Here’s why and how you should make time for your best work, boost productivity, and drive peak performance.

1. Time Is Your Most Valuable Asset

In today’s world of constant connectivity, the pressure to work longer hours can often feel overwhelming. However, research shows that working longer hours doesn’t equate to greater productivity. In fact, distractions can hinder your focus and creativity, making it harder to produce your best work.

Time management is the key to unlocking your true potential. By carving out dedicated, uninterrupted blocks of time for important tasks, you can achieve more in less time. This approach, known as deep work, is about eliminating distractions and focusing entirely on high-value activities.

2. Prioritise High-Impact Work

Not all tasks are equal in value. To do your best work, you need to focus on high-impact activities that align with your long-term goals and drive business growth. High-performance leaders understand that they should spend more time on the tasks that create significant value.

By prioritising strategic work, you ensure that your efforts are directed toward projects that matter most.

3. Create a Focused Work Environment

Your environment plays a crucial role in how effectively you can produce your best work. If your workspace is filled with distractions — be it digital, physical, or mental — you’re likely to spend less time in a focused state. To maximize productivity, you need a distraction-free workspace.

At Optimist Performance, we recommend creating focus zones. These are designated areas where you can work without interruptions. This includes minimising unnecessary meetings, limiting social media access, and setting clear boundaries with colleagues.

4. Leverage Peak Energy Times

Not everyone is productive at the same time of day. Some people work best in the early morning, while others are more effective late at night. Peak performance is about identifying your own energy rhythms and aligning your most challenging tasks with your high-energy periods.

By understanding your body’s natural cycles, you can schedule your most important tasks for when you’re most alert. 

5. Set Boundaries and Learn to Say No

In a world where demands are constant, learning to say “no” is an essential skill. Saying yes to every request or task can quickly overwhelm your schedule and take time away from your high-priority activities. Setting clear boundaries allows you to protect your time for meaningful work.

When you say “no” to non-essential tasks, you make room for the things that matter most — and that’s where your best work happens. 

Tip: Try using a tool like Time Blocking to carve out periods for deep work and focus.

6. Commit to Continuous Improvement

High performance is a journey, not a destination. To do your best work consistently, you must be committed to continuous improvement. Regularly assessing your time management, productivity habits, and focus strategies will help you identify areas for growth.

At Optimist Performance, we encourage a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability. By regularly reviewing what’s working and what’s not, you can tweak your approach and maximise your effectiveness. Keep refining your process until you’ve reached a level of performance that feels sustainable.

Pro Tip: Conduct weekly reviews to track progress and adjust your approach for the upcoming week.

7. Self-Care Is Integral to High Performance

It’s easy to neglect self-care in the hustle to get work done, but in reality, self-care is crucial for maintaining peak performance. Adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mental health practices are all vital to sustaining high performance in the long term.

You can’t produce your best work if you’re physically or mentally drained. Regular breaks, physical activity, and mental relaxation will not only improve your productivity but also your creativity and decision-making abilities.

Actionable Tip: Incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation or deep breathing exercises into your routine to reduce stress and boost cognitive performance.

8. Celebrate Successes and Learn from Setbacks

Doing your best work isn’t just about the results — it’s about the process. Celebrate your wins and acknowledge the hard work that goes into achieving high performance. Equally important is learning from setbacks. Every challenge offers an opportunity for growth and improvement.

Pro Tip: Start a success journal to track your wins and the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

Conclusion: Make Time To Do Your Best Work

In a world of constant distractions and increasing demands, making time for your best work is the key to unlocking high performance. By focusing on what truly matters, creating a distraction-free environment, and committing to continuous improvement, you can achieve exceptional results without burning out. 

Remember: High performance is a habit, not a one-time achievement. By prioritising the work that matters most and continuously optimising your time and environment, you’ll be able to deliver your best work consistently — and thrive in today’s fast-paced world.

 

How can Optimist help you? Why not book onto one of our upcoming programmes https://www.optimistperformance.com/events/

Start Today: Make time for your best work, and watch your productivity, creativity, and performance soar.

Be kind to your mind – Check out this link: Headspace – Be Kind to Your Mind for mindfulness and meditation tools that can help you improve focus, reduce stress, and enhance well-being.

The post Make Time To Do Your Best Work – By Optimist Performance appeared first on Optimist Performance.

Many leaders nowadays take into account the well-being of employees. However, we might be missing the first step; awareness. A poll conducted by Nuffield Health shows that two out of three people won’t share their mental health issues with their employer. 

It’s common practice now to have well-being and mental health policies, but looking at those numbers, we still need to consider if, as leaders, we’re creating a space where people feel comfortable and safe to share those issues and benefit from those policies. 

