Breaking free from hustle culture and other people’s expectations to find work-life balance

Work-life balance is something many of us struggle with. Too often the drive to succeed doesn’t bring self-care along for the ride — and that neglect often stalls career growth. Sometimes it takes a crash to realize the importance of prioritizing wellness alongside work.

Putting the spotlight on work-life balance this week, we’re revisiting three Catalyst stories that offer wisdom and guidance for bringing your personal and career needs into harmony.

Learning to let go

Looking back, Hitha Palepu, a mother of two, CEO, angel investor, speaker and author realized, “I was a quintessential victim of hustle culture, because I firmly believed I could do it all and I should do it all.”?

The revelation came after she spent a Thanksgiving neglecting family she’d traveled across the country to be with to instead work on a project that ultimately didn’t work out. Palepu recalled, “I felt awful. I also felt like I was failing at home. I wasn't the mom I had wanted to be and I wasn't the daughter, niece, cousin I wanted to be to my incredible family who had gathered on that day to celebrate. I really knew that something had to change, and that day I realized that I literally can't do it all and I shouldn't try to do it all.”

Check out Palepu’s full story and how she found a way to live and work “with greater intention, focus and purpose” here.?

Picking the right circle

Alyson Stoner kicked off a film and television career at the age of seven, going on to act, dance and sing for the likes of Disney, Fox, and Nickelodeon.?

After a decade of working up to 20 hours a day, Stoner said, “I started to notice I was over-exercising, I was under-eating, I wasn’t getting the proper sleep. I had stress seizures, panic attacks, hair loss, and isolation.” Collapsing onto the floor in a cold sweat coming off an audition, Stoner recalled, “I knew If I wanted to keep moving forward, something was going to have to change.”

Stoner founded Movement Genius to help others improve their mental, emotional, and physical health through somatic movement techniques they found helpful in their own recovery.?

Learn more about Alyson Stoner’s journey here.

Battling burnout

When his flower delivery startup UrbanStems hit a financial snag, Ajay Kori threw himself into saving the business, neglecting his well-being in the process. He burned himself out and came off looking overwhelmed to his investors, who asked him to step down as CEO.

He founded two new businesses but also started working with a therapist, meditating and journaling. “As I did those things,” he said, “I realized, ‘Wow, I’m happier and not only that, I seem to be getting more and more effective at running these companies.’”

“If you’re really not taking care of yourself and you're burnt out, it puts you in a situation where you’re just not as good of a leader.”?

See Kori’s full story here.

Do you have tips for balancing your professional needs with your personal ones? Share them with us in the comments!

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