Work-life balance has long been described as a scale to be evenly weighted, but today’s leaders know real fulfillment comes from work-life harmony, a more fluid and intentional integration of personal and professional life. Harmony allows for seasons, priorities, and choices. It honors both ambition and well-being. Insights from leaders featured on It’s Personal Stories  reveal how to build a life where work and personal commitments support each other rather than compete.

1. Know Your Priorities—and Honor Them

Rachel Humphrey, Principal of It’s Personal Stories and Founder of Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance, learned that harmony begins with clarity. Spring break was sacred family time, even when it fell just before the AAHOA Convention. She showed up fully for her family because those were the moments that mattered. She also discovered that not everything that feels important to parents is what children need: reading to the class was appreciated, but her kids preferred decorating cupcakes with their friends without her there. With a supportive husband and community, she raised two exceptional daughters. “I didn’t fail. I wasn’t a terrible mother,” she reminds herself, and reminds us, that harmony is imperfect but deeply meaningful.

2. Set Boundaries and Compartmentalize When Needed

Monika Nerger, Former Global CIO of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, stresses keeping certain things sacred, guardrails that protect what matters most. For her, date night with her husband is non-negotiable. Keith Barr, former CEO of IHG, compartmentalizes intentionally. On his commute home, he asks himself who he wants to be when he walks through the door: the best father, husband, and friend. At home, work stays outside, presence becomes the priority.

3. Practice Presence Instead of Chasing Balance

Lisa Checchio, Chief Commercial Officer of EBG, rejects the pressure to perfectly distribute time. “When I try to balance a day, I’m always out of whack,” she says. Instead, she focuses on being fully present wherever she is. Whether presenting at an event or spending time with family, she commits 100% to the moment. “It helps me not think about all the places I’m not,” she shares. Presence, not juggling, creates harmony.

4. Protect Your Well-Being With Intentional Self-Care

Gilda Pérez-Alvarado, Chief Executive Officer, Orient Express / Group Chief Strategy Officer, Accor, anchors her approach in self-care: “Just as on an airplane, you put your mask on first.” To be the best mother and leader, she prioritizes mental, emotional, and physical well-being. A strong support system, including her husband, whom she describes as an equal partner, is essential. For her, self-care includes exercise, reflection, meaningful time with loved ones, and having a “bat cave,” a safe space to decompress, recharge, and return renewed. When personal life is supported, professional excellence becomes more sustainable.

5. Expand the Definition of Work and Life

Anna Blue, Founder of Blue Moss Group, challenges the traditional work-life divide. “I don’t like that we’ve designated the thing that pays us as work,” she says. “I work at being a mom. I work at being a good friend. I work at being an advocate.” To her, all aspects of life require effort and deserve attention. Harmony comes from recognizing that each role carries value and contributes to the whole of who we are.

6. Create Flexibility That Fits Your Life

Harmony requires ongoing adjustment. Leaders affirm that flexibility, not rigidity, creates room for joy, contribution, and growth. Whether through supportive partnerships, intentional schedules, or mindful transitions, flexibility allows individuals to respond to life’s demands with resilience and grace. 

Work-life harmony empowers individuals to thrive personally and professionally. By embracing flexibility, honoring priorities, setting boundaries, practicing presence, and nurturing well-being, leaders cultivate a life where every role, parent, partner, leader, colleague, friend, supports the others. Harmony is not the absence of stress or the perfect allocation of time; it is the intentional creation of a life that reflects what matters most. When we achieve harmony, we show up as our best selves, and elevate everyone around us.