Boundaries define us.
They define what is me and whatis not me.
So here's your permission.
Slip balance doesn't have tomean putting equal energy into
each part of your life all ofthe time.
It doesn't have to mean everyday looks the same.
It doesn't even have to meanthat you're doing all the
things.
Balance might mean working lateduring launch week and taking
(20:57):
the next Friday off, choosing acalming walk instead of pushing
through a heavy workout day,doing errands on a Tuesday
afternoon and working onSaturday, saying no to one thing
so that you can say yes tosomething else.
And this isn't just about thelogistics of your week, it's
about the intention behind them.
It's about how those choicesmake you feel when you stop
(21:17):
trying to copy someone else'sstructure and instead tune into
what actually works for yourlife.
That's when things start to feellighter.
That's when you know you're inalignment and your version of
balance.
It might look wildly differentfrom mine.
In fact, it should probably lookwildly different from mine
because balance isn't aboutgetting it right, it's about
what's right for you.
(21:38):
You are not failing.
If your life doesn't lookperfectly balanced, you're not
behind.
If some days feel full andothers feel quiet, you're doing
life.
You're growing something andyou're adapting.
Balance, to me is aboutalignment.
It's about adjusting the dialsweek by week, day by day.
It's not about chasing equal,it's about finding your unique
rhythm.
(21:58):
So as you go into this week, Ihope you feel encouraged to stop
measuring balance by whether ornot you stuck to a micromanaged
schedule, and instead ask, did Ihonor what I needed?
Did I stay connected to myvalues?
Am I moving in the directionthat I want to go in?
If the answer is yes, then you,my friend, are already in
balance.
If this episode gave you a freshperspective or a little exhale,
(22:21):
I would love if you'd subscribeto the podcast and share it with
someone who might need to hearit too.
It's one small way to pass alongthe reminder that calm over
chaos is a strength, and thatbalance is possible no matter
what season of life you're in.
This conversation is justgetting started and I'm so
grateful you're here.
Talk to you soon, and until nexttime, keep redefining balance on
(22:41):
your terms.
Hey there and welcome back to another episode
of Balanced, the podcast wherewe explore the art of
harmonizing business growth withpersonal wellbeing.
I'm Stephanie, and today'sepisode is a special one because
we're gonna talk about the verything this podcast is named
after.
But here's the honest truth.
Even though the word balanced isright there in the title of this
(01:02):
show, I don't actually believethat balance is some perfect
equation that we're meant tosolve.
If you're imagining somePinterest perfect pie chart of
work, play, family, fitness,self-care, all neatly divided
into equal pieces.
I don't really believe that'srealistic, and I definitely
don't think that that should bethe goal.
(01:22):
I believe balance is an everyevolving practice, not something
you master once and keepforever.
It shifts with you, grows withyou, and requires regular
reflection to keep it alignedwith the life you wanna live.
Today we're gonna talk about thepressure to balance it all and
why chasing an even equal splitin all areas of life can
(01:42):
actually throw you off track.
We'll also talk about whatbalance looks like when you run
a business, have a full life,and are juggling both your
ambition and your peace of mind.
Because maybe what we need isn'ta stricter plan.
Maybe it's a softer definition.
One that allows us to beflexible, honest with ourselves,
and willing to move with theseasons of our lives and work.
(02:03):
So if you've ever felt likeyou're not doing it right,
because your work life splitdoesn't feel even, or because
some weeks you feel like you'reliving at your desk and others
you feel completelyunstructured, you are definitely
not the only one.
So with all that, let's get intoit.
Let's start by calling out theelephant in the room.
The traditional definition ofbalance is kind of a trap.
(02:25):
We've been fed this idea thattrue balance means giving equal
energy to every part of ourlives, every single day.
Equal energy to work, rest,family, relationships, fitness,
self-care, creative time,errands, fun, personal growth.
The list goes on.
But here's the problem.
That kind of evenness doesn'texist in real life.
(02:46):
If you're a business owner,especially, you know how some
weeks are wildly fall, you havelaunches tight deadlines,
overlapping client projects, andthen other weeks might feel
quieter and a bit more spacious.
That fluctuation can give you amisguided sense that something
is off, like you're doingsomething wrong or falling
behind, but that fluctuationisn't failure.
(03:07):
It's the nature of runningsomething dynamic, something
that grows and shifts.
In a 2022 survey by QuickBooks,they found that 60% of small
business owners say theyfrequently work on weekends, and
nearly 40% say they work morethan 60 hours a week.
