Taking significant pay cut for work-life balance

I think self actualization is too hard if you mixed it with your primary livelihood. A few rare ones can do it within their jobs, maybe doctors, scientists, inventors. And even they find it compromising to do after a while. For the majority of us, it means something else besides our job. That is the whole point, to have a balanced life you need to allow time for it. If you say you have no time because all your time is spent on work, then basically, that is not self actualization. The examples are endless, like active contributions to any cause that you feel passionate about, helping community etc. Basically anything that you can do freely to develop the ability or potential within you. Hope it helps

I would make it something else besides my job

I think one needs to have some free time after work to do "something you like". Through investing your time on that interest, slowly but steadily the interest will grow into something bigger which can define you if your work does not define you.

For instance, I know of friends in Australia who like to spend their weekday evenings building a boat.

Another friend of mine takes apart CD players and solders on audiophile parts in order to improve the sound quality.

For me, I love listening to classical & jazz music and slowly building up a music collection and at the same time, improve my understanding of the styles and moods of different composers and music era.

Life is more interesting this way, right?

Indeed, life is stressful.

I guess the important thing is not about the pay cut but how to live within your means. If this can be achieved, pay cut is not an issue.

I have seen someone who earns $4,000 and drives a Lexus and another who earns $16,000 but takes a bus.

The second person lives within his means and a pay cut will do him no harm.