We’re all striving for work/life balance. Or are we? Discover how you can have it all as J. and Zach discuss how a career can intersect a fulfilling home life.
The Career Author Podcast is a podcast where co-authors J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon share their struggles and successes as full-time authors, advice for improving your writing craft, and honest discussions of what it takes to build a successful career as an author.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- How to define work in a day job or as an entrepreneur/freelancer.
- Ways to integrate different aspects of your life.
- How to become a blender.
Also, learn Draft 2 Digital’s Universal Book Links can save you time and make things easier for your readers.
How do you balance or blend work/life? Comment at thecareerauthor.com.
Thanks to all our new Patrons: Chad Boyer (upped pledge), Åse Ulriksen Rørmark
Podcast sponsored by Kobo Writing Life – https://writinglife.kobobooks.com
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Links:
Zach Banana – http://thecareerauthor.com/zachbanana.jpg
Universal Book Links – https://books2read.com
Free Agent Nation by Daniel Pink – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446678791
Zach’s new 1-on-1 mentoring service – http://zachbohannon.com/mentoring
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The Career Author YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmIYVcr1UdWgSvYpb3Ol3xg
Story Levels – http://www.storylevels.com
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Events – https://thecareerauthor.com/events/
Comments
10 responses to “The Career Author Podcast: Episode 86 – The Myth of Work/Life Balance”
Morning guys. Great way today J. Sounds like something designed by people who understand what people need.
That banana photo is oddly funny.
Work/Life balance is something discussed a lot in the UK because many commute an hour each way every day and get home stressed, and physically and mentally tired.
When I was a teacher I had no work/life balance. I taught all day at at school and brought tons of work home to do in the evenings and at weekends and on leave. When I left and got a job at NATS (UK Air Traffic Control) as an engineer trainer the contrast with teaching was stunning.
Day one I left work at 1600 and the instant I stepped out of the building it hit me. I have nothing to do. No work to take home. If anyone has ever been a teacher, that is an amazing feeling.
The funny thing is that my decision to become a teacher when I left the Royal Navy was partly because I thought I could write novels during all the school holidays. How wrong I was. 😥 I wrote much more whilst working for NATS because work was fun and relaxing and I got back my weekends and evenings and my workplace was only a 15 minute walk from my house. And I never missed the “long summer break”.
Work/life balance is complex for would-be writers because writing as well as working can eat up the balance bit. If one needs to factor in destress time from work, there may not be a lot of time left for family and friends. I didn’t always get it right (teaching) but in the end I found a great job that gave me time to write (helped by the 15 minute commute). In the end I opted to save up and retire early to write full time but I could only do this because I planned it for a few years and because we had no debt. So now I write all day, oh and I cook and clean and vacuum and wash and iron… a writer’s work is never done 🙂.
Sounds like we had a similar experience. So inspiring to hear how you worked towards becoming a full-time writer by eliminating debt and saving money. Nice!
You and Zach have podcasted about it before. Great advice. Although I draw the line at dressing up as a banana at weekends to earn a bit of extra money. Has Zach no shame? 🙂
Hey guys. I am in a different boat than many. I don’t have a day job to “get to” and try to balance. Yet, I do have family and friends that I need to deal with at times. The blending thing is something I have found I do. I write at home, I live with my dad, and he knows not to disturb me when I am in the office writing.
Lon the Blender. Sounds like a Viking name 😉
Well, now that is going to be used in something…
I am fine with Zach butcher my name. I’ll let him off the hook this time.
I have the issue in that I do side gigs in the evening. So I have to figure out how to put writing in between family and paying side gigs also get some exercise in. I have moved my writing to lunch times at work on monday, wednesday and Friday. The company I am at has a lot of social interaction at lunch and it behooves me to have a couple days where I hang out with them.
So that is where I am at now. We shall see what it will be like when all the kids are in school or the side gigs slow down.
Nice. You gotta stay flexible.
This one hit hard, guys. Especially since I’m reading The Dip. I’m stuck in a job that I don’t enjoy, but have investors, who are also friends, that I cannot let down. Trying to push through that and still write on the side, while having a meaningful family life. Good to know I’m not alone. Thanks.
That’s a tough place to be, Tom. But you’re not alone 😉