5 Tips for Work-Life Balance from Our Employees

We’re all looking for ways to manage full, busy lives—and it’s arguably more difficult than ever. Our working environments have changed, we’re constantly connected to email, and it’s easy to let work bleed into life outside of work.

Achieving work-life balance is a never-ending, ever-evolving pursuit. To that end, some of our employees have tried-and-true tricks that help them work towards it, even during the busiest seasons. Here are their five tips for finding work-life balance.

First, Booz Allen Cybersecurity Engineer Kenya Savage notes that it’s worth reconsidering the idea of “balance” and instead considering “harmony” when it comes to work and life.

We know—and value—the practice of maintaining boundaries between work and life (more on that below). That said, it’s also possible to allow your life to enrich and inform your work.

Kenya practices this approach. “I recently served on my local school district’s equity committee, and I was able to take what I learned from that experience and apply it to diversity, equity, and inclusion work at Booz Allen,” she explains. “It’s using your life outside of work to make your work life that much better.”

A supportive work environment with colleagues who rally around one another is invaluable. When you’re overwhelmed, our professionals emphasize asking for help—and taking it.

Jennifer Nunez, a system test engineer, learned this firsthand. “Right after I started my new role at Booz Allen, I got sick,” she says. “My team gave me the support I needed—short-term disability leave, flowers on my worst days, and encouragement as I relearned how to walk. I felt incredibly fortunate.” 

Leaning into support—and being there for others when they need support, too—helps everyone on the team.

There are real risks from burnout, and one way to avoid it is to maintain healthy boundaries between work and life. There will be busy seasons that require logging more hours than normal, but, in general, our employees recommend creating boundaries and sticking to them. In short, “be intentional about your hard stops and what you can do,” recommends Kenya.

Defense Mission Expert James Brenkert suggests finding a workplace that offers flexible work policies, which he enjoys as a working parent at Booz Allen. “The trust that we have from our colleagues and leadership to do our job when we can (versus following core hours only), is something I revere,” says James. "I can take and pick up my kids from school, work a half day to care for them if they’re sick, or volunteer at their school knowing there’s always support from my team.”

Global Benefits Strategist Christy Beltran recommends taking advantage of your time off. “Get familiar with your company’s paid leave program—and take your vacation days,” she says. “You need to use your time away.” They’re part of your benefits, and you’ve earned them. Those days allow you to come to life outside and inside of work refreshed.

Many companies have wellness programs that incentivize employees to take care of their physical health. For example, Booz Allen’s PowerUp program emphasizes three tenets of well-being: physical, emotional, and financial. Employees who take advantage of this program are rewarded financially for taking walks, attending financial well-being courses, and more.

It’s hard to feel balanced if you’re stretched too thin. And prioritizing your physical and mental well-being can help decrease stress. Maria Camat, a member of Booz Allen’s Employee Care Center, recommends daily check-ins with yourself to combat burnout. “I practice deep breathing exercises, take short walks in nature, and listen to calming music to get myself back on track in moments of stress,” she says.

Feeling like you’re part of a community at work can increase your sense of satisfaction both at work and at home. That’s why our employees recommend leaning on (or creating!) internal groups at work where you can form meaningful connections with others. Joining shouldn’t feel like another box to check. Rather, it should help you create a community—and hopefully, this will improve life outside of work, too.

Eli has a non-visible disability and is a member of the firm’s Disabilities Business Resource Group. She says her colleagues “give me the confidence to be my own person, especially as someone with a disability. They encourage me to continue growing and to stay true to myself.”