We had the good fortune of connecting with DeAnna Rivers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DeAnna, how has your pespective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My work-life balance has changed over the past three years. For my full-time job during the day I try to have a hard stop around 5 pm. That way once I come home, I can decompress, eat dinner, and then switch to working on my blog in the evening. However, my time spent working in the evening has changed. I am more intentional about the time spent during the evening into the night. Time blocking has been a lifesaver and I only want to spend about 3-4 hours working. The biggest change in recent months has been giving myself the grace I need when I feel exhausted. I don’t have to do it all, all the time. If I feel exhausted from the day and can’t be productive in the evening I don’t force myself to work.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In 2016 I launched my style blog, The Visual Aspect. I have a combined 10+ years in the fashion industry including working in the retail industry and being a stylist for over three years. Since creating my blog in 2016, I have collaborated with a variety of brands to bring the best style advice and value to the women in my audience. I have written for magazines and websites, hosted style events, and conducted interviews of my peers in the fashion industry. It has been such a joy creating content for my blog over the past three years and I can’t wait to continue to grow my brand and see what it becomes. I provide a genuine voice for the mid-20’s woman who is a working professional, enjoys life and adventure, and finding an outfit for each of those moments. This includes tips for building a functional wardrobe that fits your lifestyle and budget while educating you on when to invest in certain areas of your wardrobe. I like to call myself the Joanna Gaines of fashion, style, and your closet! Sprinkle in a few personal posts on life as a woman in her mid-twenties living in Austin, and you get The Visual Aspect brand in its full form. This journey has not been easy. There are a lot of late nights, learning how to manage time well, asking my friends to help me with content. You can’t be afraid to ask for help! You won’t make it far if you are doing everything by yourself. I had to teach myself to ask for help and not feel like I am bothering people. If others are truly your friends, then they will want to help you! Another challenge is showing up to events by yourself. That one is huge! I have gone to countless events by myself and told myself to talk to at least 5 people before I leave. That is how you will meet new people and grow your network. You never know who you meet and how that person can propel your career forward.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite spots in Austin to eat would be the following: Hillside Farmacy and/or June’s All Day for brunch or breakfast, Texas French Bread for lunch. If it’s a nice day out we would go paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake, then walk South Congress to do some shopping. Cafe No Se would be the next stop for an afternoon coffee pick me up. Then Kemuri Tatsu-Ya would be the spot for dinner, following with drinks at the Austin Proper hotel before a night out Downtown.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shout out my friends and my boyfriend Sean who have been extremely supportive of my blogging journey. Sean, Karla, Mimi, Daniela, Chelsey, and Jon (just to name a few!) have been instrumental in my success thus far. Whether it was taking pictures for my blog, going with me to events, or listening when I needed advice. They have all been there for me and supported me. I invest a lot in my relationships and friendships and knowing that they will show up for me makes me feel extremely loved. I also spend time listening to Gary Vee, Ed Mylett, and The Skinny Confidential podcasts. I love learning new ways of becoming a better version of myself and how to improve The Visual Aspect.

Website: https://www.thevisualaspect.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannamrivers/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe5JUMiUtdtk6TP2-lCU0Ig?view_as=subscriber
Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thevisualaspect

Image Credits
Sean Baier