For decades, having a work-life balance was considered the ultimate modern goal. However, Scarlett Johansson argues that the idea of perfectly managing the private and professional spheres might simply never happen.
According to People magazine , in her recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Johansson claimed that the very first step in achieving peace is to accept that the work-life balance is not always possible the way people want. In fact, the actress said that, most often, there is "a deficit in some area" whether on a job or at home.
“I think actually admitting that there is no work-life balance is the first step to kind of getting there in a way, because it's not possible,” Johansson said during the interview, as reported by Fortune and People. Furthermore, Johansson admits that she slowly began to learn how to be more forgiving of herself without trying to pursue perfection every day. "You can’t do all of these things all the time," she said.
Success changed her priorities
Johansson’s remarks have been made while she is simultaneously juggling several responsibilities in her life. Besides her acting career, she is also caring for two children, running some businesses like her skincare range, and pursuing a professional career that continues to attract attention within Hollywood.
As per Forbes’ ranking of the highest-paid actors for the year 2025, Johansson made a whopping sum of around $43 million last year, which makes her not only the highest-paid actress but one of the top earners of Hollywood as well. In her thoughts about work and family, it was evident how being a mother had changed her perspective on success. As reported, Johansson said parenting often means making difficult decisions that may not always make a parent “popular”, but are still necessary.
She also shared advice she once received about parenting. Reportedly, Johansson said someone told her that “if you’re successful as a parent like 75% of the time, that’s good”. Johansson’s statement of being truthful resonated with many because it goes against the notion that individuals must excel in all aspects of their lives at all times. In her statement, Johansson implies that one can never be balanced in all aspects.
From food stamps to Hollywood’s elite
In spite of Johansson's enormous success, she once revealed her struggle for money when she was young. According to reports, Johansson said in the past that her family had to depend on government welfare aid and food stamps when she was growing up in Manhattan. Johansson began acting early in life and made her debut in the comedy North in 1994. In addition, she gained recognition due to her performances in highly praised movies like Lost in Translation and Marriage Story prior to becoming famous in her role of Black Widow in Marvel's mega-hits.
A recent report that Johansson became one of the biggest box-office names in Hollywood.
Other high achievers share similar views
Johansson is not the only high-profile figure to question the idea of perfect balance. As per the reports, actor Emma Watson had admitted earlier that due to the hard work involved in acting and making films, balance was “almost impossible” to achieve when she was growing up in the limelight.
The point has even been reiterated by corporate executives. Emma Grede, who is the CEO of Good American and co-founder of Skims, told The Diary of a CEO podcast that extraordinary success calls for extraordinary efforts.
Former US President Barack Obama, too, has mentioned an imbalance in relation to times of sheer ambition. As per reports, Obama has commented that “single-mindedness” is required at certain times in order to excel in areas like politics, business, or sports.
In an era where the issue of burnout and job-related stress continues to be part of many discussions around the world, what Johansson stated is an increasing recognition that for some people, finding balance is a matter of being incomplete but rather unique to each individual. However, her statements did carry a somewhat comforting tone too. In her opinion, it is sometimes better to consider whether something is good enough rather than striving for excellence all the time.
