From Mami’s unreturned phone calls to the pileup of work emails, there’s always someone demanding your best attention now and your finest response yesterday. But what’s the first thing to get shoved to the side? Ever-important “me” time.

“I always tell people to picture their life like a pie,” says Lauri Burns, founder of The Teen Project, a nonprofit that helps homeless and foster teens create balanced, healthy lives. That pie should include everything: romance, la espiritualidad, family, work, leisure and hermana time. “The goal is to nourish the multiple parts of your life consistently in order to feel joyous and confident.”

According to Natalie Gahrmann, a women’s leadership coach, we have to prioritize what we value most, and then make choices to support those decisions. Here’s how to bring balance and confidence to your daily life:

1. Identify Priorities “Determine what’s most important to you and align yourself with those areas of your life,” says Gahrmann. Look for the things that give you a feeling of wholeness and satisfaction, such as maintaining your Latina identity or searching for your true calling.
 
2. Get Organized “A balanced life involves planning and prioritizing my daily tasks,” says Cynthia Warden, a self-employed publicist. Each night, write down your activities and priorities for the next day. Make sure to plan for personal time-outs.
 
3. Build a Support Network Our first reaction is often to figure things out on our own. But, says Gahrmann, we can keep stress in check by asking an amiga, a colleague or even a tía for help with projects.

Staying sedentary isn’t in Natalie Morales’ DNA. As a reporter and anchor on NBC’s “TODAY” show, she’s gone after some of the world’s most important news stories: the rescue of Chilean miners, the Southern California wildfires, Hurricane Katrina, and the war in Iraq.

To stay healthy, the mother of two from New Jersey is also an avid runner. Incredibly, Morales finds time to volunteer with Back on My Feet, a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless rebuild their lives by teaching them to run. Their goal is to boost confidence, strength and self-esteem with the idea that building stamina makes facing uphill battles easier.

“As a member of the board, Natalie’s support has helped tell the story of how our program moves people from dependency to self-sufficiency,” says Anne Mahlum, the nonprofit’s founder and CEO. “In addition to media assistance, Natalie has given her time and support as a runner in our signature national race, the Stroehmann Back on My Feet 20in24 Challenge, and motivated fundraisers from across the country to support our mission.”

The Daytime Emmy award–winning journalist was born in Taiwan in 1972 to a Brazilian mom and a Puerto Rican dad. Morales was a U.S. Air Force brat, living in countries such as Panama, Brazil and Spain for the first 18 years of her life. Her natural beauty and runner’s physique lead People magazine to name her one of its 100 Most Beautiful People in 2009.

To date, she’s competed in five marathons, including three New York City Marathons, and has taken up triathlons as well. Morales continues to inspire women to keep going until the race is won.

Photo: Getty Images

Growing up in New York City, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson was a determined entrepreneur: She sold lemonade, bracelets and had a baby-sitting business. “An entrepreneurial spirit comes from within,” she says. “It’s hard to teach that or learn it in school. It’s almost a personality trait!” That innate drive took her to some of the most prestigious schools in the country, including Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard.

After college, Wilkis Wilson worked at Merrill Lynch for a few years. But she ditched the world of finance for fashion, snagging posts at top-notch labels like Bulgari and Louis Vuitton. Then in 2007, Alexandra teamed up with her best friend to launch Gilt.com. Today, the company is valued at $1 billion and grows at a staggering pace. Here, Wilkis Wilson shares three tips that all mujeres can apply to find success:

Pursue your passion: “Life is short. In an ideal world, you love what you do professionally. Figure out areas that you’re passionate about, and figure out if you can build a career around them.”

Pick the right business partner: “In our book, By Invitation Only: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop, we have a checklist of important points to consider when partnering with someone. They include: ‘Have you seen your partner handle difficult situations?’ ‘Do you have similar energy and work ethic?’ and ‘How do you fight?’”

Embrace uncertainty: “One of the best lessons I learned from my father is to exhibit resilience in the face of adversity. Entrepreneurship is filled with highs and very low lows. Being flexible is one of the best qualities an entrepreneur can have.”

Carol Sanchez, a married mother of three, has built an outstanding professional reputation. She’s held high-level positions at corporations like Staples, served on former Governor Mitt Romney’s Council on Diversity, and won numerous awards along the way, such as the YWCA of Boston’s Academy of Women Achievers Award in 2011. One of her most important career moves, however, came in 2004 when Carol co-founded Sanchez & Santiago LLC, a thriving CPA firm located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass. Among her many tasks? Helping other Latinas grow their businesses. Here, she shares three habits that lead to prosperity.

The daily planner: “I always have a working plan in my professional and personal life,” says Sanchez. Without a map to guide you toward your goals, you’ll wander about aimlessly. But that doesn’t mean the lines on your map can’t change: “In college, I was an international business major but switched to accounting because I got 4.0’s in the courses. I knew I’d have plenty of job options.”

Interview your boss: “If he or she doesn’t inspire you, then you could waste years not progressing and spending time finding another job,” says Sanchez. “It’s critical that you like your boss, and they’ve got to like you. Employers that really want you are going to help you because they’re committed to your success.”

The social networker: “I go to events, meet people and stay in touch. If someone that I met at an event calls me, I take the time to call back. Our business was up and running very quickly because of our expansive network.”

Look inside many Latina entrepreneurs’ contact lists and you’re likely to discover the name of their best-kept secret to success: Nancy Marmolejo. As the founder of Viva Visibility and author of 21 Online Visibility Tips Every Entrepreneur Must Know, Nancy helps business owners across the country raise their online (and offline) visibility level. Then they can market themselves as recognized, credible experts in their fields.

With an online business, there’s a level of freedom that traditional employment doesn’t offer. “You can work from home, set your own schedule, be there for your kids,” she says, and “eliminate the stress of everything a job and a commute bring into the picture.” There’s an added benefit for Latinas: the ability to reach prospective customers all over the globe. Here’s how:

1. Integrated marketing is key. Online marketing must be backed up by offline methods. That might mean picking up the phone, going to live events or using traditional print marketing. “I’m also very excited about mobile marketing, which is a hot emerging area,” says Marmolejo.

2. State your services clearly. “Craft your website so it answers questions and gives people information, and doesn’t just stand there like a brochure,” says Marmolejo. You’ll develop a loyal following if you’re a source of solutions.

3. Build your database. “Many opportunities are lost when businesses don’t capture email addresses on their websites,” says Marmolejo. “Offer your Web visitors free tips or a special downloadable gift in exchange for their email. Then you can follow up and build strong, lasting relationships with your clients.”