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White Lotus Star, Leslie Bibb -Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

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In Season 3 of HBO Max’s cultural phenomenon The White Lotus, three women appear to embody the ideal of “having it all”—a married celebrity television star, a perfect housewife and an ambitious corporate lawyer. But as the story unfolds, the illusion quickly shatters, revealing a deeper truth as they each search for more: success, as it’s been sold to women for decades, often feels like an exhausting, impossible pursuit. The White Lotus also exposes another trap: women judging each other’s choices while feeling stifled by their own.

Perhaps it’s time for “work-life balance” and “having it all” to officially join the ranks of retired three-word phrases—because they don’t actually work. For anyone.

Instead of striving for an impossible equilibrium, shifting toward work-life rhythm—one that adapts to different seasons of life—might be a more realistic path that restores meaningful well-being for driven women.

The Reality: Work-Life Balance Fails Working Women

The data can’t be ignored. Despite research showing that women are burning out at higher rates than men, the myth of work-life balance persists in the collective consciousness. The dictionary definition assumes professional ambition, personal well-being and caregiving can be neatly divided into equal parts, as if life magically operates on a perfect scale. In reality, women typically shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities, and in the workplace, they’re also 48% more likely to volunteer for non-promotable tasks—work crucial to an organization’s success but rarely helpful for climbing the corporate ladder. Rather than achieving balance, managing these competing demands often results in women feeling overextended both personally and professionally.

Vintage illustration of a housewife (Photo by GraphicaArtis/Getty Images)

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As Lybra Clemons, a C-suite tech executive, explains in a Zoom interview, previous generations were sold an externally validated definition of success. “Generation X grew up thinking…you had to be in constant motion—you have the busy job, you’re meeting your friends, it’s the Sex and the City life…It was just a tornado of external things validating who I thought I was supposed to be. In order to feel wildly successful, everything had to be chaotic and unattainable. If not, it didn’t feel like there was a risk worth having.”

Clemons’ story underscores a larger problem: work-life balance is both unrealistic and outdated. It also fails to consider how longevity is reshaping the equation for careerspan. In a separate Zoom interview, Susan Alexander, retired CHRO of Sotheby’s notes that, “Young people today will easily live to 100. Instead of cramming everything into a 30- or 40-year career, what does ‘having it all’ look like over a 100-year lifetime?”

A New Framework: Work-Life Rhythm

In contrast to work-life balance, work-life rhythm offers an adaptable framework that acknowledges the inevitability of priority shifts across different life stages.

In an email, Alicia Hare, CEO of Tournesol, outlines the importance of self-definition. “What does ‘having it all’ look like for me right now? No company is going to define that for us—it’s deeply personal,” she explains.

Companies also have an opportunity to rethink structures to best support productivity. Despite contributing an estimated $600 billion in unpaid care work annually across the workforce as of 2021, caregivers, who are typically women, often find organizational policies misaligned with their needs.

Alexander recalls asking young women navigating the seesaw of work and parenthood how the company could better support them. “I expected big-picture ideas like childcare support. Instead, every single person had created their own ‘crazy quilt’ of services that worked uniquely for them,” she says. “They didn’t need broad, one-size-fits-all solutions—they needed flexibility.” This might include dedicated caregiving assistance rather than just paid leave, or offering sabbatical opportunities.

The key is designing your work-life rhythm to align with the season you’re immersed in, rather than forcing an artificial balance that doesn’t truly exist. As Hare suggests, “Women have to say, ‘This is what I need,’ and sometimes the company needs to say, ‘This is what we need.’” Each party must assess what works best overall.

Making It Work

Life is a series of shifting priorities—here are practical ways to create fulfillment at every stage.

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Start by being intentional about building community. Social connection is critical for life satisfaction. The right community doesn’t just support you—it challenges you to ask the right questions. As Hare says, “Women need spaces to share real stories, not through the lens of ‘what society expects’ but through ‘how are you making it work?’ There are a million ways to have it all.”

To build meaningful connections that evolve with different life stages, consider cultivating peer network groups to connect with women navigating similar challenges, and stay engaged with community-based networks, such as alumni and affinity groups, that offer long-term, intergenerational contacts beyond the workplace.

