Hey there, design friends!

Every week, it’s the same story, I start writing, and then work or life happens and I don’t publish. I feel terrible about this so today, I’m publishing, perfect is the enemy of done.

This time I’m talking about work-life balance because of this tweet I replied to a few days ago.

Happy reading,
Julie — @syswarren 

Work-life balance isn’t for you… it’s for them.

⏱️ Reading time: 4 min

The other day, I saw a tweet about work-life balance that read: “If you find the work you really enjoy, you won't need a ‘work-life-balance’”

You’ve probably heard the saying: “If you truly love your job, you will never have to work a day in your life.” Is this what life is about?

Loving your work doesn’t mean it’s not work. It doesn’t mean there won’t be hard days, stress, or tasks you’d rather not do. More importantly, it doesn’t mean your work should become your entire life. As someone who tied their identity to their jobs for years, I know what I’m talking about. For solo designers, it’s even easier to fall into this trap: when you have full ownership of your work, it’s hard to separate who you are from what you create. But I’ve learned that detaching identity from work actually leads to more creative freedom, it forces you to explore new things instead of just using your style or what you’re known/hired for in the first place. When you aren’t constantly defining yourself by your output, you can take more risks, experiment, and grow.

Work-life balance isn’t just about you, it’s about the people in your life.

I used to think that if I was passionate enough and if my work felt meaningful, there was no need to separate it from the rest of my life. That's why I chose to become a designer. I was driven by passion. It took me an awfully long time to realize that work-life balance isn’t just about my own well-being. It’s about being present for the people who matter to me: my partner, my child, my parents, and my friends.

Loving your work doesn’t mean it should take up all your time and attention. Even if you work for yourself and control your schedule, that doesn’t mean work and life should blur into one endless stream of productivity. Balance is about making space for relationships, for experiences outside of work, for the moments that actually make life full.

9-5s, startups, independent work and excuses

It’s easier to see the need for balance in a traditional 9-5 job. When work has fixed hours, it naturally creates a boundary. You stop working, and then you have time for family, hobbies, and rest. But startups? When joining a startup, there’s usually an expectation of being 100% committed, even if you're just an employee, and more likely if you’re the only designer at your company. Many solo startup designers struggle with decision fatigue and isolation because they’re expected to handle everything design-related.

Then there’s independent work, freelancing, or building your own thing, where work and life can be fully intertwined. There’s always more to do. And that’s where it gets tricky. When you work for yourself, it’s easy to believe you don’t need balance because you’re choosing to work, but choice doesn’t prevent burnout. And more importantly, it doesn’t mean the people around you don’t need your time and attention. Just because you can work anytime doesn’t mean you should.

There’s also the challenge of personal projects. We love side projects, but when everything turns into projects, it can feel like you never stop working. If you’re turning every hobby into another product, another portfolio piece, or another potential long to-do list you’ll never complete, you prevent yourself from doing things that truly help you relax. Not everything has to be productive.

Sometimes, work isn’t just work. It’s also an excuse. A distraction. A way to avoid dealing with emotions, responsibilities, or things that feel hard, boring, or not as rewarding. Sometimes, staying busy is easier than taking care of ourselves. As designers, we often dive into work because we love it, but it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. If we’re constantly working, not because we have to but because stopping makes us feel anxious, it’s worth asking: What am I avoiding?

Being present matters

The people in your life don’t just need you to be physically there. They need you to be mentally and emotionally present. If your mind is always half at work, if you’re always checking your phone, if you never fully unplug, they feel it. And over time, that takes a toll on your relationships.

I used to daydream about work even when I was with my partner. I truly love what I do, but I’ve learned that being present isn’t just about setting my phone aside, it’s about actually being in the moment. And when I do that, I strengthen my relationships, I learn new things, I build trust, and become more aware of things around me, which helps me refuel my energy and feed my creativity. Taking a break isn’t just good for relationships: it actually makes me a better designer, even if it’s not the main goal.

Work-life balance isn’t about escaping a job you don't like. It’s about making sure the work you love doesn’t take over everything else. It’s about being intentional: setting boundaries, protecting time for loved ones, making sure you’re not just physically in the room but actually present.

Because at the end of the day, the people in your life won’t remember how many extra hours you worked. They’ll remember whether you were there when it mattered.

TL;DR

• Create boundaries: Set work hours and define when you’re “off”

• Schedule non-work time: Block time for activities that aren’t design-related

• Be present: No work distractions when spending time with loved ones (and please, stop talking about your job, it feels like we’re working there too)

• Check your motivations: Are you working or avoiding something else?

• Refuel creativity: Step away, let life outside of work inspire you.

Cheers,
Julie