Business leaders are no strangers to the balancing act between professional obligations and personal time. However, not all work-life balance advice is created equal—and some tips can actually do more harm than good.
Below, 20 Forbes Business Council members share insights highlighting the common recommendations that fall flat and what you should do instead. Read on for strategies that can truly support both your career and personal well-being.
1. Find A Routine That Works For You
I'm not a fan of "unplugging" in the morning. My morning routine includes working out and checking my email. I send out some emails I didn't send the night before because I didn't want to bother people. I also check top sports scores and other new items. This launches my day and sets things in motion. From there, I go to the gym, shower and get ready for my first call. - Ron Alvesteffer, Service Express
2. Schedule And Prioritize Personal Time
I prefer to call it “life-work balance” because life comes first! I dislike the tip, “End work at a specific time each day.” There will always be obligations that occur outside typical business hours, especially as you rise in your organization. A better approach is to be diligent in adding personal time into your schedule to offset after-hours responsibilities and prioritize family consistently. - Justin Schwartz, University of Colorado Boulder
3. Think In Terms Of Work-Life Harmony
“Work-life balance” is a misleading term—work is an integral part of life. For many, work is purpose, a career and fulfillment, which is more than just a job. Work-life harmony is a better concept that understands that it's not either/or. - Kaspar Fopp, Wondersign
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4. Remember That Important Is Not Necessarily Urgent
Work-life balance is an important aspect of life. I recommend setting clear boundaries for work and leaving work at work. Prioritize your tasks at work and home, and remember that everything important is not urgent and does not have to be done today. This creates a healthier mental state, prevents overwhelm and reduces anxiety so you can live the life you want to live. - Roshawnda Allen, SAWTST, LLC
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5. Encourage Flexibility And Remote Work
Unlimited paid time off is a work-life benefit being increasingly adopted—and it just doesn’t work. What happens is that one’s workload piles up and there’s increased pressure and risk of burnout when an individual returns to a normal schedule. What works much better is embracing flexibility and remote work, which delivers higher productivity, improved quality and greater career satisfaction. - Jason Richmond, Ideal Outcomes, Inc.
6. Embrace Work-Life Integration Where Both Can Coexist
A common work-life balance tip that’s ineffective is, “Set strict boundaries between your work and personal life.” In today’s connected world, trying to rigidly separate the two adds pressure. Instead, embrace work-life integration, blending your work and personal life to flexibly suit your priorities. The goal is not balance but a harmonious flow where both can coexist and thrive. - Aida Lutaj, Legitify
7. Adapt And Evolve To Face New Challenges
The assumption that growing in scope and responsibilities will break your fragile, hardly-attained work-life balance is misleading. It's also self-sabotaging. Humans are remarkably capable of adapting and evolving to face challenges, and that includes your next big promotion opportunity! - Enrique Elizaga, SCI
8. Reevaluate Benefits That Could Perpetuate Toxic Work Environments
The creation of mental health days is not the best answer for work-life balance. If work becomes so strenuous that it is impacting our mental health, we need to reevaluate why we are creating benefits that are supporting possible toxic and stressful work environments. A better solution is to provide flexible work that will relieve stress and provide independence to your teams. - Alberta Johnson, People Experts LLC
9. Focus On Time Management And Priority-Setting
An ineffective tip is, "Always separate work and personal life." In reality, rigid boundaries can cause stress, especially when work requires flexibility. Instead, I recommend focusing on time management and setting priorities. This allows you to balance both without feeling guilty when they overlap. - Eran Mizrahi, ingredient brothers
10. Find Flexible Ways To Blend Work And Personal Priorities
One tip that is ineffective is the idea of separating work and life completely. In today’s hyper-connected world, rigid boundaries often create more stress. Instead, focus on integration rather than separation. Find flexible ways to blend work and personal priorities throughout your day. This encourages a more fluid, realistic balance and allows for greater productivity and well-being. - Francis Hellyer, tickadoo
11. Practice Strategic Unavailability And Batch Communications
"Always be available" is terrible advice. Many leaders burn out trying to answer every call and email instantly. Instead, consider "batching" communications. Check emails at set times and use auto-responders to manage expectations. This approach can free up significant time for deep work. Constant availability doesn't equal productivity, and strategic unavailability often leads to better outcomes. - Samuel Darwin, Sparkle
12. Trust Yourself To Know When To Rest
The concept of separating life and work for a true professional is a fallacy. As soon as the professional trusts themselves, they will know how to live and how to take time to rest and worry about workload while they are awake. - James Felton Keith, InclusionScore
13. Make Plans In Advance With Flexible Priorities
A common work-life balance tip that doesn’t work is completely separating work from personal life, especially if you’re unfulfilled in either. Instead, blend work and life in a way that fits your lifestyle. Set flexible priorities, plan your week in advance, avoid same-day calls and balance time between work, family and yourself. This approach leads to better fulfillment and a more sustainable balance. - Denys Kliuch, WHIMSY GAMES GROUP LTD
14. Avoid Placing Value On Outdated Metrics
Time cards, workweeks and eight-hour days grew out of a manufacturing model developed over 100 years ago. The only surprise is that we still place value on these metrics when nothing else in our lives bears the slightest resemblance to those times. Creating, ideating, musing and problem-solving don't stop when we leave the office and our brains don't wait to start them until we walk through the door. - Christian Davies FCSD, Bergmeyer
15. Realize That You Are In Control
The biggest myth is that work-life balance is achievable or actually exists. It’s a transient state that swings between overwork and boredom. The key is realizing you're in control of your trade-offs and having the confidence to make those choices intentionally. - Alexa Kimball, Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
16. Set Clear Boundaries That Protect Downtime
A common ineffective work-life balance tip is to just prioritize better. It oversimplifies complex workloads and personal commitments. Instead, set clear boundaries by scheduling downtime as non-negotiable, ensuring time for yourself is protected. This approach helps prevent burnout and fosters more sustainable work-life harmony. - Kranti Ponnam, Kipi.bi
17. Take Micro-Breaks Rather Than Fully Switching Off
The advice to "shut off after five" often doesn’t work for entrepreneurs with endless responsibilities. Trying to fully switch off can increase stress as tasks pile up in your mind. Instead, take micro-breaks to exercise, have family time or watch TV, then tackle your to-dos again. - Nikita Sachdev, Luna PR
18. Keep A Positive List Of Accomplished Tasks
To-do lists are ineffective, at least for me. For a year now, I've been keeping a positive list of the things I've done every day, and voilá—it's a lot. I trust myself to get things done; having a to-do list is more an expression of mistrust. - Susanne Mueller Zantop, CEO Positions AG
19. Adjust Your Work-Life Balance Rules As Needed
The idea that work-life balance tips are relevant at all times and for every stage of your career is incorrect. We need to be flexible with work-life balance rules. Adapting and adjusting rules to meet circumstances is key. At times, boundaries are not realistic and could, in fact, damage work-life balance. Likewise, prioritizing time off could be the nail in the coffin for a new business. - Daniel Wendt, Oracle Psychology
20. Identify And Tackle Your Top Priorities
In order to have a good work-life balance, it is essential to have a list of priorities. The most important step is to identify your top priorities and tackle them first. Putting your full focus on your most pressing tasks will give you clarity. When done, you will be able to switch that focus to other aspects of life without concern, knowing that your immediate responsibilities have been handled. - Michael Lanctot, YoungNRetired
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