Beyonce says she has stopped trying to meet 'unrealistic deadlines': ‘Now I work smarter’

While speaking about work-life balance, Beyoncé said that to her, singing is her passion, not work.

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, who once put her career before anything else, has stopped trying to meet unrealistic deadlines and is instead focusing on her mental health. Speaking to GQ last week, the 43-year-old pop star said she had been following the pop-star blueprint for years, attending red carpets, award ceremonies, charting singles, stadium tours, rinsing, and repeating.

It, however, led to insomnia, physical exhaustion, and poor mental health, she said. These days, she is more focused on work-life balance and is more successful because of it, the singer told the publication.

“There was a time when I was pushing myself to meet unrealistic deadlines, while not taking the time to enjoy the benefits of why I was working so hard,” Beyoncé said. “There aren’t many of us from the late ’90s who were taught to focus on mental health. Back then, I had little boundaries, and said yes to everything... And now I work smarter. In the end, the biggest reward is personal joy.”

'Singing is not work for me'

While speaking about work-life balance, Beyoncé said that to her, singing is her passion, not work. "Singing is not work for me. I sing for me. I love music and I love to sing. It’s a passion that runs deep. There’s magic in the way it feels on my throat, a resonance that vibrates through me," the singer told GQ. "When I am at my lowest, when I’ve been sad or in a heavy fog, sick or anxious with sleepless nights, I sing. And, often, I sing alone.  My voice has always been my companion. It’s why I have always been able to be happy alone."