Martha Stewart says work-life balance does not exist, criticising concept

Martha Stewart dismissed work-life balance as unrealistic, explaining why she prefers to maintain demanding schedule

Martha Stewart has rejected the idea of work-life balance, arguing that professional and personal responsibilities cannot always be evenly divided.

Speaking on the Richer Lives by SoFi podcast with financial expert Vivian Tu, the 85-year-old entrepreneur shared her views on managing a career alongside personal commitments.

When Tu asked how she balances her personal life with her business and media ventures, Stewart dismissed the premise.

"Just get that through your thick skulls. You can't balance it, it doesn't balance," Stewart said.

She added that she was sceptical of the concept, explaining, "This thing about balance, I don't know who thought about that, but it just doesn't work." Stewart said she sometimes envied people who appeared to achieve it, but described them as "boring".

Her demanding routine reflects her approach to work. According to Business Insider, Stewart typically starts working at 7 a.m. and reportedly wakes at around 4 a.m. to read, complete puzzles and exercise.

She spends five days a week at her New York City office overseeing her lifestyle brand, media business and other ventures.

Stewart has also criticised remote working. Previously speaking to WWD, she said, "You can't possibly get everything done working three days a week in the office and two days remotely." She has also questioned France's traditional August holiday period, asking, "Should America go down the drain because people don't want to go back to work?"

Stewart began her career as a model before working as an institutional stockbroker on Wall Street.

She later established a catering business from her Connecticut farmhouse, which helped lead to her bestselling 1982 book, Entertaining. Her business subsequently expanded into publishing, television and home products.

Despite professional setbacks, including a five-month prison sentence from October 2004 to March 2005 following convictions related to the sale of ImClone Systems stock, Stewart continued her career.