Finding Space for Yourself in a Demanding Career

In a demanding career, it’s easy to let your identity get wrapped up entirely in your work. The deadlines, meetings, and constant drive for results can quietly consume every ounce of your time and energy. For many of us, the harder we work, the less space we leave for anything else.

But I’ve learned that balance doesn’t mean doing less – it means doing what replenishes your spirit. Finding the things that fill you back up so you can show up fully, both in your career and in your life.

Finding Meaning Beyond the Workday

Once a year, I step into a different kind of spotlight – not at a conference or meeting, but on a stage. Every spring, I perform in a community theater production that raises funds for the Santa Clara Senior Center’s Health and Wellness program. The event, lovingly called Showtime, has been a local tradition for over forty years. Each performance weekend brings laughter, joy, and a shared sense of purpose as we raise money to support seniors in our community. Whether I’m playing the villain or the damsel in distress, it’s one of the most joyful weekends of my year!

Beyond that, I dedicate much of my free time to Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team. For more than five years, I’ve served as the Training Officer for our team, helping volunteers strengthen their skills so we can respond effectively to emergencies and missing-person cases. Every October, I support the largest Search and Rescue “Mock Search” in California – bringing together more than fifteen agencies to train for mass-casualty incidents and large-scale searches, so that we are ready when a real disaster strikes. It’s a role that demands time, heart, and leadership — but it’s also one that gives me perspective and meaning beyond any job title.

Giving Back Fills the Cup

Not long ago, I went out on a search for a missing person. The call came late on a Wednesday night, and by the time I got home after the search it was nearly 4 a.m. The outcome was tragic, as the subject was found deceased. Yet, as I drove home through the quiet early morning, I felt a quiet peace. There was sadness, of course, but also gratitude to know that we brought closure to a family who had been waiting for answers.

That moment reminded me why I do what I do – in Search and Rescue, in my career, and in life. Helping others, even in small ways, refills my cup. It fuels the energy I bring to work the next morning. It gives me perspective, grounding, and gratitude. It reminds me that my energy is not infinite, but it can be renewed when I give it to causes that matter.

There’s a saying I’ve always loved: You can’t pour from an empty cup. I’d add to that — sometimes, you refill your own cup by giving to others.

Aligning Purpose with Your Workplace

You don’t have to keep your sense of purpose separate from your professional life. Many companies now actively encourage employees to give back by offering volunteer hours, donation-matching, or community engagement programs.

Having worked at both ServiceNow and Samsung, I’ve seen firsthand how companies support employees who want to make a difference. Through Benevity, for example, donations can be matched – sometimes even doubled – amplifying the impact of your contribution. Samsung supports group events by donating additional funds when teams volunteer together, while ServiceNow provides contributions for every hour an employee spends volunteering with a registered nonprofit.

 When organizations champion the causes their employees care about, they’re not just doing good for the community – they’re nurturing healthier, more balanced, and more motivated teams. It’s a reminder that doing good doesn’t have to compete with your career. It can be part of it.

Refilling Your Cup, One Choice at a Time

Finding balance isn’t about chasing the perfect schedule or setting strict boundaries. It’s about making space – intentionally – for the things that give you energy, joy, and connection.

Giving back to yourself by giving to others may sound counterintuitive, but it’s the surest path I’ve found to balance. For some, that might mean family. For others, art, fitness, faith, or nature. For me, it’s community service – whether it’s stepping onto a stage to make people laugh or stepping into the woods to help bring someone home.

When we take time to invest in the people, causes, and communities that matter to us, we return to work more grounded, more compassionate, and more capable.

So, find your own way to refill your cup – however that looks for you. The world doesn’t just need your hard work; it needs your whole self

Some of these reflections live in spoken form too.

If hearing them feels helpful, you can find related conversations on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@janaecherie