Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1541840
10 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2025 performance, cost, and manufacturability. This means: • Tight deadlines and high stakes: Prod- uct launch schedules wait for no one, and a delay in PCB design can ripple through the entire project, costing time and money. • Intricate details and zero error tolerance: One misplaced via, misrouted signal trace, incorrect footprint, or incorrectly imple- mented constraint, and suddenly your beau- tiful design is a very expensive paperweight. This demands intense, sustained focus, and attention to detail. • Troubleshooting and debugging: When things don't work at first (and so often they don't), it's a deep dive into problem-solv- ing that can consume hours, or even days. This isn't just about technical skill; it's about mental strength and endurance, and the frus- tration can, unfortunately, spill over into our personal lives like a short circuit. • Continuous learning: Keeping up with new components, materials, and design tech- niques is a constant, exhilarating endeavor. Our minds are always engaged, perhaps reading datasheets in bed or pondering new methodologies during a walk. These factors, while making our work incredi- bly rewarding, also make it easy for work to creep almost imperceptibly into every corner of our lives. Rylan thought that career success meant finan- cial freedom. He rarely said no at work, fearing it would signal weakness or lack of commitment. He saw downtime as unproductive. Why a Balanced 'Circuit' Is Crucial Think of your life as a complex circuit board. If one part is overloaded, drawing too much current, the whole system suffers. You will inevitably experi- ence brownouts, or worse, complete failure in your health, relationships, and loss of self. For Rylan, as the professional accolades piled up, his personal life slowly disintegrated. He was canceling weekend plans and was often lost in thought. His wife was initially understanding and extremely supportive but knew he was looking right through her. His children, once eager to share their day, learned not to interrupt Daddy's work calls or when he was on his laptop. They didn't expect him to attend important events anymore. Disappointed friends eventually stopped their invites. Regular exercise, once a source of stress relief, was neglected. He experienced chronic stress and fatigue, grow- ing resentment at always being on-call, a dimin- ished sense of joy, feelings of emptiness, and an