A host of factors, developments, and dynamics have made most industries more competitive than ever. As a result so many of us wonder whether there is still such a thing as work-life balance. We reached out to the community to hear perspectives on finding the right balance.

Ally Manno | Artist

My work/life balance has changed over time in that I am now prioritizing my mental and physical health more often than not. As being an artist is more of a hobby than a business, I try to make time for it as much as I can. I work part time at a thrift store and am looking to get disability income due to my many struggles. Painting is cathartic for me because it gives me a sense of control outside of my work productivity. Read more>>

Savanna Leigh | singer/songwriter

Work life balance is something I continuously struggle with. It is for sure a work in progress still.. but it has changed a lot over time. I used to think if wasn’t constantly working, to the point of exhaustion, that I wasn’t being productive, which would lead me to ultimately not being successful in a lot of different ways. Read more>>

Connor Donnelly | Musician and Artist

When I started making music, my work life balance shifted pretty drastically. I’ve always left myself lots of time outside of work to relax and enjoy life, but when I started doing music for work, the balance became almost all work. Read more>>

Anna Kline | Songwriter & Artist Developer

First and foremost, thank you so much for having me and for continuing to shed light on important topics for business owners! Love this question. Work life balance is still an everyday mountain, but I do feel as though I’ve found a few tools to assist me on the journey. Read more>>

Rachel Sellcik | Scarlet River PR CEO & PhD Student (Neuroscience)

I have to admit that having a healthy work-life balance has never been easy for me to maintain. I have a habit of going through stages of life where my priorities change, and I can easily get caught up in the business of work like, forgetting that without a healthy dose of ‘me time’, I don’t often get very far.  Read more>>

Ryan Mcintosh | Business consultant and artist

I personally don’t believe in focusing on balance. Balance is a bi product of healthy prioritization. Just like happiness is a bi product of good decisions made. I focus on what’s truly important and has the highest level of need to be done, then once that is complete I move on to the next focus of importance and priority needing my attention.  Read more>>

Tyler Follon | Content Creator

“Work/life” balance is all a perspective. I think so many people are trying to figure this out right now. But more realistically, it is simply that they are trying to find the thing they love to do that fulfills the work/income box without even knowing that’s what they are looking for.  Read more>>

Miriam Calleja Shaw | Writer & Workshop Host

I’m a freelancer involved in various activities that tend to overlap: writing for clients, writing for myself, hosting writing workshops, working in voluntary/activist organizations, and often other varied projects. I also value my home life (husband and cat), time nurturing friendships, time alone, and time replenishing my artistic side.  Read more>>

Claudia Rodriguez | President and Founder of SUAVE MGMT

I want to figure that out sooner rather than later. When I first started my business, I didn’t have much business going on, so it was easier to establish a work life balance. At that time, I worked from 9 to 5 on my management business, and before and after those times, I would have time to myself to work out, to supplement my income, etc.  Read more>>

Christian McGee | Videographer & Photographer

The balance ebbs and flows due to the different seasons of the business and what needs to be done to ensure its growth. There are seasons where I’m working hard to help other vendors, batch create social media content, etc., but that is all so that I can take more time off later.  Read more>>

ZB Savoy | Musician

I have a 1 year old girl and a 3 year old boy and we are expecting a 3rd in April ’24 so balance seems to become more and more important bout every second of the day. Haha I think the secret weapon is having a partner that you really jive with. If you arent on the same page with what the priorities are, and what keeps each other fulfilled, and how to work the logistics and scheduling of “running” a little family, things can fall apart pretty quickly. Read more>>

Annique Pierre-Louis | Salon Owner & Hair Extension Specialist at Sand + Sol

Work life balance is SO important! When I first opened my salon, I was working A LOT and didn’t understand or know what my boundaries were. I thought working a lot of hours will bring in the most clients and the most money and that’s the point of the business, right? Read more>>

Sarah J | Musician/Vocalist/Pianist/Guitarist

I moved to Nashville in 2021 in order to further pursue my musical and academic careers. Being a full-time university student and working as a musician can be a very tricky thing to balance. I was extremely fortunate to be able to find venues that were willing to work with my busy academic schedule and make sure that I had dates that would work for me.  Read more>>

John Paul Kesling | Artist

My studio is at home and I’m eternally grateful for that, but it makes separating work and homelife incredibly difficult. While the commute to my studio should be about thirty seconds, it often turns into an hour or three because I’ll see dishes that need washed, a clogged gutter, or my Austrailian cattle dog that needs attention. Read more>>

Hannah Denson | Photographer

Work life balance is something I have to make a conscious effort of all the time. I have always been someone who says yes to everything, even if I know I have absolutely stretched myself. I used to function on a maximum of 4 hours of sleep a night just to work four jobs and get my degree (luckily one of those jobs gave me unlimited coffee).  Read more>>

Hannah Rose | Singer, Songwriter, Producer

Work life balance has been tricky to grasp, but as I have grown more self aware, I am able to understand my needs better. As a result, I prioritize my health and have a routine that keeps me energized so I can work, play, and make music while preventing burn out. Read more>>

Janiro Hawkins II | Co-Founder (Southern Ent Awards) & Music Supervisor (Onyx Theory Arts)

I believe one of the key things that sets us apart when it comes to the Southern Entertainment Awards is that, we created the event from scratch. There was nothing before us, nobody to help us figure it out and mentor us along the way, we just did the best we could with what we had at the time. Read more>>