Read “What I have learned about stress and mental health since quitting rugby – By Ollie Phillips” here. 

Why will this disconnection cause issues?

Even when leaders have the best intentions, it’s impossible to solve an issue if we’re not aware of it. 

Due to the fast-paced environments we are accustomed to, it can be challenging for many people to address well-being issues. A culture of urgency, increasing workloads, and blurry boundaries can all contribute to our team not finding the space or not feeling comfortable to bring up their well-being.

This is why focusing on our team’s well-being is not only about policies, but, even more importantly, about reflecting on the culture and environment we’re creating for our teams. 

Why should leaders focus on well-being?

Well-being must be well maintained. It’s crucial for leaders to keep a healthy working environment where everyone can perform at their best for desired outcomes.

Failing to achieve this, can have huge implications for the team and the overall business. Our environments and workloads can directly link to stress and burnout. This, in turn, will influence your team’s performance, and can even make you lose great talent. 

However, leaders can be role models and demonstrate attributes of open and positive well-being for their employees. Starting with non-judgmental catch-ups, taking time and breaks for yourself, and reassuring employees about these healthy actions can all be successful ways to start. 

Through these good examples being set, employees will be encouraged to follow, allowing an increase in well-being advocacy and positivity.

How can we as leaders build a culture of well-being?

There are many ways of doing this, and for each leader and business, it would be different. However, we can start with some non-negotiables:

• Create a safe environment where people can openly talk about their well-being, their professional and personal lives, and how they might be impacting each other. Once people feel comfortable and safe to talk about an issue, we can start putting strategies and policies in place to help them get better. 
• Reflect on your culture. Cultures in the workplace are created by the behaviours we demonstrate day in and day out. Taking the time to reflect on what those behaviours are and what they are communicating to our teams is a great first step towards a healthier culture and workplace. 
• Allow flexibility and boundaries. These two can seem opposites, but they don’t have to be. Now more than ever, the lines between work and life are getting blurrier and blurrier. This is why it’s also more important now to create boundaries that help us achieve balance. This is an extremely hard task because it completely varies from person to person. Nonetheless, just having honest conversations about it can benefit everyone in our teams, including ourselves. 
• Lead by example. More important than what we say, it’s what we do. This is why as leaders, we need to lead by example. It’s not enough to tell your team to take time for themselves, if they don’t see you doing it, they will assume that it’s not okay. A great example of this is how we behave during holidays, are you still sending emails? If so, you might as well be telling your team that it’s not ok to truly disconnect while on holiday. (Read more about disconnecting while on holiday here). 

By creating balance and support, individuals can enter and stay in their optimal zone of functioning, which is a healthy and stable state of well-being.

Read “Why daily exercise should form part of your corporate strategy – By Ollie Phillips” here.

Optimist view:

At Optimist Performance, we believe that great individuals and teams start with well-being. This is why, in our leadership and coaching programmes, we not only focus on business issues but also consider how personal challenges could be impacting our professional lives. 

Learn more about our coaching programmes and book your free call to see if we are the right fit.

Are you ready to get the best out of each person on your team, including yourself? Then you need to start looking at the human behind the performance. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you and your team become the best versions of yourselves.

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Minding Your Health Each Day

Your health should be a top priority as a business professional. It’s essential to eat healthy, stay hydrated, and get adequate rest every night. Exercise is also crucial.

Form a habit of working out daily, whether hitting the gym or taking a brisk walk during your lunch break. You should also be mindful of your mental health; meditation and mindfulness techniques can help you stay present in the moment while significantly reducing stress.

Watch our video about mental health with Simon Trower; Founder of Brave Mind here.

Prioritizing Your Family

You might be tempted to let work take over your life and neglect your family. But it’s important to place relationships with your loved ones above any work obligations.

Take time out of your relentless schedule to spend quality time with family and friends. A work-life balance is critical to your overall well-being, and your family can give you meaningful support and a sense of balance you may not find anywhere else.

You can also read “7 tips to have a better work-life balance” here.

Managing Your Time Effectively

Time management is key when you are busy. You need to make the most of your time, which means being wise about how you manage it. Prioritize your to-do list and batch similar tasks together.

Also, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to team members with more experience or time to do them — you can’t do everything and don’t have to. Further, take breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and gain a healthy perspective on your work. 

Taking Holiday

Holidays are essential to recharging your batteries, and you must make time for them as a busy executive or professional. Take a break from work to enjoy some time with your loved ones (or on your own). 

Remember to plan your trip in advance so you have time to prepare and train any team members who will take on your responsibilities while you’re away. Most importantly, fully disconnect from work so you can genuinely enjoy your vacation!

