Strategies for Sustainable Success: Let's Get Real About Work-Life Balance

By Georgie Hill. 

I'm guilty of it; we all are. I like to believe I am thriving and living life to the fullest, and this is what it's all about. But deep down, we know, or at least we hope, there's got to be more to life than this. Google states that surviving is" "to continue to live or exist". Thriving, however, is" "to grow or develop well, to propose or to flourish". Now, I'm no mind reader, but I'm going to assume that thriving sounds a whole lot better than that other thing for you, too. People set out a life goal to make sure they "live life to the fullest" and "take everything in their stride", but the reality is, we are human; we aren't programmed to absorb, absorb, absorb with no hesitations or anxieties. Author Jim Rohn once wrote:

"You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight."

It's essential to recognise that what might work for one person will be utterly different from what might work for somebody else. That being said, no matter who you are, if you strive for change, something has to change, and that is in your hands. Feeling overworked, uninspired, and generally exhausted as an independent business owner and founder can be a challenging experience not only for you but also for your business. If you're not doing well, your business isn't doing well.

On that topic, the importance of a reset and a recharge can be the difference between surviving and thriving. When we feel uninspired, the last thing we feel we deserve is a rest, whether a mini spa evening, a weekend city break, or even just a day to binge our favourite Netflix series. But, sometimes, that is exactly what we need.

I'm 21 years old and a student at Northumbria University. I work a part-time job, and I go home every month for my mum to do my washing and cook my tea; maybe some petrol money if I'm lucky. Now, I know what you're thinking, but hear me out. I don't have even half as much on my plate as you all out there running or starting your businesses, being mothers, caregivers and all of the above. But my point still stands. I often need a reset; I look forward to my recharge, and honestly, I wish I had more of them.

In the spirit of writing this article and because spas are a godsend for rejuvenation, I took it upon myself to detox and head to Seaham Hall Spa for a Twilight Evening. (…That didn't take that much convincing) I can safely say that I've found a new happy place. Seaham Hall not only allowed me to escape the mayhem and turmoil of the world's upheaval but also offered a multitude of benefits for me, both physically and mentally.

We were offered an extensive range of herbal teas and juices as we arrived before taking a guided tour around the harmonious grounds and changing into our gifted towel robes and slippers. Those towel robes and slippers make you feel important; they're a bit royal-like, don't you think? We then proceeded to make our way around the spa, trying all the different gismos and gadgets.

At this point, you become aware of who the regular spa-goers are and who aren't quite as regular. My mother and I were not regulars, so we were like kids in a new playground, hopping from one treatment to another, pressing all the buttons we could find. From salt saunas to eucalyptus steam rooms to hydrotherapy pools to outdoor hot tubs to indoor herbal samariums… the list goes on. I'm making it sound more like a workout than a relaxation retreat.

Nonetheless, I'm trying to convey that spa visits can contribute to mental wellness by reducing anxiety, improving moods, and enhancing overall emotional well-being, as well as the opportunity to foster new positive attitudes towards personal health and well-being. As a busy entrepreneur, it is challenging to adopt a routine in which self-care is a priority, but it's only once you actively practice that you realise the extent of the benefits.

Following all the button pressing and hydrotherapy, we dried up and headed to the Ozone restaurant for a two-course pan-Asian dining experience (in robes and slippers). The food was perfection; I went for the Indonesian-marinated chicken to start and the Pork Belly rice dish on a bed of wok-fried vegetables for the main. To answer your question, it tasted just as good as it sounds.

Armed with a newfound clarity and calmness, we left the spa and dived headfirst back into the reality of life. Despite the calmness lasting just five hours, that revitalised and recharged feeling stayed with me for much longer.

When trying to discover a work-life balance, it is essential to determine where you are and where you want to be. Are you feeling like you're approaching burnout? Are you satisfied? Does your personal life take a backseat to your workload?