That's not just a timecommitment, it's a rhythm that
can feel intense andunpredictable.
(03:28):
And when you're in that kind ofcycle, it's easy to question
whether you're doing somethingwrong or out of alignment.
But that fluctuation, the highdemand weeks followed by quieter
ones.
It's just part of the flow ofentrepreneurship, and sometimes
the imbalance is what createsmomentum.
The key is knowing that it'stemporary and choosing to move
through it with intentioninstead of guilt.
(03:50):
So instead of aiming for someimaginary equal energy,
perfection in all areas of lifeall the time, I wanna introduce
the idea of rhythm.
Rhythm means that there aretimes when work takes the lead
and times when rest are playsteps forward.
It means listening to the seasonthat you're in and letting that
guide you.
Let me give you an example frommy own life.
(04:12):
When I was prepping for thelaunch of this podcast,
everything else had to moveaside a little bit.
I was scripting, recording,editing, creating content,
working with timelines anddeadlines.
And yes, I was working longerhours than usual, but I knew
that it was temporary.
I wasn't failing at balance.
I was investing in somethingthat mattered to me deeply.
(04:32):
And because of that, the thingis I didn't resent it.
I actually really loved itbecause balance to me doesn't
mean everything is calm at alltimes.
It means I know what season I'min.
I know my goal.
I'm not stuck here, and whenthis season wraps up, I'll have
more space for other thingsagain.
This has taught me thatsometimes balance is really
(04:53):
about clarity.
Clarity in what matters mostright now.
Clarity in where I'm headed.
I don't need every part of mylife to get equal time.
I just need to know whatdeserves my energy today and
trust that the rest will get itsturn.
I think a lot of us get caughtup in guilt cycles because we're
constantly measuring ourselvesagainst the invisible standard
of balance.
(05:14):
We think that if we work late orwe skipped a workout or we
didn't make a homemade dinnerfor the family, we're somehow
doing it wrong.
But what if balance isn'tsomething that you achieve in a
single day, but something youbuild over time.
There are days that I'll worklate into the evening, fully
immersed in a project, and thenthe next afternoon I'll take two
hours off to run errands in themiddle of the day.
(05:35):
Other times it means saying yesto quality time with family, no
matter what that looks like,because I've built my schedule
to be flexible enough to show upwhen I'm needed, that is
balanced to me.
Not measured in hours, but inintention and choice.
That's why I became a businessowner in the first place, to
have the freedom to design alife that bends and stretches
(05:55):
with me and to recognize thatthe beauty of being in control
of your schedule isn't that itlooks the same every day, but
that it supports the life thatyou wanna live.
Balance isn't a static finishline.
It's a rhythm you get better atrecognizing and flowing with
over time.
So let's talk about whatstructure really means when
we're aiming for balance.
First of all, we tend to assumethat structure means rigidity,
(06:19):
like a fixed routine or aperfectly color-coded calendar
that you have to follow.
But that's not what realstructure looks like in a
balanced life.
Real structure is supportive,not restrictive.
It's something that holds you,not something that holds you
back.
In fact, studies show thatpeople who plan their time but
still remain flexible, reporthigher productivity and lower
(06:40):
stress.
According to the AmericanPsychological Association,
individuals with a strong senseof time management paired with
adaptability tend to experienceless burnout and more
satisfaction in both personaland professional spheres.
So when we talk about balance,we're not talking about strict
time blocking or bullet journalsthat never shift.
(07:00):
We're talking about intentionalplanning with breathing room,
the kind of planning that saysthis is the ideal, but also
acknowledges that life is life.
Now let me walk you through howI approach this personally.
Not because it's the one rightway, but because it might give
you permission to make space foryour own version.
So each Sunday or Monday I do abrain dump of everything I wanna
(07:20):
get done.
I put all of it into mycalendar, work, family time,
errands, workouts, appointments,every single thing.
Then I spread it across the weekin a way that feels somewhat
realistic, but, and this is thekey thing, is I don't treat that
plan as long.
I adjust it every single day.
I check in with what's changed,how I'm feeling, what came up
(07:41):
unexpectedly, and then I movethings around.
My schedule is a living thing.
It breathes.
I'm always evolving how I manageit.
Sometimes I batch content,sometimes I color code my
calendar to make it feel moreintuitive.
Some weeks I feel like aproductivity wizard and other
weeks I very much don't.
And that's okay.
There's no one right way tostructure your time.
(08:04):
There's only what works best foryou in this season that you're
in right now, and that's wherebalance really lives.
So let's zoom out for a second.
