Me, trekking the Annapurna Circuit trek in the Himalayas.

Is there such a thing as a perfect work-life balance?

When I was in my late twenties I used to work all day long. Having a company of my own, I really loved what I was doing so working long days wasn’t a problem for me. Getting new clients, trying new technologies, travelling to conferences, meeting new people and preparing pitches long into the night – everything was new and exciting.

But now that I’m 43 I love what I do, but I love my life more. When you work you basically exchange your free time for money, and now that I’m older I value my time much more than when I was 27. 

Having three kids, I need to prioritise them rather than my work. Don’t get me wrong – when I do work I’m 100% focused on what I’m doing, and I still have the same spark when working. Though, when the clock hits 3:30PM I sign off for the day as my calendar reminds me it’s family time. 

Even today, sometimes I work in the evening or during weekends, but way less than I used to. And I’m totally happy with it. I focus on delivering the best work I can — based on years of experience — in the least time I can. I work less and charge more as I’m doing things much faster than I used to. 

The question remains – is there such a thing as a perfect work-life balance?  And to answer that I’ll start by sharing two videos I recently viewed. Both are from renowned author and speaker Simon Sinek. In the first one he was speaking with Trevor Noah about friendship and loneliness. 

After watching it I started exploring other videos by Sinek and the one where he talks about work-life balance really caught my attention. He gave a really good example about it too. In there he says “let’s say it’s 4 pm, so basically part of the work day and you want to go for a run – you go for a run”. 

Sinek’s perspective on work-life balance as fluid rather than fixed resonates deeply with me. His views reminded me of my own experience running a small agency with my brother in the early 2010s, where we valued the same fluidity in work and life.  These — almost the same words — were part of our own handbook. In it we said: “We don’t care how much you work as long as the work gets done. Let’s say it’s a beautiful day outside and you want to spend it in the park – you go outside and spend it in the park. Work is not the most important thing in the world!”

As long as the work is done, go outside, live your life. This fluidity is crucial — because it gives you the freedom to prioritise happiness and fulfilment over rigid schedules.

To me, “work-life balance” is a myth. It’s not about neatly dividing time between work and personal life — it’s about life balance. Am I happy with my life? That’s the only question that matters. If the answer is no – I’m going to take action and change it. Life is too short to not live it to its fullest.

While I was working on bigger projects for the last couple of years, I got the time to trek Annapurna Circuit, climb Mount Kilimanjaro, learn to kite-surf, and spent numerous days on the hikes – all while getting the work done. I travelled with my children and watched them grow and explore the world around us – sometimes during my work day. And this is perfectly fine – if you deliver value, nobody should expect anything more from you.

It wasn’t always easy to carve out time for these experiences while managing large projects. But these moments of exploration didn’t just enrich my personal life — they made me a better, more creative, and focused professional. The insights and inner peace I gained while trekking through Himalayas or kite-surfing directly contribute to my work, allowing me to approach challenges with a clearer mind.

If you’re not happy with your balance, ask yourself: What small changes can I make today? Start with them. Can you reclaim an hour in your day to focus on something that truly matters — be it family, personal passion, or self-care? These moments will ultimately shape your happiness and your success.

We are all guardians of our own happiness, and no one will take action for us.

In the end, it’s not about finding the perfect formula for work-life balance. It’s not about the hours we work — it’s about how we fill our lives with meaning, joy, and connection. Work will always be there, but it’s the overall harmony and happiness of our lives that we’ll reflect on when all is said and done.


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