In survival mode, we feel uninspired and demotivated, making our work uninspiring and demotivating. When we thrive, we are optimistic, creative and accomplished, making our work optimistic and allowing creativity to flourish. In short, taking time to recharge, re-energise and rejuvenate positively impacts you and your work. Practising work-life balance is not a luxury; despite being seen as one, it is necessary for a fulfilling life! We need to stop measuring life by paychecks and start measuring life by what genuinely enriches our being: the relationships and experiences we cherish.

As part of my final project at University, I attended a placement with Tricia Scott at The Female CEO - Create Evolve Overcome, and I quickly became interested in understanding how people balance all of the things to do with their business while maintaining a family and a social life. It felt impossible to me! I've always asked myself the same question. Am I going to look back and think, thank god I didn't give myself that weekend off? Or, thank god I didn't go on that holiday?

Probably not.

Now, I don't doubt that sometimes working extra hours is the only answer to getting back on track or keeping up with your workload. Which is why, when the opportunity arose, I asked the opinion of two editors from Create Evolve Overcome magazine, Beyond The Mic columnist, Brad Walsh and Zen Den columnist, Ambila Nath and one reader, business owner of The Silhouette Beauty Room, Maria how they find work-life balance and what that looks like for them. This is what they said:

What are some of your favourite strategies as an independent business owner and entrepreneur to separate work and personal life? How effective are these?

Brad: First off, I make sure I practice gratitude every morning when I wake, either before I get out of bed or while I'm in the shower, so I guess you could call that Habit Stacking. I also always make time for my MMJ Practice (Movement. Meditation. Journaling) EVERY DAY. Usually, in the mornings, before I even sit down at my computer and do any work. This is a non-negotiable. I also ensure that I take mini-breaks throughout the day and try to get outside and get fresh air. I also meditate in the evening to center and ground myself before going to bed. I am not so good at setting hours of work for myself because I love what I do, and I don't look at it as work, so I will work all hours into the evening a lot of the time. As long as I take breaks throughout the day and start my day with my MMJ Practice, I am good to go. If I do all those things daily, I am in great shape and they are very effective.

Ambila: I'm not sure they could be called strategies, but more conscious decisions and awareness in ensuring that I book everything that is a priority for me into my diary. I have categories colour-coded, so I know whether a task is business-related or personal. This has been very effective for me, and I have been doing it for over a decade. You must make time for yourself and the people and things you want to do. As the saying goes, "no one on their deathbed wished they had spent more time working". I'm a big follower of going with the flow, so my calendar always offers flexibility and being able to move things around. I love spontaneity, as that's when you get the biggest gifts from the universe.

Maria: First, I make lists of what I want to do. Then, I break it down into what I need to do, any training required, where I would get it from, how long this would take, and how I can fit it into my daily routine. I also consider taking time to look for all the things I need. Once the information starts to come together, I look at the timescale I need to implement my plan. Before committing to any of this, I look at the times, days, and dates and plan the best time for me that wouldn't impact my family, as starting up was to better my family time and not take that part away. Considering the above, I started my business journey after Christmas 2024, as that gave me four months without any significant school holidays. This allowed me to take my time and not impact any critical training; even though some of the work was mundane, giving myself a cut-off point daily helped me return to it.

After doing my research, I realised that people are constantly distracted by their phones and computers when they have a message or a reply; I decided to put an out-of-office on my devices stating my working hours and expected response time. Initially, it worked, but then I would find myself peeking, so I got a separate laptop and phone; it was the right choice, and I've not looked back. I set a firm boundary with my close friends and family that the new number and email are strictly for business and that my working hours would be 9 to 5 pm, so I would not be available during these times. Planning is critical in the very early stages; pacing yourself, giving yourself time to think, considering what is important, family, in my case, putting that first and business second really worked.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs struggling to effectively balance work and personal life?

Brad: Find something, a practice, a routine, something that allows you to refill your cup FIRST (that is key). If you don'tdon't fill your cup first, how can you give to those around you? So find something you can do to break up the day, even if it's just getting out for a 10-minute walk in the fresh air. Make sure you do something that is solely JUST FOR YOU! Self-development courses are a great way to break things up and fill your cup. Invest in YOU!