If you are anything like me, theidea of balance probably brings
up a swirl of thoughts, someempowering and some not so much.
For years, I believe that if Ijust found the right system, the
right routine, the perfectcalendar strategy, everything
(08:25):
would click into place and I'dfinally feel balanced.
But what I've learned is thisbalance isn't something that you
check off.
It's not a final destination.
It's something that you keeptuning into moment by moment.
Season by season, it's less likea trophy that you earn and more
like a conversation that youcontinue to have with yourself.
And that means it's okay if itchanges.
(08:46):
In fact, it really shouldchange.
So if you've been holdingyourself to a version of this
balance that no longer fits, ormaybe it never fit, here's your
nudge to maybe rethink it.
Here are a few shifts that havehelped me get out of the balance
trap and into something moresustainable.
Number one balance is seasonal,not static.
You're allowed to have a heavywork week without guilt.
(09:08):
You're allowed to have a slowpersonal week too.
They balance each other out overtime, not in a single day, but
across the landscape of yourlife.
That's the deeper truth ofrhythm over rigidity.
Think about nature.
We have seasons for a reason.
Spring isn't trying to besummer.
Winter doesn't question itspurpose.
Your life will have times ofhustle and times of healing.
(09:28):
That's not imbalance, that'sintelligence and its intuition.
So if you are in a season rightnow where work is taking out
more space.
Trust that.
If you are in a moment where youneed more rest or more space,
honor that.
Trust that it all evens out overtime.
When you're intentional andaware, that's where the real
balance lives.
Not in a perfectly splitcalendar, but in your ability to
(09:51):
zoom out and trust the biggerpicture.
Number two, consistency doesn'tmean a rigid routine.
For me, it means beingconsistent in how I check in
with myself.
My morning routine changes, myworkouts change.
My eating habits shift.
Some weeks I'm cookingwholesome, healthy meals for my
family, and other weeks I'meating toast over the sink.
(10:11):
In between client calls, it'smaybe not that bad, but you get
the point still.
I come back to the same practicechecking in.
I consistently ask What do Ineed right now?
That question is everything,because when we talk about
balance, what we're reallytalking about is responsiveness.
Can you respond to what'sactually needed in the moment
(10:32):
instead of clinging to what youthink you should be doing or
what others think you should bedoing?
Consistency in this way becomesabout emotional intelligence and
body awareness.
Not about whether you meditatedat 6:00 AM because it was on
your list of things to do orcrossed off every task on your
Asana board.
It's about the habit of tuningin and trusting yourself to
pivot rather than pushingthrough on autopilot.
(10:55):
That's what creates sustainablebalance over time.
Not perfect routines, but innersteadiness.
It's a practice and not a plan.
Number three, messy doesn't meanbroken.
Some weeks look chaotic.
That doesn't mean I'm failing atanything.
It means that life is happening.
It means the unexpected cameknocking.
Priorities had to shift, and Ishowed up as best I could.
(11:17):
And honestly, that's whatbalance looks like more often
than not for me.
We've been taught to associatebalance with calm order and
control, but sometimes it meansadapting to a week that threw
everything at you and you stillmanage to show up.
It means letting go of the to-dolist, saying no without guilt,
and knowing that messinessdoesn't cancel out progress.
(11:38):
If anything, the chaos is proofthat you're in motion, that
you're growing, stretching andnavigating real life, not some
curated version of it.
As Brene Brown puts it, youcan't get to courage without
walking through vulnerabilityand showing up in the chaos.
That's one of the mostvulnerable and courageous things
we can do.
Balance isn't about how prettyyour planner looks, it's about
(11:59):
how grounded you feel whenthings get loud it.
So when you're weak, feels likea tornado of commitments,
emotions, and unexpectedinterruptions, and you're still
breathing, still moving, andstill caring.
That's not failure.
That is resilience in motion.
Number four, busy doesn't alwaysmean bad when I'm in a heavy
season because somethingexciting is coming, like hiring
(12:20):
someone or launching a course, Iremind myself, this is on
purpose.
This is in service of my biggervision, and this is what I want.
And that simple reminder changeseverything.
It turns overwhelm intomomentum.
It reframes long days and extraeffort as part of a meaningful
investment, not as a sign ofimbalance.
(12:41):
Because here's what I'verealized, not all busy is
created equal.
There's a huge differencebetween being busy because
you're reacting to everythingand being busy because you're
building something.
One of them drains you and theother stretches you.
One of them scatters your energyand the other focuses it.
