How Weekend Soccer Games Keep Me on My Toes at Work

In this series of posts, professionals reveal their best antidotes to work stress. Read the posts here, and then write your own (use #OutsideWork in the piece).

Almost every part of my day is dedicated to my craft and my business, but when I’m not working, I like to take dedicate time to philanthropic organizations that are truly doing amazing work in Harlem and other cities where I work. A key component to being successful is that someone has helped you along the way and once you identify this, you can find creative ways to do the same for others.  I like to pass that along through organizations that are doing truly meaningful work like C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program), which allows me to encourage underserved youth in pursuing their culinary dreams and City Harvest — an anti-hunger campaign in New York City.  

A lot of my life is my work, so it can be difficult to separate work and life sometimes. However, the best way for me to manage my workload is to decompress when I can find the time. Though some of my work involves traveling, I still like to find time to find travel for leisure to spark inspiration for new ideas in the kitchen and even more broadly. I am fortunate enough to travel with my wife, and we love discovering new flavors and treasures so that we can draw inspiration from them when we return home. We find ourselves snacking on street food in London or fish shacks on the islands and remembering each vivid flavor. Traveling can also open your eyes to different struggles that people have and how they overcome them so I always return home feeling more hopeful that I can make a difference in my own community.

If I can’t travel, I like to find time to go on longer runs throughout New York City because it really helps me to stay disciplined and focused — it keeps my brain sharp as I find it to be the time I think through most of the upcoming challenges I’m faced with. It’s also a bit of a competitive outlet that helps me challenge my inner self on a daily basis. Those are the days when you really have to push yourself and train your brain to make difficult decisions under pressure — running helps me do that.  

I’ve also loved playing soccer since I was a kid so I brought that with me when I moved to New York. I like to play with my Swedish friends; we call ourselves Blatte United and play every weekend in Chinatown. I think we’re a group of mostly immigrants who’ve really found ourselves in New York. We’re competitive, constantly pushing each other and equally passionate about soccer as we are about our day jobs. When you find a sport you love, you can always go back to it, no matter where you’re living or what project you’re working on. It is the ultimate unwind and perfect for my busy schedule.