Ambila: Firstly, I want to break down the perceptions (and maybe misunderstandings) that work-life balance is 50/50. There is never a 50/50 of anything at the same time. Lol - I wrote an article when "work-life balance" was a buzzword and the pressure for working women to "have it all" and still have the same level of private and professional success. This measure has caused countless people misery, assuming they were failures as they could never be perfect in both areas of their lives and still be successful and happy. I was one of those people. This notion is outdated and a myth. I wrote another article on this just last year. The answer to the balance is time management. You have to be selective with how you spend your time, meaning spending your energy taking the right actions at the right time, personal or professional. It's working out how your body clock works for you and working around your productivity peaks. Some people are early birds, and others are night owls. Understanding this allows you to book your time according to your clock. My creativity and focus kick in the afternoon, so I spend the morning catching up on emails, doing administrative tasks, or taking meetings with clients. After noon, I'm more business growth-focused and taking more strategic meetings.

Maria: My advice would be to plan and set boundaries. If you won't be working at 9 pm, then don't. If you can have separate devices, it's an excellent investment.

How do you handle interruptions during personal time when work-related issues arise?

Brad: I will be completely open and transparent with you. It usually depends on the severity level. If I know it's something that doesn't require my immediate attention, I will push it off my plate until the next day and deal with it first thing in the morning. If it needs immediate attention, I will deal with it right then and there. It just depends on how urgent it is.

Ambila: It depends on the issue. I'm very clear that personal time is personal time, and I do not look into work-related things. If the problem is urgent, I will deal with it. As a business owner, I have to manage my business and ensure it continues to exist, but once the issue is dealt with I get back into my time (or reschedule it).

Maria: Because I have separate devices, they stay in my study room once 5 pm comes around with an out-of-office note attached to manage expectations. It's been relatively easy to discipline myself to work times as these are new to me, and my self-employment "why" is to create more family time, so that helps, too. I plan on working one late night and a couple of hours at the weekend, but until that expansion happens, it's still 9-5 pm on weekdays.

What would you do differently, knowing what you know now?

Brad: I would have invested in ME much sooner, taken time for myself and my MMJ practice, and got out into nature. I didn't do any of that when I first started my entrepreneurial journey. I was always go-go-go and focused on crossing things off my to-do list. Now, I focus on my TA-DA List, and I celebrate when I get small wins, accomplish things, or cross items off of that list. Most importantly, though, I put ME FIRST!

Ambila: Great question! There are so many things. I would have worked on my self-belief and self-worth about money as a priority, trusted my intuition more, and built a strong network of support around me quicker of people who lift you up and not tear you down. I would have learned business sales & growth strategies as a priority and been kinder to myself, knowing that the journey is also about personal growth and, as a result, full of challenges. I would not have given things for free or bent over backwards for clients who didn't want to pay me my worth. I would have looked after my health, mentally, emotionally and physically, and stayed working in higher-paid jobs while building my business. I would realise sooner that I do not need to learn all the skills to be a business owner, but I trust that I can delegate to people with the skills and save time. I would have understood that going from an employee to an entrepreneur mindset is a huge learning curve, but an absolute transition needed to be a business owner because your business will always be a hobby without it. The biggest one would be to trust the universe and the path that I am following; I could have gotten here so much faster if I had gotten out of my logic and trusted myself and my ability, knowledge and skills more.

Maria: I would definitely learn more about social media as I find design and navigating many apps challenging. I wish I had started them earlier. I have been so lucky that my family is a little older and somewhat self-sufficient, which has helped dramatically. I also wish I had gotten separate work devices initially, as this would have helped me set boundaries.

So now you've heard from the experts, how could you work to restore your own work-life balance? I know i've learned a lot, perhaps i'll head back to Seaham Hall, you know, in the name of more research..

Currently pursuing a degree in Journalism at Northumbria University, Georgie Hill's passion for storytelling is matched only by her love for exploring new cultures, which enriches her perspective as a future journalist.

When she is not studying or seeking her next adventure, Georgie can be found playing netball or spending quality time with her dog, Freddie.