When we remember the why behindthe season we're in, when we
(13:02):
anchor into that vision that'spulling us forward, we can move
through these more demandingchapters without resentment.
We don't have to love everysingle minute, but we can
appreciate the growth that it'screating.
So if you're in a place rightnow that feels so full, but you
know that it's part of buildingsomething bigger, let that be
enough.
You're not doing anything wrong.
(13:23):
You're just in motion.
And motion towards your goals isone of the most powerful
expressions of alignment thatthere is.
Now.
Growth almost always comes withgrowing pains, whether it's in
business, relationships,personal development, health,
there's often a messy middlebetween where you are and where
you wanna be.
That's the part that you don'tsee as much of on Instagram.
(13:44):
That's the part that feelsuncertain, exhausting, and
sometimes unrewarding in themoment.
But it's also the part thatbuilds resilience.
It stretches your capacity, itprepares you for the very thing
that you've been asking for.
In business that might look likehiring your first contractor and
then suddenly realizing thatthere are systems that you
haven't built yet or launchingsomething new and facing the
(14:07):
technical hiccups, the awkwardedits, the unanswered questions.
It's uncomfortable, but it's nota step backwards, it's just a
necessary part of movingforward.
According to Gallup, businessesthat implement structured
onboarding and developmentprograms see productivity gains
of over 70%.
But here's the thing, thoseresults don't show up on day
(14:28):
one.
They come after the investment,the revisions, and the deep
breath moments.
So if you're in a stretch wherethings feel heavier, where it's
taking longer than you thought,or where it seems like you're
doing more for not much inreturn, that's not in balance.
That's growth in motion.
That's what it looks like tobuild a life and business that
lasts.
Let the growing pains be part ofyour proof that something is
(14:50):
working not wrong.
You're just working your waythrough.
And I can tell you I'm in one ofthose seasons as we speak, and
it is hard to remind myself ofthat sometimes, but I do, and
everything moves forward.
So there's one more layer tothis conversation that I think
often gets overlooked, and itmight be one of the most
important ones, which is thefeeling of being balanced.
(15:13):
Because let's be real, balanceis not just about what your
calendar looks like, it's aboutwhat your life feels like.
It's the difference betweenwaking up with a sense of calm
versus waking up already behind.
It is that low simmer anxietythat comes from living in
constant catch up mode and thedeep breath.
You exhale when you realizeyou're not chasing anything,
(15:34):
just moving with intention.
The truth is, so many of us havegotten used to living in
survival mode.
We normalize the hustle, theoverthinking, the mental tabs
always open, but long-termstress is not a badge of honor.
It's a slow leak in your energy,creativity, and your joy.
According to the AmericanInstitute of Stress, 77% of
(15:57):
people regularly experiencephysical symptoms caused by
stress and a staggering 33% feeltheir living with extreme stress
on a regular basis.
These aren't just numbers.
They are red flags waving at ussaying This pace, this pressure,
and this constant push, it's notsustainable.
So what if balance wasn't aboutdoing less, but about feeling
(16:19):
more at peace in doing thething?
What if it wasn't aboutshrinking your goals or
simplifying your ambition, butabout finding that quiet
confidence that says, I'm okay.
I'm safe, and I'm allowed tomove slower today, or whatever
pace feels right for me today.
To me, the goal isn't to have aperfect plan.
The goal is to live from agrounded place, to feel calm in
(16:41):
the chaos, to know that even ifyour to-do list is long.
You're not drowning in it.
You're not sprinting throughyour life, you're participating
in it Fully balance is when yourinner world isn't dictated by
your outer one, and when thathappens, when you feel steady,
no matter how busy or quiet theday is, that's when the magic
really starts.
(17:02):
I will be honest.
This is something that I have towork on constantly.
I have not mastered thispeaceful, grounded state.
I still catch myself slippinginto survival mode or putting
pressure on myself to get it alldone.
Ask anyone who knows me andthey'll tell you that I'm no
stranger to the intense,hyper-focused zones that I
sometimes land in, but I'mlearning to pause, to breathe,
(17:22):
and to ask myself how I wannafeel and what area of my life
needs some love.
And I think.
That will probably always be awork in progress because we
don't arrive at balance in oneday and stay there.
We practice it over and overagain until it becomes more
familiar, more natural, moreours.
But it's an ever evolvingpractice.
So how do we actually keepmoving towards a balanced life,
(17:45):
not just in theory, but inpractice?
How do we support that innersteadiness, especially when the
external world is anything butsteady?
Here's the good news.
