Balancing It All - Life, Work, Leather, and Sanity

Finding balance is an art form. For some folks, it's as simple as plugging time blocks into a calendar. For others, it's an unending struggle. And for a few, it's an outright nightmare. I land somewhere in the middle. I do okay, but I also find myself helping friends and family — especially those who are neurodivergent — figure out ways to get things done without breaking down.

Let me give you a peek into what a typical day looks like for me.

I’m usually up by 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. First things first — I knock out my household chores. That usually eats up about an hour, maybe more depending on the day. After that, I settle into the creative flow: writing my blog post (like this one), prepping my social media, answering emails, and lining up content. Then, I switch gears into my day job, where I clock in somewhere between 8 and 10 hours.

After work, it’s dinner with my wife — and sometimes the kids if they’re around. Then it’s back into the shop. I’ll spend a couple of hours working on leather orders, testing materials, filming content, or editing footage. Once the shop closes, I crash on the couch with the wife, wind down a bit, and then it’s off to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat.

But What About the Weekend?

Ah yes… weekends. The glorious "free time" where side hustlers like me fit in the big lifts.

Most of my major leatherworking, teaching, filming, and prototyping happens on the weekend. I try to treat my weekends like mini sprint cycles. I identify the most important tasks — whether it’s shooting content, prepping kits, editing blog images, or designing a new pattern — and hammer through them while I’ve got solid time blocks. The goal is to use that time intentionally, but still leave space for rest, family time, and recharging the ol’ creative battery.

A Few Tips for Making the Chaos Manageable

1. Find Your System. There is no one-size-fits-all. If something isn’t working for you, toss it. Don’t force yourself to use a planning method that gives you anxiety just because it worked for someone else. For me, Microsoft To Do is the magic. I treat it like a backlog: toss every idea, task, and reminder into it, then assign stuff to days when I’ve got time. It clears mental space and helps me stay on track without overload.

2. Burnout is a Sneaky Thief. Burnout doesn’t always show up with fireworks. It sneaks in like a burglar and steals your joy. You have to schedule downtime — or at least check in with yourself regularly. Not just your body, but your mind too. I’ve learned that ruthless prioritization doesn’t only apply to work — it applies to your recovery too. That reset time is non-negotiable.

3. Say No to the Wrong Yes. Look, saying no can be hard — especially if you’re a people pleaser. But saying yes to stuff you hate or that doesn't align with your path is a shortcut to resenting the work you love. There are always non-negotiables (chores, bills, errands), but outside of that… do what brings you joy. If you fill your time with things you hate, you’ll burn out and shut down.