Applied Systems Work-Life Balance & Wellbeing

What’s your quotable principle for keeping a sustainable work pace — and what signal shows it works?

“Don’t overdo it — You’ll feel it the next day.” I always thought this applied only to workouts, but it turns out it’s just as true for work. To keep a sustainable work pace, I try to maintain an organized daily structure. I schedule most of my meetings in the morning so I can protect the rest of the day for uninterrupted focus time. I’ve also learned the value of taking real breaks. If the weather cooperates, I go for a quick walk or run at lunch. It helps clear my head, improves my mood and boosts my productivity, especially during the typical “food-coma” afternoon slump. 

I also try to intentionally keep Fridays lighter on meetings so that I can knock out any lingering, unfinished work, enabling me to start the next week feeling organized and have a clear mind over the weekend. Now instead of feeling like a dehydrated plant that’s neglected over your vacation, I feel energized and ready to tackle my Monday without needing a motivational speech from my coffee mug.

Which policy or norm makes flexible work succeed — and how do you measure impact?

Honestly? Jira tickets. Having a manageable, well‑defined set of tickets each sprint keeps me focused and motivated and gives me the ability to structure my week in the best way to tackle those items. I also appreciate the ownership I have in managing those tickets. I’m in control of my pace and output.

Flexibility is something I genuinely value. I want to honor that trust and make sure I’m someone who thrives with freedom, not someone who accidentally proves the opposite. So I stay accountable, communicate clearly and use those Jira tickets to keep me humble. As a result, my tickets move steadily, not mysteriously stuck in “In Progress” limbo. We hit our sprint goals. And most importantly, flexible work keeps working for me, my team and the company.

Which well-being-related resource do people actually use — and what improvement have you seen on your team?

I’d say rather than a single go-to resource, my teammates lean into the things that bring them joy and keep them moving — sometimes literally. I have several teammates that ski, bike, regularly hit the gym or have a dedicated pilates routine. It’s not an official wellness program, but my teammates and I find that staying active keeps us energized and upbeat, making it easier to stay resilient when things get hectic. And having the flexibility to fit in a workout during a lunch break or a walk to clear your head before your meetings kick off really keeps the mood lifted, and we’re able to be more focused. 

So even if we’re not all using the same app, tool or corporate resource, the shared norm of prioritizing your body and your mind keeps my team balanced and less stressed and makes us just generally happier humans to work with.