It doesn't require a massivelife overhaul, small,
intentional habits go a long wayin building a more grounded,
balanced life.
And these aren't just ideas.
They're supported by researchand psychology, productivity and
(18:06):
wellbeing.
So number one is daily selfcheck-ins.
This one might sound simple, butit's very powerful.
Start your day by askingyourself, how do I feel today
and what do I need most rightnow, according to research from
the Harvard Business Review.
Just pausing for a moment ofself-reflection can increase
emotional regulation and reducestress levels significantly.
(18:28):
You're not just reacting to yourday, you're responding with full
awareness.
Number two, read, learn, andreflect.
Personal development isn't justfor business growth, it's
nourishment for your mindset.
Reading books, listening topodcasts, journaling, or even
taking courses that expand yourthinking help you stay anchored
in intentional living.
(18:49):
People who engage in regularlearning outside of work have
reported higher satisfactionwith their personal and their
professional lives.
Number three.
Move your body your way.
This doesn't have to mean astrict gym routine.
Walks, stretching, dance breaks,literally shaking off the
tension.
Movement helps regulate yournervous system and increase
clarity.
(19:10):
Studies show that even just 20minutes of low intensity
movement improves mood andreduces cortisol.
Number four, create bufferspace.
This one is big.
Instead of overschedulingyourself to the max try building
in a buffer time betweencommitments, white space in your
day is not wasted time.
It's recovery time.
It gives your brain room toreset so you're not living in a
(19:32):
constant reaction mode.
Number five, stay curious aboutwhat's working and what isn't.
Balance is not a one-timeachievement.
It's a practice of observation.
What's lighting you up rightnow?
What's draining you?
What needs adjusting?
Check in weekly or monthly, notto criticize yourself, but to
stay in a relationship with yourrhythm.
(19:53):
Remember, this isn't aboutperfect execution.
It's about buildingself-awareness and self-trust
over time.
The goal isn't to control everyvariable, but to create a life
that supports who you are rightnow, and that's what makes the
idea of balance feel realinstead of unreachable.
Number six is practiceintentional boundaries.
Learning when to say yes andwhen to say no is essential to
(20:15):
living a balanced life.
Boundaries aren't about buildingwalls.
They're about creating clarityand preserving your energy.
When you say yes to everything,you dilute your focus and
exhaust your capacity.
But when you get intentionalabout your yeses and your nos,
you reclaim your time, yourenergy, and your peace.
As researcher, Dr.
Henry Cloud says.
(20:36):
Boundaries define us.
They define what is me and whatis not me.
So here's your permission.
Slip balance doesn't have tomean putting equal energy into
each part of your life all ofthe time.
It doesn't have to mean everyday looks the same.
It doesn't even have to meanthat you're doing all the
things.
Balance might mean working lateduring launch week and taking
(20:57):
the next Friday off, choosing acalming walk instead of pushing
through a heavy workout day,doing errands on a Tuesday
afternoon and working onSaturday, saying no to one thing
so that you can say yes tosomething else.
And this isn't just about thelogistics of your week, it's
about the intention behind them.
It's about how those choicesmake you feel when you stop
(21:17):
trying to copy someone else'sstructure and instead tune into
what actually works for yourlife.
That's when things start to feellighter.
That's when you know you're inalignment and your version of
balance.
It might look wildly differentfrom mine.
In fact, it should probably lookwildly different from mine
because balance isn't aboutgetting it right, it's about
what's right for you.
(21:38):
You are not failing.
If your life doesn't lookperfectly balanced, you're not
behind.
If some days feel full andothers feel quiet, you're doing
life.
You're growing something andyou're adapting.
Balance, to me is aboutalignment.
It's about adjusting the dialsweek by week, day by day.
It's not about chasing equal,it's about finding your unique
rhythm.
(21:58):
So as you go into this week, Ihope you feel encouraged to stop
measuring balance by whether ornot you stuck to a micromanaged
schedule, and instead ask, did Ihonor what I needed?
Did I stay connected to myvalues?
Am I moving in the directionthat I want to go in?
If the answer is yes, then you,my friend, are already in
balance.
If this episode gave you a freshperspective or a little exhale,
(22:21):
I would love if you'd subscribeto the podcast and share it with
someone who might need to hearit too.
It's one small way to pass alongthe reminder that calm over
chaos is a strength, and thatbalance is possible no matter
what season of life you're in.
This conversation is justgetting started and I'm so
grateful you're here.
Talk to you soon, and until nexttime, keep redefining balance on
(22:41):
your terms.
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