Finding Balance
I have a balanced approach to life. Balance isn't six categories getting equal time. Some weeks, work wins. Some weeks, family does. It's balance over time, not balance in every moment. I clear the real work first, so the time that's left over is actually free, not borrowed from something else I'll owe later.
Finding our smack happy place
Why we seek well-being in the workplace:
Workplace stress doesn't stay at work. It follows us home, into how we sleep, how we show up for people, and how well we actually do the job.
Stress itself isn't avoidable. How we handle it is.
It's Harder to Bounce Back
According to the Lyra Health 2026 State of Workforce Mental Health Report, based on surveys of more than 500 benefits leaders and 7,500 employees across six countries, employees and benefits leaders both call mental health support a priority, but they're seeing the gap differently. For employees, the pressure shows up upstream, as focus and energy wear down over time. Financial strain and burnout are colliding with newer stressors, AI anxiety, caregiving demands, job security, making it harder to recover between workdays.
7 in 10 employees report feeling stressed about the state of the world.
NAMI-Ipsos Workplace Mental Health poll, January–February 2026. Surveyed full-time workers at companies with 100+ employees across industries.
Work-Life Balance
What We're Doing About It
Burnout is real, and we wanted to know how our team actually deals with it. So we asked around: coworkers, life coaches, wellness pros, anyone with a trick worth stealing. What came back wasn't a listicle of "drink more water" advice. It was real habits from real people figuring out how to stay sane in a busy industry.
Here's what actually works for balance, focus, and still liking your job by Friday.
Having strict cut-off times for work made a huge difference for me. I used to have a hard time stopping work, especially when working from home. By treating my WFH job as I would a regular job and ending at 5:00 PM each day had a big impact.
- Natalie, Web Developer
Working from Home
- Create boundaries.
- Designate a workspace.
- Turn off notifications.
- Keep strict work hours.
Set Hours
I pretty strictly only work between 9 am and 6 pm on the weekdays. This time is for work only. Personal things happen outside of that time.
No Notifications
I also turn off notifications on my phone and computer. (Fewer distractions!) I only look at things when I want to see them.
Notifications Off
I don’t push notifications to my phone, ever! I only check Slack and email on my computer.
Pet Kitties
When I need a break I stop to pet the kitties or go for a run, sometimes even watch a quick show during the day.
Set Boundaries
I’m working on setting better boundaries like working hours, shutting off technology, and completely unplugging.
Create Workspace
My current WIP is I’m creating a designated workspace to when I’m done with work, I can focus on relaxation.
Time Blocking
I block my personal activities off on my business calendar so nobody can overbook me.
One Thing at a Time
I will do tasks that require not a lot of deep thought to get warmed up, then dive into ONE more difficult thing at a time. That one difficult thing is always broken down and prioritized into several easier things, then added to my planner to tackle throughout the week.
Tough Tasks First
I try to tackle tough tasks first to maintain a sense of accomplishment and have a better progression in my day.
Prioritize Tasks
I prioritize tasks to try and balance time during the week instead of cramming everything into one day, and move less urgent items to days with time available.
No Notifications
Turn off Slack notifications after work hours.
Among factors that contribute to workplace mental health, 74% of workers rated their coworkers as a positive factor.
Mind Share Partners & Qualtrics 2025 Biennial Survey
Workers said the most helpful factors to improve their mental well-being at work were work-life balance and flexibility (69%), safety and openness to talk about mental health (64%), mental health benefits (59%), and self-care resources (59%).
Mind Share Partners & Qualtrics 2025 Biennial Survey
Relationships
- Lean on supportive people.
- Sync workday hours with your partner.
- Dedicate time to people you care about.
- Call or send a text to check on others.
Seek Those Who Support You
First of all, surrounding myself with the right people is essential. I seek out people I respect who will challenge and support me, who encourage me to take the time for self-care and good habits. I get important feedback and use their suggestions and accountability to help keep me on track with my balance. I have a group for work, a group from church and wonderful family members that I rely on, in addition to friends.
Special Time with Kids
I dedicate the time I spend throughout the day eating snacks or meals as a special time to connect with my son. We love food and cooking together, so he really opens up during this time.
Try Not to Sweat the Small Stuff
If I've learned anything over the years, it's to choose my battles wisely. If my kid really wants cheese for dinner, let us eat cheese. If he wants to cry because he can't get his shoe on right, I'm there with open arms. I've really learned to just let go and give him the time and space he needs to express himself and be happy. It's truly made me a better mom in the process.
Make Time for Those Who Matter to You
I make time for the people who matter to me. When a client or friend calls or asks for help, I stop and I give them the time and space they need.
Remind Yourself to Reach Out
I also have reminders to reach out to the people I care about. Time just keeps going and before you know it, you haven't spoken to them in months! With my calendar reminders, I'm keeping in touch much more often. And my life feels full because I'm spending it with good people.
Coordinate Time With Your Partner
I work similar hours to my husband. We both try to stop working around the same time, so we can spend some time together in the evenings.
Remind Yourself to Check-In
Using reminders, I check in weekly to not neglect things that I had a tendency to in the past (reading, checking-in with people - relatives, friends and so on).
Take Quality Time
Setting aside dedicated quality time to spend with family, pets, and myself to recharge.
77.1% say stress negatively affects sleep quality.
AMFM Healthcare 2026 Survey
31% of adults worldwide, around 1.8 billion people, do not get enough physical activity.
