How come some athletes perform at their best under competitive pressure when others struggle?
What makes the difference between the top performers and the people just behind?
This is what Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz explored in their best seller, The Power of Full Engagement. They started with tennis players, observing how hard they hit the ball, comparing their fitness and the techniques. At first, they couldn’t find any significant differences between the top players and the rest.
Finally, they had a breakthrough. They started watching what was happening between points and between games.
In this video I want to share with you a productivity tip that can really make a difference to your workday.
What Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz found is that the champion tennis players were able to manage the gap. When most players would carry the stress of a point into the next few points, the top performers have the ability to refocus and re-energize between points.
They then studied top performers in businesses and interestingly came up with similar findings.
The ability to re-energize oneself throughout the day is a crucial skill for success in any field, whether it’s sports or business. Highly effective leaders in the business world have developed the ability to re-energize themselves throughout the day. They understand that taking a break from work to recharge is essential for maintaining productivity, creativity, and well-being.
As someone who’s worked with many leaders around the world, I’ve noticed that their calendars are often jam-packed with back-to-back meetings, leaving little time to recharge. Moreover, with virtual meetings becoming more prevalent, finding time to take a break has become even more challenging.
So, my suggestion is to take a five-minute break every hour or so to fully recharge. This break should be a true breather, not for checking emails or other work-related tasks. Instead, do something that will fully occupy your mind and give you a break from work, such as taking a short walk, doing a quick meditation or like me playing ping pong. This allows you to return to work with a refreshed mind and increased productivity.
I encourage you to give it a try and see how it impacts your productivity and overall well-being. I’m sure you’ll find it to be a simple but effective way to work smarter and live better.
So, my question to you is: What can you do every hour for five minutes to re-energize your brain?
This is this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip.
You have a lovely day.
A bientôt,
Cyril