Redefine Success: Feel It, Don’t Just Measure

The old definition of success involved titles, milestones, and accolades. The new definition? A deep sense of alignment. Clemons is passionate about intentionally redefining success for herself. “Now, it means creating an environment where I feel at peace, where I have choices,” she explains. Success is about having what matters most to you at any given moment.

At different life stages, those priorities shift. Early in a career, success might mean saying yes to every opportunity, capitalizing on momentum or chasing a promotion. Later, it could mean prioritizing family—recognizing that getting home for bath time matters more than networking at a client dinner. And sometimes, it’s about personal well-being, like stepping back to focus on health or mental clarity. An accountant likely isn’t striving for balance in April, just as a new parent might not be optimizing for career growth in the newborn phase. Instead of asking, “Can I have it all?” ask, “What do I need most right now?”

Prioritize Health: It’s Your Most Lasting Asset

We’ve all heard the axiom “health is wealth.” If your body doesn’t hold up, neither will your ambitions. Health isn’t just about feeling good today—it’s about protecting your ability to engage fully with each season of life.

“In my generation, we didn’t think about health in our 20s or 30s,” says Alexander. “But if I want to play with my grandkids or lift my suitcase into the overhead bin at 80, what am I doing now to make sure I can?”

Whether it’s turning a call into a walking meeting or pausing for mindful breathing, small actions add up. In addition, truly harness flexible benefits that may be available at your organization. These may include corporate wellness platforms like WellHub that offer a suite of well-being activities, actually using reimbursement dollars if provided or taking full advantage of EAPs that offer caregiving and mental health services. These resources aren’t just perks—they’re investments in long-term well-being.

Takeaway: Embracing Your Rhythm

Just as the White Lotus characters discover the illusion of “having it all,” we must also recognize and reject the myth of work-life balance. True fulfillment isn’t about having everything at once, but about taking a long-term approach—defining success in personally meaningful ways and adapting to life’s seasons and shifting priorities. The key is embracing our own rhythms.

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NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – MARCH 06: People walk past Target Store in Midtown Manhattan on March 06, 2025 in New York City, United States. (Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Boycotts: A Tool for Change or a Symbolic Gesture?

In recent months, there’s been no shortage of calls for boycotts for brands that have chosen to rollback their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart, and Nestle are the latest companies organizers are urging consumers to stay away from for a time period.

Mixed Results

Thus far, results have been mixed. While Tesla stock is down, and website and foot traffic are down at Target in comparison to the prior year, Amazon seems to be unscathed thus far.

The Power of Consumers

Boycotts are a go-to tool consumers use to make their voices heard and to exercise their power. One study showed that three quarters of consumers have parted ways with a brand due to a conflict in values. That same study showed that 39% of shoppers said they’d permanently boycott their favorite brand as a result of a conflict in values.

The Challenges of Large-Scale Boycotts

However, it’s the larger scale boycotts, like the ones being called for now that are feeling the impact of challenges that did not exist at the same levels back in the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. that saw mass boycotts making a big impact. Here are a few reasons why.

Consumers Aren’t United in the Same Way

As I’ve watched different leaders and consumers talk about the boycotts, one of the things that has become more clear is that there are plenty of people who’ve heard about the boycotts, but are choosing not to participate.

The Problem with Performative Boycotts

Dr. Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel is a culture expert and author of Cultural Intelligence for Marketers. She explains if not approached the right way, boycotts are often merely performative. "For boycotts to be effective, people must be willing to move beyond symbolic platitudes and step into disciplined, long-term organizing. Without structure and strategy, most calls for boycotts remain performative rather than transformative. The outrage just fizzles out before the potential for real economic pressure is ever fully achieved."

Everyone Doesn’t Have the Privilege Needed to Engage in Economic Boycotts

During the Civil Rights Movement, the fight for civil rights was a core need. If you plotted civil rights on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it would likely fall in the base part of the hierarchy, between physiological and safety needs.

The Hierarchy of Needs

The fight for basic rights were a priority for people, and something that was easier for people to get behind. Today’s boycotts, in response to companies’ stance on diversity and inclusion, for many feels like it is higher up on the Hierarchy of Needs, more in the realm of love and belonging and esteem. Those differences, impact consumers’ decision and ability to boycott.

