Balancing the Grind with Eva Schafroth – Leadership Coach, Localisation Manager & ERG Lead

Eva Schafroth is a Leadership Coach, Localisation Manager & ERG Lead, and has been running her own coaching practice as a holistic leadership coach on the side.

Learn about the daily routines of some of the most successful people in the world. Sign up to our newsletter today & receive a free gift that will help you achieve your goals!

1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I’ve been working in tech for 12 years. A few years ago I completed my yoga teacher training, followed by studying holistic wellness coaching – all on the side as a passion project. One day my manager pointed out how useful my coaching skills are in my role as a manager, which led me down the executive and leadership coaching route. 

I’ve been running my own coaching practice as a holistic leadership coach on the side for the past 5 years now. I also bring my coaching expertise into my fulltime job as a manager, as well as leading an employee resource group (ERG) with the mission to help employees manage stress and find work-life balance.

2) What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

I work with a global team and across many timezones, so my days can sometimes start with a 6am call and end with an 8pm one. I schedule breakfast, lunch, dinner and exercise like meetings so I don’t end up working 15 hour days. It’s not an exact science, but I’ve been working this way for a few years now and I got into a fairly steady routine.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

I’ve been working from home since 2020, and it’s made working across timezones a lot easier. Finally the commute is no longer cutting into the precious few hours that overlap with other timezones! I love the flexibility my job gives me.

4) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

It’s been a bit longer than 12 months now, but I have discovered aerials as a hobby that has absolutely changed my life. Moving my body in the air forces me to be present in the moment and really balances out the incredible amount of time I spend staring at a screen during the day. It’s not just exercise for exercise’s sake, but it’s functional, creative, and challenging. I love that it allows me to continuously learn new skills.

5) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

To me work-life balance means being able to be my authentic self at work – which includes having a life outside of work. My manager and team know that I’m a coach and that I practice aerials. They have supported and encouraged me while I’ve been studying.

When you feel like you need to hide parts of yourself at work, that’s when I think it can start to feel like a delicate balance to strike. In my mind it’s more about finding alignment, rather than balancing work and life separately. The graphic below by @newhappyco illustrates what I mean:

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

We have an annual book club in my ERG. Last year we read Burnout by Emily & Amelia Nagoski which is an essential read about stress management. This year we read Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke which provides fascinating insights into addiction, which can actually be applied to switch off from work and achieve better work-life balance.

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

Because I work in tech I’m actually trying to get away from gadgets and apps in my downtime. I can’t live without treating myself to small, off-screen pleasures like a sauna session or a good book (the physical kind!).

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?  

Elizabeth Gilbert.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

I think the key to work-life balance and not burning out lies in separating your self-worth from your work. We expect a lot from our jobs these days – that they are our calling, our purpose, and give us meaning. It’s good if a job does that, but I think it’s dangerous to make work your only source of purpose in life.

It’s important to have many sources of purpose and fulfilment – work alongside hobbies, friends, and being part of other communities outside of work – so that when one of these sources falls away (for whatever reason) the others are there to catch you, and make it easier to restore your balance.

Before you go…

If you’d like to sponsor or advertise with Balance the Grind, let’s talk here