Truly Disconnecting From Work

Learning to truly disconnect from work is also vital for your health. Turn off your work email notifications on your phone outside of work hours. Avoid bringing work home, and learn to leave work at work. When you’re at home, take time to enjoy a hobby or two, or simply relax with your favourite book or TV show. Disconnecting will allow you to recharge and come back to work with a fresh perspective.

Think about it — how often do you get this uninterrupted time with your family? Make the most of it. Perhaps set a rule to only check emails once a day, or better, yet, switch off those notifications completely! The world of work can wait. Wouldn’t you rather look back and recall the laughter-filled game night or adventure hike instead of another regular day at work?

Stepping away from work not only benefits your familial bonds but also boosts your mental health. It’s an opportunity to rejuvenate and return to work with renewed energy and fresh ideas.

The Optimist View…

Being a busy executive or professional is thrilling and challenging. However, you must remember to take care of yourself and recharge regularly. Be mindful of your health, make your family a priority, learn effective time management techniques, take breaks, and disconnect from your job. Recharging will help you stay on top of your game and be the best version of yourself — both in your personal life and profession!

If you are ready to become the best version of yourself, you can have a look at our Optimistic Coaching here or get it touch with us today to see how we can help you achieve your goals both in your personal and professional life.

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What can cause anxiety at work and what can leaders do to help?

There are many things that can cause anxiety at work. Every person can feel anxious or stressed about different situations.

In the same way, not everyone will have the same needs, so while it would be impossible to offer a one-size-fits-all solution, we’ve tried to compile a list of the things that seem to cause anxiety for a large group of people and think of what leaders can do to help. 

Unrealistic deadlines and work overload 

We live in a busy world, where everything seems urgent. So, as leaders, we need to be conscious of how much we are asking of our team and how this impacts them. 

Having honest and open conversations about time requirements and realistic deadlines is the first step towards avoiding anxiety. 

It can be easy to underestimate the time it takes to complete a task, on the other hand, when we have more expertise, we can assume that people will do things as fast as we would. But we need to remember that it’s not us doing the task. Instead, we need to consider who is completing the job and how long they need to do it. 

This said, there are always going to be urgent matters, but it is our job as leaders to clarify what the priorities are and ensure that our teams have the time and space to carry them out. 

Feeling a lack of control

For people who like to be in control, this can be a really stressful situation. Again, it’s our job as leaders to work with our teams to ensure they have as much control as possible over their jobs. Having autonomy and control is also a great way to increase accountability and motivation.

Trust is a must when it comes to control. As leaders, we need to allow others to take ownership of their jobs by giving them autonomy. However, we can see how this can be challenging for some people, which is why agreeing on deadlines, outcomes, or metrics can help both sides feel more comfortable about it.

Not having enough support, direction or information

This becomes even more challenging when working from home because you can’t just turn around and ask. So, making sure everyone has all the information they need to carry out their jobs is an essential part. 

It’s also a must to ensure that there are enough channels of communication and support between the team, no matter where people are working from. If you work from home and even at different times, how are you ensuring everyone feels supported? This is not an easy task, but the first step would be to understand what people’s needs are. 

This is something we can relate to. For example, we have some people in our team who need more interactions throughout the day, so we ensure regular check-ins with them. 

Uncertainty

This can be particularly stressful when companies are undergoing big changes. As humans, we don’t like uncertainty, but as leaders, we can help our team navigate it in a more positive way. 

(Read our article “looking at uncertainty the Optimist Way”)

We need to be open and honest with our teams in order to help them deal with uncertainty. It’s also important to show our vulnerability and admit that we don’t know it all. And even if it seems obvious, we shouldn’t underestimate the power of listening. Opening channels of communication where people can express their feelings about the situation and ensuring that it’s okay to use them can be a great way to deal with uncertainty. 

Toxic or negative environments

It’s not difficult to imagine how a negative or toxic environment would cause us anxiety. This is why it’s so important to work on our culture and how we carry it out that culture day in and day out. 

We work with clients to help them do just this, and while we know it’s not an easy task, we know it needs to start at the top. 

(Read our article about how poor managers are back for your health)

Real cultures are not the words on the wall, the real culture is how people behave daily within the organisation. Taking the time to work with your team and think about your company’s real values and how each person understands and lives and breathes those values is the first step towards a great workplace. 

The Optimist View…

As we mentioned before, there are many situations that can cause anxiety and there is no one-size-fits-all rule for dealing with it. However, we think it’s the leader’s job to care about their team members and make sure they do everything within their power to ensure everyone feels great at work. 

If you want to know more about how to work with your team to create a great culture, get in touch with us. We love working with companies that care about their employees and realise that investing in them is the best road to success. 

