Is It Time to Ditch the Work/Life Balance Concept

Laurie Sewell wears two big hats-president of ISSA and CEO of Servicon-and she knows the phrase "work-life balance" can set unrealistic expectations. When we sat down to talk about leading without burning out, she offered a reframing that feels both humane and practical.

"When I hear that term, I bristle… I bristle with the word balance because I think a lot of people think balance is a 50/50 thing," Sewell said. "I like to say it's more of a flow. It's more of an alignment." The goal, she explained, isn't to force a perfect daily split-it's to stay grounded in values and be intentional about what truly needs your attention right now.

Redefining the term

Sewell's model is simple: Some days work takes more, other days life does. Give yourself permission to adjust. "Give yourself the grace and the expectation that it's not going to be equal," she said. If a child gets sick or a client crisis hits, priorities shift. What matters is choosing consciously, not reactively, and then returning to center.

She ties that mindset to leadership. When a leader is aligned, decisions improve, empathy grows, and teams feel safe to follow suit. "If I'm aligned and grounded, I make better decisions," Sewell said.

Boundaries, not apology

Early in her career, Sewell disliked the word "boundaries." Over time, she reframed it as self-protection that benefits everyone. "It's really protecting myself. It's protecting my focus and my energy," she said. Equally important is how you communicate a "no." Her playbook includes warm clarity and even humor: "I'm really sorry, my calendar is quite busy. I'd love to do that. How about this? Maybe I can do it another time."

Or, when humor is the kindest choice: "Mmm, no, that's not going to happen."

For leaders, the "why" behind boundaries matters. "My energy sets the tone for the rest of the organization," Sewell said. Overcommit, and everyone pays the price.

Sleep as a leadership practice

Asked which early habit still pays off, Sewell didn't hesitate. "Sleep, sleep hygiene," she said. "It is the best gift I give to myself and to others so that when I wake up, I have energy, I have presence, I have mindfulness." For her, that means turning in early. "Some stupid nine o'clock time," as she put it-and cutting screens. It sounds basic, but it fuels attention, patience, and judgment.

Delegation that builds organizational muscle

Sewell admits delegation didn't come easily. "I was really terrible at that for a long time, and I've gotten so much better," she said. The key shift was treating delegation as strategy, not housekeeping. "It's not just about getting…the tedious things off your table," she said. "It's also about giving others opportunities to stretch."

Sometimes that means handing off something you do well, then coaching until it becomes a capability the whole organization owns. The aim isn't only to free your calendar-it's to grow leaders.

Catch the early signals-and reset

How does Sewell know when she's drifting out of that work-life flow? "When I start moving too fast or I lose curiosity…that's typically when my balance is slipping," she said. In those moments she pauses to ask what pressure she's feeling, communicates it, and "slow[s] down and reset[s]."

Crucially, she invites feedback. She tells her team-and her husband-to speak up if she seems off. Then she takes it. "Allow others to tell you when they're recognizing it…and then don't get pissed at them when they do," she said with a smile.

Rules for the hybrid world

Clarity is Sewell's cure for communication overload. She aligns with her team on channels-what merits a text, call, or email-and sets expectations about nights and weekends. She works when it works for her, but she doesn't ask others to mirror that rhythm. The simple tool that helps: Delayed sends.

"I can do all this work, but don't send it until Monday morning," she said. "My team knows when they get all these emails at 8 a.m. on Monday from me that I had been doing work on the weekend. But at least I didn't bother them during the weekend."

Meetings get the same rigor. Invitations must have a specific title and a clear purpose. "It better have an agenda or a purpose…or I'm not going to take the meeting," Sewell said. She routinely marks attendees as optional and encourages sending a delegate. In some cases, that delegate can be technology. "Feel free to just send a note taker," she said, adding that AI tools often capture action items better than humans.

Travel doesn't derail rhythms. Sewell keeps her standing Monday meetings even if she can't attend live-someone else runs them, they're recorded, and she catches up via transcript or video. "Record it, and I'll watch it later," she said.

Associations as accelerators

Serving on boards and engaging with communities like the ISSA Hygieia Network might look like more on the plate. Sewell sees them as ingredients that make the whole meal better. The learning and mentoring she gains translate directly to her day job.

"I like to say you have to go slow to speed up," she said. Investing time in education, networking, and service can feel like a pause, but it pays off with faster, sharper decisions.

Who's the boss?

Sewell resists splitting her identity. "I am who I am, my identity is not split," she said. "I bring the mom, the wife, the friend, the sister to work, and sometimes I bring the CEO when appropriate into other spaces and places."

That philosophy led to a favorite volunteer story from her church. She deliberately avoided sharing her title to dodge the default of becoming the person in charge. "I'm just like, no, I'm tired, I don't want to be in charge. I just want to help," she said. The role she loved: greeting families and pointing kids to the right rooms. "I was like the Walmart greeter, and I was delighted to be able to just have that space where I could just be friendly."

What leaders can do today

Sewell's counsel is refreshingly actionable. Redefine balance as flow. Protect your energy with clear, kind boundaries. Treat sleep like strategy. Delegate to grow people, not just capacity. Ask your team to flag when you're rushing past curiosity-and listen. Codify communication norms and use tools that protect evenings and weekends. Engage with associations that sharpen your craft. And bring your whole self to the work.

On this point, Sewell couldn't be clearer: "It's more of a flow. It's more of an alignment." For leaders navigating complex roles and full lives, that shift-from balance to flow-may be the most important move of all.