The Facebook ads clamoured for my attention. “In one year, I made 6 figures.” “The simple one page website that made me a $10 million dollars.” Drawing you in, these are the parts of freelance life and entrepreneurship that bring purpose to the hustle.

This month has been glorious and wild-in all of the ways. Somehow when my professional life is thriving, I find the personal life windles down to the bare essentials in all forms. Healthy routines of meal prep, easing into the day, and remaining active subside and take a bow to take out, working from standing desks, and endless late nights.  So what does the preverbal work/life balance look like?

When it comes to scaling a business as a solopreneur, it’s up to you.

At the beginning of the year, I set aggressive goals for scaling the studio to agency, both in skillset and in revenue. However, at the end of the day, the only person who is responsible for the growth is yourself. When you bring on employees and begin managing a team, there’s additional leadership and admin required. The pressure? Well, it’s real. The need to provide, move forward, and always best your personal best.

Entrepreneurship is an emotional roller coaster ride. When hustle exists, heart check-ins are necessary.

Here’s what I’ve learned about myself over the years- I love to stay busy. Whether it’s a project or going on a hike with a friend, active rest is definitely what I do until I’m to the point of exhaustion. I’d prefer to be productive, learning, and growing rather than lonely or feeling isolated. To Netflix and fall asleep or to Netflix and get things done? For me, this is always the question with evenings at home. In light of this, how do I cultivate rest and inspiration as disciplines? Is there a reason I have the need to productivity hack and automate most moments of my life? As someone who runs a lifestyle blog in addition to a design studio, this dance is all too real. Everything in my life can somehow be monetized. But is it worth it? At what cost? Where are the simple moments where I solely cook for myself rather than the next shoot? Do I purchase items in the store because I love them or because they are an affiliate product?

When the hustle is strong, I’ve come to ask myself these questions:

Do I only feel significant when producing something?

Is it easier to run from pain and sink into work as a coping mechanism that is validated and praised by others?

Or am I choosing to be busy at the cost of being purposeful?

How are you prioritizing rest and fun in your schedule? (If you aren’t what is something fun you want to do?)