Summertime invites us to breathe deeply, soak up the sun and perhaps, most importantly, gain a fresh perspective on how well we’re doing with our work-life balance.
Whether it’s the allure of weekend getaways, the joy of spending more time with loved ones or simply the chance to unwind and recharge, it’s natural to reflect on what truly matters to you beyond work right around this time of year — even if you’ve been on a professional hot streak and don’t want to lose momentum.
But that’s the whole point of work-life balance, isn’t it? Getting ahead in your career and enjoying life to the fullest. That’s what we’re all about here at Cox, and not just during summer, but all year long. Here are some tips from Cox employees on how to make sure make the most of your summer — and beyond.
Take a vacation (or two, or three!).
It might seem like we’re stating the obvious, but here’s your reminder to make the most of your paid time off (PTO) and truly enjoy it. At Cox, we have flexible PTO policies, and we take full advantage of them.
Take corporate communications manager Kinsey Bown, for example. When she was interviewing for her job at Rapidscale (part of the Cox family of businesses) earlier this year, she had questions about how the company’s flexible PTO policy actually worked.
As a new hire, she can say it exceeded her expectations. During her first 90 days at the company, Kinsey took time off to tie the knot and go on her honeymoon, no questions asked. She also had a family trip planned to go to the Paris Olympics in August.
“When I got here, I was like, ‘OK, I have a wedding, a honeymoon, and I’m going to the Olympics, so let’s put this [PTO policy] in practice,’” she said. “It was really great to see from a culture perspective how people were so respectful. And there was still work going on, but it was all stuff that had been delegated or could wait until I got back.”
Kinsey even inspired her coworker, marketing specialist Kyle Beuchot, to snag a couple of last-minute tickets to attend a few Olympic events at the tail end of her summer vacation. The two of them met up for a drink in Paris as well.
“We both figured out that we were going to be in France at the same time,” Kyle said. “I'm starting my trip with a cruise through the south of France and making my way up to Paris.”
Dan Sloan, senior director enterprise technology at Cox Automotive, enjoyed two unforgettable trips this summer. He’s grateful for Cox’s generous PTO policy and the workplace culture that encourages him to take the time off.
“I’m able to unplug, even as someone in a leadership role, because I work with great people who can provide the coverage and support when I’m out,” he said. “And then when someone else is out, I return the favor because everybody needs and deserves that time away to strike balance in their lives.”
Dan explained that because his wife, Kelly, is a middle school math teacher and has summers off, this tends to be his family’s go-to time for travel. But this summer is particularly meaningful because it is the last one before he and his wife officially become empty nesters. So, they took a 10-day family vacation to the United Kingdom, which allowed their kids, who are 23, 21 and 18 years old, to connect with the history and heritage of their mom’s side of the family.
“It’s a very big transition for our entire family, which is partly why we decided to make that trip now, because everybody’s heading off on their own,” he said.
Later, Dan and his wife left the kids in charge of the house and spent a few days alone on a Caribbean getaway.
“That was another great opportunity to just get a break and establish balance in our lives and also prepare for our new life and just be in the two of us again, which we’re excited about,” he said. “It’s bittersweet but we’re excited.”
Step away from your desk during the day.
Whether you’re taking a midday break to walk your pup around the block, go to your favorite workout class or simply enjoy a truly unplugged lunch time away from your computer, it’s important to carve out that time during our workdays. Why? Breaks can help us refocus and gain energy, reducing stress and mental fatigue.
Dan, who enjoys hiking at the Island Ford Park near his home, makes it a point to spend time outside to break up the workday.
“I’ll go for walks around campus when I have like a 15-minute break, and I’ll just walk out of the building on my own with my Air pods,” he said. “I find that I show up better for everyone when I do this.”
Dan likes listening to guided meditations on the Calm app. (Cox employees have access to a free subscription as part of the company’s wellness benefits.)
“I use Calm every single day and I’m constantly promoting it to my team,” Dan said. “It’s a great app for just unwinding and clearing your thoughts.”
Embrace flexibility at work.
Flexible work arrangements give employees the opportunity to make decisions about what combination of in-person and remote work is best for them.
On Dan’s team, that’s a mix of days on campus and days working from home, as well as flexible schedules for his team, acknowledging people have different commutes and responsibilities.
“Flexible work is huge for us,” Dan said. “And it’s made them better work colleagues, too, in terms of our productivity and engagement, to have that kind of flexibility.”
Kyle appreciates that even within a hybrid work schedule, she has the flexibility to change it up to make time for other things that are important to her — for example, to catch a concert in a different city.
“My manager is really awesome and lets me be pretty autonomous with my time,” Kyle said. “They respect that you know how to do your job.”
