What I learned juggling my busiest 6 months ever (while still sleeping 8 hours a night)
I balanced my full-time tech career, wrote a 50,000-word manuscript, uploaded content consistently, traveled the world, and still got a full night’s sleep. Here’s the framework that made it possible.
From August 2024 to January 2025, my life was a whirlwind: I worked a demanding job in Big Tech, wrote a 50,000-word manuscript for my upcoming book The New Money Rules, created over 70 short-form videos, traveled internationally, and still had time for friends, workouts, and a full night’s sleep, without completely burning out (but tbh, I was close).
People often ask me, “How do you balance it all?”
I’m sharing the exact framework I used to get through one of the busiest stretches of my life while still enjoying it. If you’re also balancing a lot of things, you can apply these ideas to your life and routines.
1) Embrace different seasons
Not everything’s going to get the same attention at all times. Sometimes you lean into one thing, and other times you shift your focus.
For instance, there would be weeks when my tech job was a lot more demanding and my social life was put on the back burner for a while. While I was writing the book, my content schedule took a slight hit. Think of life less like a perfectly balanced scale, and more like a DJ mixing tracks: different beats get louder at different times.
2) Prioritize what’s truly necessary
My two daily nonnegotiables:
Getting 7–8 hours of sleep
Working out every day
Without these, I feel like a zombie, and no amount of productivity hacks can fix that. Figure out your personal “energy essentials,” and protect them at all costs.
3) Batch your tasks
This is key to avoid burning out (although I am definitely guilt of this). By grouping similar tasks together, you’ll save time from constant context-switching, which drains time and mental energy.
At work, this might look like:
sifting through and answering your emails in the mornings
doing similar writing tasks in a block of time
blocking off time for deep work with limited interruptions
For my video content, I’ll brainstorm on one day, script on another, and then film multiple videos in a single afternoon instead of setting up my camera daily. I once filmed six videos in two hours, proof that batching works!
4) Make use of “in-between” time
Commuting. Airport layovers. Train rides. These pockets of time add up.
I often use this time for light brainstorming, reviewing scripts, or outlining ideas. On my flight to Japan, I wrote an entire chapter of my book while cruising at 35,000 feet with noise-canceling headphones and a cup of green tea.
5) Automate when possible
Automation frees up mental space for the things that matter most.
Some of my go-to automations:
Autopay for bills and credit cards
Automatic transfers to savings/investment accounts
Email filters to sort messages before I even open them
AI and technology can also help you handle tedious tasks like formatting slides or crunching numbers, so you can spend more time on high-value tasks or self-care.
6) Accept not everything’s going to be perfect all the time
As a high-achiever, I put a lot of pressure on myself for wanting everything I do to look perfect, as well as constantly chasing “the next thing.” Or, I get disappointed that I didn’t do everything I wanted to do that day. But just like how you embrace different seasons of work and life (see #1), you might see progress in one area for a while, and another area in the next.
Even though it might not feel like you’re making immediate progress or seeing immediate results, every day that you’re working on your goals is a step closer to growth and progress.
7) Reflection and gratitude
It’s so easy to be caught up in perfection and wanting more if you don’t stop occasionally to smell the roses and seeing how far you’ve come.
It’s completely valid to vie for more, but don’t forget to acknowledge all the wonderful things that have happened in your life. I keep a diary where I write down weekly what I accomplished, things I’m proud of, and what I’m grateful for. This helps keep you grounded in a world that’s constantly competing for your attention.
I often forget that I’m currently living the life that my younger self once dreamed of.
Final thoughts
There’s no such thing as the “perfect balance,” only balance that works for you. Some weeks will feel chaotic, others spacious, but every step toward your goals compounds over time (compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world)!
Cheers :)
-Lillian
💡 Thanks for reading! If you’ve been enjoying my posts, you’ll love my upcoming book The New Money Rules: The Gen Z Guide to Personal Finance launching on November 11, 2025. It’s one of the first personal finance books written for Gen Z by Gen Z, and packed with real-life strategies, relatable stories, and practical tools to help you level up your life and money game.
📖 Pre-order now and get exclusive free bonuses including a savings tracker, a 14-page career & personal branding guide, and a private Discord community with behind-the-scenes and early access. Bonuses are only available for pre-orders placed before launch day.
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