WORK, THOUGHTS, REPEAT The Cycle That Never Fully Stops
makes it harder to ignore what my body is trying to tell me. It’s also interesting how accurate those patterns can be. I’ll look back at the end of the day and immediately know why certain spikes happened. There are moments when I can literally see stress building throughout the day and think, “Yep, that tracks.” It’s made me more intentional about taking afternoon walks, prioritizing sleep, and recognizing warning signs before I completely hit a wall. National Workaholics Day on July 5 puts a spotlight on this mindset, but I think the conversation around it is more nuanced than people sometimes make it out to be. Not everyone who thinks about work constantly is unhappy or unhealthy. For some people, work is incredibly connected to purpose, problem-solving, and identity. The important part is understanding your own limits well enough to protect your energy before your body forces you to slow down.
There’s a certain type of person who never really flips the “off” switch, and honestly, I’ve realized I’m probably one of them. Work doesn’t feel like a scheduled block on my calendar that cleanly starts and stops. It follows me throughout the day in a way that feels pretty natural at this point. I just have to do my best to put the phone away and let go when it’s time for family and friends. I know “workaholic” can sound negative, and maybe for some people it is, but I don’t necessarily see it that way for myself. There’s no real off button in my head, and I’m not convinced there needs to be. That doesn’t mean balance is not important … I just believe balance looks different for everyone. For me, it’s less about shutting work off completely and more about making sure I have the energy to sustain what I’m doing
long term. Exercise, sleep, and diet make a massive difference. If I’m not paying attention to those things, I can feel burnout creeping in pretty quickly. I think there’s a mistake in believing in some perfect bright line between too much work and not enough work. Real life doesn’t work that neatly. At the end of the day, everyone is really managing two things: time and energy. That’s it. Every decision becomes this constant internal calculation of how much energy you have left, how much something requires from you, and whether your body is starting to push back. One thing that’s actually helped me a lot this year has been paying more attention to the physical side of stress. I got an Oura Ring earlier this year, and it’s been surprisingly helpful. Seeing heart rate trends, stress levels, sleep quality, and recovery patterns laid out in actual data
Zachary Ballin
Flank Steak Tacos
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
1. Heat grill to medium heat. 2. In a small bowl, combine first 7 seasoning ingredients with 1/2 tsp sea salt. 3. Brush steak with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle seasoning mixture on both sides. 4. Grill steak for 2–4 minutes per side. 5. Remove steak from grill and let it rest. 6. In a bowl, stir together 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp olive oil, onion, cilantro, avocado, and lime juice. 7. Heat flour tortillas on the grill. 8. Slice the grilled flank strip into 1/4- inch strips. Assemble your tacos and enjoy!
• 1 tsp paprika • 1/2 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp chili powder • 1/2 tsp dried oregano • 1/4 tsp onion powder • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper • 1 tsp sea salt, divided • 1 lb flank steak • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided • 1 small red onion, finely diced • 1/3 cup cilantro • 1 ripe avocado, diced • 1 tbsp lime juice • 8 small flour tortillas
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