Balancing a successful business with caring for family, including children or aging parents alike, and addressing the needs of your own mental well-being can be particularly overwhelming. In today’s panel on Business, Family and Mental Health, the Greater Raleigh Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners explored strategies for staying present, managing responsibilities and maintaining health. Whether you call it integration, efficiency or fluidity, it really is common to struggle with the juggle.

The National Association of Women Business Owners (or NAWBO) is the idea place for such discussions. For more than 40 years, NAWBO Greater Raleigh has been the area's premier member-based organization for business acceleration resources, leadership development opportunities and inspiring programs that empower, equip and propel women business owners. As the largest and loudest voice for entrepreneurial women in the United States, NAWBO champions the long-term success of women business owners by providing access to meaningful business-building connections, useful information and applicable resources, exactly like those shared in today’s business luncheon programming.

Those participating in today’s discussion include the following:

Emily Parks (me!) is an award-winning consultant who leans into her expertise on work-life integration by helping busy, multi-passionate leaders nationwide make every minute matter via personalized productivity solutions. Emily started her company, Organize for Success, in 2007, and has since spoken for thousands, contributed to media nationwide, written powerful books on efficiently accomplishing what matters and enthusiastically serves nonprofits while making time for her loves of sports and music.

Dr. Sara Paisner is President and Owner of Synoptic Products LLC, the North American importer of Ballet Sterile Disposable Electrolysis Needles, and owner of Instantronics International LLC, the manufacturer of epilators and associated accessories. Prior to these roles, Sara worked in research, sales and marketing roles across the electronics and pharmaceutical industries for over 20 years. She started her career as a research scientist developing materials for the electronics industry, some of which are in phones, computers and other electronics in use today. As the author of trade magazine articles along with peer reviewed journals as well as a published book and the owner of multiple patents, Sara regularly speaks and writes about the chemistry and science of electrolysis as well as business, marketing and leadership.

Karen Albright, founder and CEO of BodyLase® Med Spa, began her career as a lawyer before launching BodyLase in 2002 with her husband, Dr. Daniel Albright. Under her leadership, BodyLase has grown into a multi-million-dollar enterprise with multiple locations in the Triangle area. Karen’s achievements include awards such as the Triangle Business Journal’s "Women in Business," NAWBO-GR’s "Business Woman of the Year," and EO Raleigh Durham’s "Member of the Year." BodyLase has also been named Raleigh’s Best Med Spa three years running. Karen resides in North Raleigh with her husband and their rescue dog, Bear.

Rev. Dr. Latonya L. Agard, known as "Dr. A," dedicates her life to disrupting oppressive systems and fostering dignity, hope, and opportunity for all. She embodies generosity, grace, and liberation in her roles as pastor, community leader, nonprofit executive, and pastoral counselor. In 2018, she founded BeSpeak Solutions, Inc., using trauma-informed practices to shift harmful narratives toward empowerment and justice. As Executive Director of the NC Coalition to End Homelessness, Dr. Agard champions diversity and inclusion to drive meaningful systemic change across North Carolina. Her faith-centered teaching inspires real transformation within her congregation, Transformation Fellowship Christian Church (#TFCC).

As a glimpse into the panel discussion, here is a sampling of the questions we covered:

1. Often we hear folks talk about “work-life balance”, but, both personally as well as with clients, I find that “balance” is not reality. Whether you call it work-life integration or efficiency or harmony, how do you feel about the juggle of life’s layers and what are the top 1-2 ways you embrace this is your daily life?

Sara - Recognize that you are doing this, and don’t feel guilty about it.

Karen - Working on yourself makes your business better; embrace time-blocking and boundaries that work for you in order to be your best. Put everything on your calendar, including time for self.

Latonya - Be aligned with your own values, not others’ expectations.

2. Many folks talk about productivity as if it’s simply getting more done; however, my clients and I often find that success comes more from efficiently and effectively fueling the results desired across all elements of life. With that in mind, what tools do you use to manage all that needs your attention?

Sara - Combining calendars for every aspect of life into one view. I’ve added a couch in my office for afternoon naps that are needed to be my best. When tasks require my involvement but are not high on my to-do list, I ask my team to remind me of the need to get those simple tasks done.

Karen - Delegation, automation, Amazon Subscribe and Save

Latonya - I want to reiterate the importance of delegating, but, also, I have to put everything on my calendar. If something is not on my calendar, it doesn’t exist. Further, I have self-awareness regarding my capacity, particularly for how my brain differs in the afternoon versus morning.

3. For each of us, caregiving is a large part of our responsibilities, whether for elderly parents, spouses and significant others or children. How do you manage the needs of those for whom you are caring amidst the hectivity of all your other responsibilities and priorities?

Sara - Hire help. For example, my husband and I have different cleaning styles. So that we can really enjoy our time together in our home, we hire house-cleaning help.

Karen - When my mom broke her neck, I practiced my principle of asking for help, including from my siblings and hired home help. It’s important to ask for help when you need it.

Latonya - I made sure I was present when my husband was in the hospital. I make myself present when my priorities need me. We use evenings to power down and connect; plus, at least one Saturday per month, we commit to being together without interruptions.

4. When I work with productivity clients, it’s often with an emphasis on how we invest each day’s 1,440 minutes in what earns our time, energy and focus for goals at work, at home, in community and for self-care. Thus, we cannot overlook the importance of mental health. What does self-care look like to you?

Sara - I need constant movement, but I do it better when there is accountability. Therefore, I run with my dad. I have to have an appointment for accountability. Plus, it’s social because I’m with my dad for running. I really enjoy martial arts, too.

Karen - I follow the advise of Dan Sullivan, scheduling each week with focus days, buffer days and free days, ensuring there’s at least one free day in each week. He plans his whole year of free days in advance, but I’m not there yet. I love pickleball and spa trips. I also benefit from accountability, like pairing my spin class with sauna and smoothies that I have with my best friend.

Latonya - Weekly therapy sessions, a healthy diet that fuels me, daily mindfulness, spending time doing what makes me laugh, time outdoors at Bass Lake in Holly Springs and lots of hugs.

5. Finally, if you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Sara - Not to need to sleep

Karen - The ability to clone my top staff

Latonya - Being able to time travel

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Managing Business, Family and Mental Health