We’ve all heard it. Maybe you have said it yourself. “How do you manage work-life balance?”

As a senior leader and as a woman, I get a variation of this question almost every week: “Isn’t it exhausting to travel so much for work?”

It’s a fair question.

My family currently lives in Sweden. I work in Germany and yes, my career has been shaped by movement: travel, relocations, saying yes to opportunities, and navigating complexity across borders.

But underneath that question sits something deeper. A belief. A norm. A quiet expectation. That there is a “right way” to structure life.

The Myth of Balance

The idea of work-life balance is appealing, but increasingly outdated.

Research in organisational psychology suggests that what we often call “balance” is less about equal distribution and more about dynamic allocation of energy and attention.

Scholars like Stewart D. Friedman have long argued for work-life integration instead of balance, recognising that different life domains expand and contract over time.

Similarly, Herminia Ibarra highlights that leadership paths are rarely linear and often require periods of disproportionate focus in one area.

In other words: Life doesn’t balance. It moves.

The Reality of Trade-offs

Every relocation isn’t just a move – it’s a transformation.

Let’s be honest, leadership comes with trade-offs. Some weeks are heavily weighted towards work:

• high-stakes meetings
• strategic decisions
• travel

Other weeks shift:

• family moments
• personal priorities
• recovery and reflection

The tension isn’t a failure. It’s part of the design.

From a neuroscience perspective, our brain’s executive function, responsible for prioritisation and decision-making, operates best when we are clear on what matters most right now. Trying to “do everything equally” often leads to cognitive overload and decision fatigue. Clarity, not balance, is what creates sustainability.

Challenging the Norms

What I’ve noticed over the years is that unconventional choices invite scrutiny. I’ve been asked:

• Why I travel so much
• Why I spend time away from my children
• Why I say no to important business meetings

Interestingly, these questions often come together. As if choosing one automatically means failing the other. But leadership today requires something different:

• the courage to define your own model
• the discipline to set boundaries
• and the confidence to stand by your choices

The Role of Systems, Not Just Individuals

This is not just about personal resilience. It’s about the systems we operate in.

I feel incredibly fortunate to work in an organisation like AVIV Group, where flexibility is not a compromise, it’s a strategic advantage.

Forward-thinking companies recognise that:

• flexibility attracts top talent
• autonomy increases engagement
• trust drives performance

At the same time, human connection still matters. This isn’t about fully remote vs. office-based work. It’s about intentionality. Choosing the right format for the right moment:

• collaboration in person
• focus work remotely
• connection when it matters most

Boundaries Are Leadership in Action

In many ways, leadership is not just about what you say yes to, but what you are willing to say no to. There are for example days when I choose to leave early.

It might be my daughter’s birthday. There will be cake and a promise kept. It also means declining a few important meetings.

And the next day? I’m often on an early flight back to Germany.

Both are important. Both matter. And neither requires guilt.

From Balance to Conscious Choice

Perhaps the real question is not: “How do you balance everything?”

But: “How consciously are you choosing?”

Because there is no perfect equilibrium. There is only:

• awareness
• prioritisation
• and ownership

---

A Reflection for You

As leaders, we don’t just navigate our own choices, we model what is possible for others.

So I’ll leave you with this:

• 👉 What question do you keep receiving?
• 👉 What does it reveal about the norms you are expected to follow?
• 👉 And as a leader, what is your version of a life well lived?

---