World Health Organization
Office workers are sedentary for 81.8% of their working hours, against 68.9% of their non-work time.
Parry and Straker, published in BMC Public Health
Low back pain is the single largest cause of disability on the planet, measured in years lived with disability.
Global Burden of Disease study published in The Lancet Rheumatology
Physical Health
- Schedule time to be active.
- Drink lots of water.
- Aim for quality sleep.
- Take breaks throughout the day.
Workout a Few Days a Week
I workout at least three times a week.
Make Time for Activities
Set time aside every day to do something active, regardless of the pressure from other things.
Gym Time!
I schedule my visits to the gym 30 days in advance.
Save the Emails for Tomorrow!
Don’t read emails before bed, it can lead to terrible sleep!
Take Breaks Throughout the Day
Take a break mid day to go on a walk.
Sleep & Drink Water
Make sure to get enough sleep every night and drink half your weight in ounces of water every day.
68% of organizations say mental health benefit use in increasing and demand is growing overall.
Lyra Health 2026 State of Workforce Mental Health Report
66% of U.S. employees today report feeling burnout in some form.
Moodle 2025 State of Workplace Learning Report
13% of employees report that being worried about how AI will impact their role is driving their burnout.
Moodle 2025 State of Workplace Learning Report
The most-cited mental health stressors affecting U.S. workers are U.S. politics (43%), global events (42%), and personal finances (37%).
Mind Share Partners & Qualtrics 2025 Biennial Survey
1 in 3 employees say they're merely surviving.
Lyra Health 2026 State of Workforce Mental Health Report
1 in 4 employees say their mental health declined in the past year.
Lyra Health 2026 State of Workforce Mental Health Report
1 in 2 employees report trouble staying focused or engaged at work.
Lyra Health 2026 State of Workforce Mental Health Report
65% of organizations report more mental health-related leave or disability.
Lyra Health 2026 State of Workforce Mental Health Report
Mental Health
- Be kind to yourself.
- Stick to your boundaries.
- Meditate to quiet the mind.
- Allow others to help and support you.
Daily Affirmations
For me, balance also means that I need to be willing to accept that some days just won't be balanced - but it's not every day. So, I always start my day reading positive affirmations, and saying them aloud. If things get wonky later in the day, I am able to recover easily by replacing icky thoughts with more positive ones.
Delegate!
I’m a mom and a serial caretaker. It feels abnormal for me not to help. Though, once I started delegating more consistently it became a positive habit. I truly found that allowing people to help me was an amazing source of growth for everyone involved.
Quiet the Mind
I meditate everyday.
Meditate Often
At least 4 to 5 mornings a week I meditate for at least 10 minutes.
Take Breaks to Regain Focus
When I'm feeling anxious about something and can't focus on work, I will take a break to do something that fills me up and calms me down. Those things are going for a walk, talking to my best friend, or sketching. After I've taken 15-30 minutes to do one of those things, I have a much better time sitting and getting things done.
20% of Americans report they never engage in an activity to help relieve or manage their stress.
American Psychological Association
Personal Development
- Seek others who support you, and your growth.
- Record your thoughts and ideas.
- Have fun and enjoy yourself.
- Discover and try new things.
Hire a Professional Coach
I have a coach who I meet with daily.
Discover New Things
I read a lot of "self-help" and discovery books. I am constantly learning and growing, developing new programs and ideas.
Journaling
I also journal consistently, either then or before I go to sleep to keep me aware and conscious of my thoughts and goals.
Read Non-Work Related Publications
I read non-business publications for at least an hour a day.
Play, Learn, Have Fun!
I love to play, learn, have fun, and try new activities as often as possible. It really helps calm my overactive brain and feel creatively focused, especially when it’s time to get back to work. Some non-work things I enjoy doing include building Lego sets, gardening, dying my hair different colors, and doodling on my iPad.
Work-Life Balance
Balance is a Journey
We’re always exploring new paths to continuously evolve our work environment in positive ways. Our hope is that it not only benefits our team, but also our clients, friends, and families.
Balance isn't always consistent. Like most things, it's something you incorporate into your daily life. It’s a journey.
- Dani, Project Director
Thank You!
A big thank you to all of the individuals below for participating. Connect on LinkedIn to learn more about them and the amazing services they offer.
Akeisha Johnson
Leadership & Performance Coach
An Inspired Story Coaching
Alice Shikina
Mediator
Shikina Mediation & Arbitration
Claire Brown Kohler
President & Founder
We Empower Leaders, LLC
Jay Kingley
CEO & Client-Centric Marketer
Centricity
Diane Pauley
Founder
Gimmie Sweet Words
Nicole Hanusek
Entrepreneur, Artist
Owner, CEO
Smack Happy Design
Natalie Milton
Owner, Ari Ventures
Web Developer
Smack Happy Design
Anna Byun
Owner, Dragonfly Studio
Web Designer & Developer
Smack Happy Design
Dani Iera
Family-Owned Business Manager
Project Director
Smack Happy Design
Ruben van Engelenburg
Owner, Redevelopment
Web Developer
Smack Happy Design
Viktor Angelopoulos
Partner, Webstart
Web Developer
Smack Happy Design
Before We Go, a Note from the Heart
As we reflect on what we’ve done to help create more Zen environments for ourselves and our future workforce, we know many do not have the luxury to do things like choose work hours, take a walk during the workday, or have the option to surround themselves with reliable support systems.
Beyond this article, our long-term, ongoing goal is to support and give back to the people and communities we know and love in any way we are able.