Work-Life Integration Strategies That Work

When I was 30, I was a savage. 16-hour days, constant hustle, and no vacations and I don’t regret it one bit. But, now at 45, as a founder and parent of 3, I’ve traded grind for intentionality. Here’s how I balance work and life without sacrificing either: == 1) Skip alcohol and THC. I used alcohol to blow off steam after long days. I thought I deserved it. Now, avoiding those crutches has transformed how I sleep, wake up, and show up for my kids. 2) Sleep is a superpower. I’m in bed around 9:30pm and wake up around 530am. Better recovery leads to thinking clearer, leading better, and showing up fully. 3) Carve out personal space. I go for a 30-60 min run first thing. My biggest breakthrough thoughts come during my morning run. 4) Involve the kids. I used to compartmentalize “work” and “family.” Now, I bring my kids into what I’m doing whenever possible. Whether it’s having them sit on my lap during a podcast or showing them what Dad’s working on, it’s a way to connect and bring them into my world. 5) Outsource house chores. Mowing the lawn? Deep cleaning the house? This is like stepping over dollars to pick up dimes. I’m sure you enjoy it to a degree, but free yourself for what truly matters: family, health, and the work that moves the needle. 6) Use time blocks. I timebox everything—whether it’s deep work, family time, or even downtime. Setting alarms and blocking time on my calendar keeps me focused and prevents the day from running away from me. 7) Be ruthless about what matters. At 30, everything felt urgent. At 45, I know the difference between important and noise. For me, balance doesn’t mean doing everything—it means doing the right things. == The key is this: Seasons of life change. When you’re young, embrace the grind. Push your limits. Be unbalanced. But as life evolves, so should your approach. This is what works for me—what would you add to the list?

🛑 STOP CHASING WORK-LIFE BALANCE. It's the leadership advice that's actually holding you back. The most effective leaders I've coached aren't balancers or jugglers. They are fully present navigators. "Jim, I just need better boundaries between work and life." I hear this in nearly every executive coaching session. Here is the what I have learned: Work-life balance is a well-intentioned myth that's setting you up for failure. Balance implies: • Equal parts • Perfect proportions • Static equilibrium But your life isn't static. And leadership certainly isn't. What if the goal isn't balance, but presence? Here's my take (a Jimism, if you will 😃): Radical PRESENCE means: 1️⃣ Quality over quantity When you're with your team, be WITH your team. Not half-listening while checking email. Not physically present but mentally elsewhere. The leaders who make the deepest impact don't necessarily work the most houra. They bring their full humanity to each moment. 2️⃣ Authenticity over performance Exhausted? Say so. Excited? Show it. Uncertain? Name it. The pretense of having it all perfectly balanced costs more energy than the vulnerability of being honest about your limits. 3️⃣ Integration over separation Your life wisdom makes you a better leader. Your leadership challenges grow your personal resilience. The wall between "work you" and "life you" is imaginary. Early in my career, I kept separate calendars, separate phones, separate personas for work and home. It was exhausting from the constant switching and double checking! When I embraced radical presence instead, everything shifted. My team's psychological safety scores improved. My friends and family noticed the difference. The turning point? I stopped trying to be two different people and started bringing my whole self every day and everywhere. 💡 The uncomfortable truth: Chasing work-life balance is often a symptom of being disconnected from your purpose. When you're aligned with meaningful work, the lines blur in beautiful ways. I'm not suggesting workaholism. I'm suggesting wholeness. This is where radical kindness to yourself creates ripples of impact for others. This week, try this radical experiment: Stop counting hours. Start measuring presence. Where are you fully showing up? Where are you merely occupying space? The impact of your leadership isn't determined by how well you separate work from life. It's determined by how fully human you allow yourself to be in every context. 🧡 What moment today deserved more of your presence? And what would that have made possible? In Community and Conversation, Jim

Work-life balance is cute, in theory. In startup land? It’s fictional! I’m leaning more into work-life integration. Because let’s be honest; the lines between personal and professional are blurrier than ever. Some seasons lean into rest, others into the grind. And this summer? It’s a full-on build mode season. Summer 2025 is big for Breshna: 🎯 Major brand & media partnerships 🚀 Rapid scale 💸 Series A prep to fuel the growth ✅ Path to Profitability We’re stepping into sprint mode: ✈️ Travel 💻 Zoom marathons 🎙️ High-stakes convos that require real energy and presence So my co-founder (who also happens to be my husband) and I had a late-night check-in. Not just about the business roadmap, but the life roadmap too. We asked: ❓How long will this sprint last, and what’s the recovery plan? ❓What work trips can double as personal time, even if it’s just a shared meal in a new city? ❓How do we carve out space for us amid the momentum? ❓What kind of support do we need to show up fully, without burning out? Here’s what helps make work-life integration actually work (at least for me): - Identifying what makes the boat go faster (Elizabeth Gould for the win) -Having real conversations about capacity and support -Planning for connection, not just logistics -Being intentional about food, movement, and sleep (thanks Megan Swan & Mark Phillips) -Building in pockets of rest before burnout hits -Knowing when to ask for help, and receiving it fully This isn’t about balance. It’s about designing a life where the mission and the moments can coexist. Because scaling a company doesn’t mean sidelining your life It means finding ways to weave it in, with intention, grace, and maybe a shared Google Calendar. Let’s go, summer.

Work-life balance is a myth. It’s about managing intensity. The dimmer switch method: People who seemingly have it all don’t get there via “balance”. Early in my career, I was hyper-focused on one goal, shutting out everything else. I burnt out and it took years to recover. 🚨 Instead, it’s better to think of your life as a series of dimmer switches. This metaphor changed everything for me. The dimmer switch method: 🎛️ Adjust your energy across time, social, mental, physical and financial dimensions. Some areas shine brighter for a season, while others stay dim, but none are ever fully off. This method from Sahil Bloom's new book prevents burnout, keeps your life’s essential areas alive with the critical minimum attention, and then evolves with your priorities. ✅ Instead of going all in and sacrificing key areas of my life, here’s how I’d do things over again: Season 1: (bootstrapping my first company) Time: (10) – Fully dedicated to career building. Social: (2) – Limited energy for relationships but do the minimum to keep them vibrant Mental: (10) – Mental focus on learning new skills Physical: (3) – Doing enough movement and quality sleep to stay in shape. Financial: (8) – Income-building through company building. Season 2: Integrating fatherhood Time: (9) – Balanced between career and family. Social: (7) – Building my relationship with my kids and loved ones. Mental: (8) – Focus on balancing professional and personal priorities. Physical: (6) – Staying fit with more time for exercise. Financial: (5) – Leveraging investments from early financial success from Season 1 Season 3: Advising and helping Time: (2) – More time for family and helping others. Social: (9) – Strong focus on relationships and advocacy work. Mental: (7) – Focused on business ventures like The Inflection. Physical: (5) – Maintaining health for an active lifestyle. Financial: (3) – Diversifying income streams through investments and holding company. Balance isn’t about perfection. It’s about integrating your energy into clear priorities. Want to learn more? Check out The 5 Types of Wealth - the Dimmer Switch idea is on page 48. 👇 https://lnkd.in/g-qBAJBi How do you manage balance? Tell me in the comments. ♻️ Repost this to share with anyone trying to be a better leader. And follow Matt Schnuck for more!