Consumers Don’t Want to Beg Brands to Be Good to Them

The organizers for the boycott against retailer Target, have four demands of the brand, including reinstating its $2 billion dollar pledge to Black businesses, and to restore and expand the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that were dismantled.

A New Approach to Boycotts

Many consumers are choosing instead to buy from brands who are already demonstrating that they do care about them, and their communities. Dr. Gabriel agrees with this approach. Her advice to consumers to make an impact is to, "Boycott, but don’t stop there. As consumers, we ought to support businesses that have chosen not to succumb to fear-mongering and far-right extremism and have instead deliberately stood by their commitments."

Conclusion

Boycotts can be a powerful tool for change, but it’s clear that the approach is not one-size-fits-all. As consumers, we must be mindful of the challenges that come with large-scale boycotts and consider the impact it may have on different communities. By supporting businesses that share our values and values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, we can create a more just and equitable society.

FAQs

• What is the purpose of a boycott?
  A boycott is a form of protest where consumers refuse to purchase a product or service in order to bring about change.
• What are the challenges of large-scale boycotts?
  Large-scale boycotts can be challenging due to the lack of unity among consumers and the difficulty in mobilizing a large-scale movement.
• What is the alternative to boycotting?
  One alternative to boycotting is to support businesses that share our values and values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This can be done by making conscious purchasing decisions and supporting brands that are committed to creating a more just and equitable society.

ReFrame, a joint initiative by Sundance Institute and WIF (formerly Women In Film Los Angeles), aims to promote gender equity in the screen industries. The organization introduced the ReFrame Stamp, which is awarded to films with gender-balanced teams, including production, crew, and actors. According to a new study by IMDbPro, films with gender-balanced teams tend to perform well at the box office.

Box Office Success of ReFrame Stamped Films

The study found that ReFrame Stamped films within the top 100 at the worldwide box office earned an average of more than double the non-Stamped movies on the list, with $293 million gross vs. $117.8 million. Inside Out 2 and Barbie, both Stamped films with female leads, topped the year’s domestic and worldwide box offices.

Top Films of 2024 Have Gender-Balanced Teams

The top-grossing movie of 2024, Inside Out 2, received the ReFrame Stamp, while Wicked, another Stamped film, was the year’s No. 2 film. Three of the 2024’s Best Picture Oscar nominees also received the ReFrame Stamp: Wicked, The Substance, and Emelia Pérez.

Lower Budgets for Stamped Films

Despite their box office success, Stamped films tend to have lower budgets. The report found that films with larger budgets are less inclusive, with the proportion of Stamped films at the highest budget level of $100 million or more being half that of the lowest budget level of $15 million or less. Stamped films’ average budget plummeted by $18 million, from $63 million in 2023 to $45 million in 2024, while non-Stamped films’ average budget decreased by $8 million.

Additional Findings

• The number of women directors among the top 100 grossing films fell from 20 in 2023 to 14 in 2024, with no transgender or nonbinary directors and only five women of color.
• Women screenwriters declined 23.3%, from 30 in 2023 to 23 in 2024, with worse declines for women of color (eight in 2023 and three in 2024).
• Lead acting roles reached parity, with 51 films starring women, including one transgender woman. Of those 51 women, 17 were women of color.

Conclusion

The ReFrame study provides evidence that gender-balanced films are not only successful at the box office but also contribute to a more diverse and inclusive industry. As the film industry continues to grapple with questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion, this study suggests that promoting gender equity can be an effective way to achieve better outcomes.

FAQs

• What is the ReFrame Stamp?
  The ReFrame Stamp is a designation given to films with gender-balanced teams, including production, crew, and actors.
• What is the purpose of the ReFrame initiative?
  The purpose of the ReFrame initiative is to promote gender equity in the screen industries and to encourage the inclusion of women and other underrepresented groups in the film industry.
• What are the criteria for earning the ReFrame Stamp?
  The criteria for earning the ReFrame Stamp include having a gender-balanced team, including a minimum of 30% female representation in key positions, such as directors, writers, and producers.
• How many ReFrame Stamped films are there?
  According to the study, half of the top-grossing films in 2024 were ReFrame Stamped films.