Work-Life Balance in Action: What Keeps Our Team Happy and Energized After Hours

At Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, we know that supporting our team plays a vital role in advancing our mission to fund research for childhood cancer. Prioritizing a healthy work-life balance helps prevent burnout, fuels creativity and builds a sustainable path forward for our mission.

When the workday wraps and laptops close, our team leans into the moments that help them recharge. Here’s a look at how our staff spends their “5-9s” after their “9-5s.”

Movement and Exercise

For many on our team, the best way to reset is to get moving. Whether it’s going for a run, rolling out a yoga mat, playing in a local volleyball league or taking a walk or a bike ride around the neighborhood, movement offers a chance to clear the mind and boost energy.

Some team members bring along friends or their dogs, turning simple exercise into meaningful connection time. It’s not about intense training, it’s about finding joy in movement and making space to destress after a busy day.

Cooking and Baking

In a community built around bake sales, it’s no surprise that time in the kitchen is a favorite off-the-clock activity. From testing new dinner recipes to perfecting sourdough starters, our team finds creativity and comfort in cooking and baking.

Looking for a little recipe inspiration? Head to our blog to discover our chocolate chip cookie recipe, a tried-and-true favorite our team loves to bake and share.

Crafting and Creativity

Creativity doesn’t clock out at 5 p.m. Many of our team members turn to hands-on hobbies that help them relax while still expressing themselves. Painting, adult coloring books, diamond painting, origami and needlepoint are a few of the favorites.

These activities offer a different kind of focus, one that’s calming and rewarding. It’s a chance to slow down and create something purely for the joy of it.

Friends and Fun

As a remote team, staying connected outside of work is especially important. Our staff makes a point to carve out time for friendships during the week, whether that’s grabbing dinner, hosting mahjong nights or gathering for watch parties of favorite shows (a team favorite is Dancing With the Stars!).

These moments of connection deepen relationships and bring a sense of balance to the week.

Exploring and Experiencing

One of the perks of a remote team is that our staff is spread across the country and everyone takes full advantage of what their hometowns have to offer.

For some, that means heading to the beach for an evening walk or catching a sunset by the water. Others take advantage of nearby theme parks (with a few team members even stopping by Walt Disney World for a quick dose of magic after work). And for sports fans, weeknights might include cheering on a hometown team at a live game.

At the end of the day, a strong work-life balance looks different for everyone. But one thing remains the same: when our team takes time to recharge, they come back more energized, inspired and ready to make an even greater impact, because supporting kids with cancer starts with supporting the people working tirelessly to change their future.

What helps you recharge after a long day? Share your go-to activity in the comments, we’d love to hear!