Recently I was asked: "Who are the best bloggers covering work-life balance for entrepreneurs right now and why?" Here's a top 10 list, as chosen by members of the Young Entrepreneur's Council (YEC).
1. Marie Forleo
"Marie Forleo doles out sage-yet-sassy advice for women entrepreneurs who want to 'have it all'. She's living proof that you can!"
—Amanda Aitken, Creator at The Girl's Guide to Web Design
2. Tim Ferriss
"Tim Ferriss is the authority on work-life balance and the author of the famous four-hour work week."
—Josh Weiss, founder and president of Bluegala
3. Tina Su
"Tina Su of WorkAwesome curates amazing articles all about living well and working well. With titles like "5 Warning Signs That Tell You Are Working Too Hard" and "How To Make a Decision," it's totally for those who want a little entrepreneurial balance."
—Nathalie Lussier, founder, CEO at Nathalie Lussier Media
4. Julien Smith
"Julien Smith never fails to post something that gets me thinking. I wouldn't say that his focus is as narrow as work-life balance, but he's given me serious food for thought on that topic on a regular basis."
—Thursday Bram, Consultant at Hyper Modern Consulting
5. Jeremy Schoemaker
"Jeremy Schoemaker of ShoeMoney is a great blogger. His story of how he made money is an inspiration to any entrepreneur still trying to find his way."
—Jordan Guernsey, CEO at Molding Box
6. Colin Wright
"I would say that the always-entertaining, always-traveling Colin Wright would be a crowd favorite. His blog is ExileLifestyle.com, where you can follow his travels around the world. Even if you can't join him, you can live vicariously—and that's a very cool thing."
—Brent Beshore, owner/CEO at AdVentures
7. Ryan Carson
"Ryan has five businesses under his belt and his blogging has really reached a new level this year. At The Naive Optimist, he's writing extremely useful content for entrepreneurs and his perspective is that of a humble, highly motivated founder who aims to run high-octane companies without giving up a sense of balance in his life. He's as willing to admit his faults and does a great job of relating his experiences to the common challenges we all face."
—Derek Shanahan, cofounder at Foodtree
8. Leo Babauta
"Zen Habits is among the most popular productivity blogs because it serves as a constant reminder of the importance of mindfulness and purpose. The blog's tagline is representative of its mantra: "... breathe." It's easy for entrepreneurs to feel they need do more, but Zen Habits cautions against doing work for the sake of doing more work—work smarter, not harder. Balance brings out the best in entrepreneurs."
—Emerson Spartz, CEO and founder at Spartz Media
9. Jason Fried
"Jason Fried writes an amazing blog about design and usability, but I often find his tips about work-life balance to be incredibly insightful. He's a skilled writer who has a monthly column at Inc. My favorite recent blog was about "Workplace Experiments: A Month to Yourself." He's written in the past about building the culture at 37signals, and the team's strategies are all about finding the right balance for work and life."
—Aaron Schwartz, founder and CEO at Modify Watches
10. Jonathan Fields
"Jonathan Fields started the Good Life Project to share knowledge and build community. The project features interviews with incredibly successful thinkers who have made contributions to the world. Fields' brand is focused on the intersection of creating a successful business and living a good life. His philosophy is, "Building a substantial business doesn't make you happy. Your ability to cultivate meaning and happiness fuels great endeavors."
—Nick Reese, chief executor at Microbrand Media
What bloggers inspire you? Tell us in the comment box below.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization of promising young entrepreneurs that has access to tools, mentoring and resources that support each stage of business development. The organization promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to unemployment and under-employment.
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