I quit voluntarily after surviving the layoff. After being in a new job for a few months, the thing I missed most at Nike was the focus on health. I got SUPER healthy when I worked there because fitness is prioritized and the actual job was always in flux in GT. No matter how hard you worked it seemed like you were running in place... so the most productive thing I could actually do most days on campus was carve out an hour to run or swim or something. As a result, my mental health was shot (probably resulting from my own desire to advance and grow my career and experience... I did NOT get that at Nike).... but my physical health was peak. Now in my new job it's reversed: I feel great mentally and feel like I'm growing my mind and career, but my fitness game has taken a sh*t and it's really hard to find the time to dedicate to keeping yourself in shape. Recent departures: Continue to take time to nourish the good habits you developed at Nike while your career was on pause.
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The stress of being at Nike made me gain 10 lbs, not to mention being on an overweight and lazy team.
After being laid off, I have the mental energy to focus on my health again.
Almost from the start I made it a habit to walk a couple laps around WHQ several times a day. Honestly, sitting in the office would drive me to want to get up and just have a change of scenery. It's a lot harder now that I'm working from home because I'm in my comfort zone and there's always a million little things I can do around the house. It feels like I blink and my day is done.
This is surprising to me because everyone on my Nike team was one Thai Bloom meal away from a heart attack. They didn’t even like to walk across campus for meetings.
Time wont stop for you... you need to find the time...nothing to do with whether you work at Nike or you work somewhere else.
I see lot of FAANG employees very much fit.
Get a walk in during mornings before work. Create a daily block on your calendar to workout, whether during lunch or around 4pm. And join a fitness studio, try a new class, get a personal trainer, or join a rec / intramural league. Having that layer of accountability or financial investment in your physical health makes you less likely to skip the workout when the gym is no longer free.
Take your lazy a-s to gym if you are that concerned about physical health! Physical health can be addressed much easier than mental health. I wish you best of luck and hope I could get out of this asap
The OP is in a new job and of course things will be hectic at first. Eventually you’ll find ways to add more balance to your day.
Nike is great at things like fitness and work life balance in my experience, but a terrible place to grow your career and skills. That’s a trade-off that many are willing to make but it is a trade off. The key is to find a place where you can actually develop and advance your career and find ways to maintain some of those good things picked up during your time at Nike.