Balancing Work and Personal Life: The Juggle is Real 

Let’s be honest—“work-life balance” sounds great in theory, like one of those inspirational quotes you’d find printed on a mug or floating around on Instagram. But in reality, most of us are doing more of a “work-life juggle”. And some days, it feels like you’re juggling jelly with one hand tied behind your back while someone keeps adding flaming torches. 

Between the endless emails, unexpected deadlines, family commitments, and that suspiciously empty fridge that needs restocking again (didn’t we just do the groceries?), it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly running, but never quite arriving. 

I’ve been there. I am there some days. But over time, I’ve picked up a few practical strategies that help me navigate the blur between work and personal life—most of the time, anyway.

Set boundaries (and actually stick to them)

This one is a biggie. Whether you’re working from home, in an office, or out in the community, it’s so easy to let work bleed into personal time. I try to set a firm finish time most days—granted, it doesn’t always go to plan, but I find if I don’t put the boundary there, no one else will. And yes, that includes not checking emails “just quickly” at 9pm. (It’s never quick. It’s a very deep rabbit hole.)

Make time for the things that matter

We schedule meetings, appointments, and tasks—so why not schedule joy too? I block out time for a walk, a phone call with a friend, or even just ten quiet minutes with a coffee and no interruptions. These things might seem small, but they’re the glue that holds it all together. If we wait until everything else is done before we look after ourselves… we’ll be waiting forever.

Learn to say no (without the guilt)

This took me years to master—and I’m still working on it. But saying no isn’t about being unhelpful; it’s about preserving your energy for what truly matters. If you’re running on empty, you can’t give your best to anyone—at work or at home.

Accept that some days will be messy

No one gets it right all the time. There are days when the house is a disaster, the to-do list is untouched, and dinner ends up being toast. That’s okay. Balancing work and life isn’t about perfection—it’s about adjusting as you go, giving yourself grace, and knowing tomorrow is a new day.

Check in with yourself

Every now and then, I stop and ask: how am I really doing? Am I exhausted? Energised? Resentful? Content? These little check-ins help me recalibrate and tweak things before I hit burnout. 

At the end of the day, work is important but being there for your family is more important and then you have your community, and your friends. But you matter too. 

if you’re feeling stretched, please just stop take a breath. Make a small change. Set a boundary. Say no. Say yes—to yourself. 

Because the juggle is real, but so is the joy of finding your own rhythm.