A core part of Daily Work’s mission is to help job seekers break down barriers in order to gain successful employment. Successful employment means having a job that you want to go to, one that is meaningful, and that meets your financial needs. For many, simply supporting themselves can already present significant challenges. For job seekers who are striving to secure successful employment not only for themselves, but also care for their families and children, an added layer of complexity emerges: balancing work life and personal life.
High expectations, workplace pressures, competition, and financial necessity can cause work to dominate daily life. Taking time off for oneself or for family members may feel like neglecting work or risking a very real loss of income. Starting or raising a family, through parenthood or caregiving, requires shifting priorities, often magnifying unequal demands and limited workplace flexibility.
And yet, even the pursuit of work-life balance assumes access to work and opportunity.
The beauty of work-life balance lies in living a full and meaningful life where work supports happiness, rather than consumes it. The challenge, however, is that balance is not fixed. It is dynamic, personal, and often requires conscious boundary-setting, supportive environments, and self-compassion. In my time at Daily Work, I have come to see how difficult it can be to pursue that balance when the path to employment itself is filled with barriers.
As a first-year social work intern at Daily Work, there were many things I expected to encounter when assisting job seekers. Tasks such as résumé building, creating cover letters, and what can seem like endless job applications, to name a few. While many résumés have been rebuilt and countless applications submitted, a common theme continues to reappear: the barriers faced by job seekers, particularly immigrants, extend far beyond the application process itself. These barriers often shape not only whether someone secures employment, but also the kind of balance they are able to experience once they do.
Many individuals come to Daily Work with strong work histories, valuable skills, and a genuine desire to contribute, yet they continue to face systemic obstacles such as language barriers, lack of credential recognition, limited professional networks, and employer bias. These challenges often result in prolonged unemployment or underemployment, despite job seekers doing everything “right” on paper. Through my experience at Daily-Work, it has become clear that successful employment is not determined solely by effort or qualifications, but also by access, equity, and the broader systems that shape the labor market.
Recognizing these realities has reshaped how I understand employment. It is not simply about preparation, but about ensuring that opportunity is truly accessible to all. Without access and equity, even the idea of work-life balance remains out of reach. Successful employment must begin with systems that allow people not only to work, but to thrive.
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Suny Mims Patterson graduated from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and brings 18 years of experience in healthcare and healthcare administration. She is excited about being an intern with Daily Work, where she looks forward to deepening her professional experience in social work and contributing to community-centered care. In her free time, Suny enjoys spending time with family and pursuing opportunities for continued learning and growth.
