The Daily Check-In 6.9

Create your own balance.

Core move: roll to boat pose

"Rolling like a ball down the spine into an upright seated boat pose is so much fun,” says Keith Irace, Equinox’s vice president of group fitness. “The move focuses on spine articulation, core strength, and balance all at once. It also stimulates circulation by massaging the back muscles.” Watch Gerard Thelemaque demonstrate in his Best Abs Ever: Core Express class on Variis. Then try it for yourself: Do 3 rolls, then hold your boat pose for 4 seconds. Continue for up to 1 minute.

EAT

Char some eggplant.

Magnesium-rich eggplant holds up well to grilling. Here, it’s salted to remove excess moisture, then simply charred and served with sweet summer tomatoes and fragrant basil. Quinoa makes for a heartier dish, but any grain would work.

See Recipe

DE-STRESS

Own your schedule.

Work stressors are more likely to cause depression when employees have too little autonomy, finds a recent study from Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

You may be able to take your power further by scheduling work hours around your personal agenda, says lead study author Erik Gonzalez-Mulé, Ph.D.

Maybe you have a meeting from 9 AM to 10 AM, but then want to take a break to spend time with family. You can ‘make up’ that hour of work later (perhaps there are some non-urgent emails you can respond to in the evening, outside of regular work hours), says Gonzalez-Mulé.

CONNECT

Do a duet.

Science supports singing. Belting it out with someone increases oxytocin, which is linked to social bonds, says Ilanit Gordon, Ph.D., senior lecturer at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Her research shows making music with people can also help you collaborate better later on.

Use TikTok's duet function to pick a throwback track and harmonize with a friend.