The post Can leaders help with anxiety at work? – By Optimist Performance appeared first on Optimist Performance.

Contrary to the airbrushed and edited curations of Instagram influencers, life and work can be messy. Best laid plans can be brought down in seconds when life throws a curveball your way.

Comparing your insides to other people’s outsides can lead to some profoundly unpleasant psychological discomforts. As well as FOMO (fear of missing out), these can also include dissatisfaction, frustration and perceptions of inability – all categorised as deficiencies of the self. They are all types of suffering that stem from a non-physical origin. The bad news is that they are also widely believed to be an inescapable aspect of being human.

While physical pain is often localised and frequently explainable through injury or disease, psychological discomfort is harder to define and describe. It includes a range of subjective experiences, which are all characterised by an awareness of negative changes in the self and functions accompanied by negative feelings.

Psychological discomfort appears ingrained within the human condition but changing our mindset to stress is one way of turning a negative experience into useful lessons. This can help us to build a sense of resilience and even wisdom for when life throws you the next lemon. 

I’ve previously written that we make memories from the good days, but we can also flip the experience of a bad day on its head and reflect on the learning that we’ve gained from it. You can read more about eustress, a positive perception which can help us to use stress as something that can be beneficial to us, in the Optimist Performance’s blog.

The Optimist View…

Finding the meaning or reason behind a stressful situation and gaining a motivation or lesson from it isn’t easy, but it does provide a pathway that can help you move forward and push past those feelings of discomfort.

An “attitude of gratitude” remains the mantra I live by and is still something I am cultivating. It will always be a work in progress… and I’m comfortable knowing that it’ll never be perfect.

If you feel like you sometimes need that critical friend to help you gain perspective and find your way, get in touch with us today and learn more about our Optimist Coaching.

The post How to be comfortable with feeling uncomfortable – By Ollie Phillips appeared first on Optimist Performance.

“I wanted to become a doctor because I wanted to serve others…I’ve shared the lives of patients and staff members of the hospital, I’ve laughed with them, I’ve cried with them, this is what I want to do with my life.” – Patch Adams Movie

When we look back on our lives, the things we remember the most are the experiences we shared with others, some good, some bad, but all of them have made us who we are. At Optimist Performance, we are firm believers in the power of shared experiences, which is why we have made it our mission to use them as a catalyst to create long-lasting change. 

However, the power of shared experiences is not only something we believe in; we also have science backing us up. 

The benefits of shared experiences:

When talking about experiences, we are not only referring to the extraordinary ones (like going to the north pole or climbing Kilimanjaro). Yes, extraordinary adventures are amazing, but according to science, the crucial part is not the experience itself but who you share it with. 

Our founder, Ollie Phillips, is a fantastic illustration of this. When we asked him which adventure was his favourite one, his answer was “cycling across America, it wasn’t the most extraordinary one, but it’s the one I remember the most because I went with my wife, Lucy.”

Positive shared experiences enhance our feelings of belonging, connectedness and sense of meaning. Additionally, it boosts our self-esteem and decreases feelings of depression, anxiety and isolation. 

Furthermore, we shouldn’t focus on share experiences only with people we know and with whom we have things in common. Spending time with younger people, for example, can challenge our thinking and foster innovation while also enhancing our sense of purpose if we feel like we are teaching or helping them.

We don’t even really need to share these experiences with someone we know and already like. According to a recent study from Psychological Science, sharing experiences, even with complete strangers, makes us rate those experiences as more meaningful.

In addition to being good for our mental and emotional health, shared experiences also foster empathy and are linked to good physical and cognitive health.

Furthermore, it’s not only sharing these experiences that have a positive impact on us. Even talking about them with others benefits our well-being and life satisfaction, according to studies. 

How can we maximise the power of shared experiences?

Given that loneliness has been identified as one of the largest issues facing society today and that we are spending more time alone than ever (working from home for young people, for example, can be quite lonely). We could all benefit from shared experiences. 

So, we have created a list of ideas on how to maximise the power of experiences:

Leverage your time. Instead of trying to find time that you probably don’t have, we can make our time “multitask”. Take this company as an example; they have their Wednesday meetings while walking in the park. Using the time we spend on everyday activities and turning them into experiences can be a terrific way to make your time multitask. Furthermore, you don’t really need to be in the same room. Consider making a phone call to a co-worker over lunch (research shows that sharing a meal helps us build social connections and communities) to catch up on your weekend or turn a solo activity into a group activity. For instance, our team likes to get together on zoom for “brainstorming sessions”. During these, we just talk about ideas, points of view, etc.… it helps our creativity, but it’s also a bounding moment when we are not alone.

Mix things up. The holiday period can be a great time to spend time with people you normally wouldn’t. If the person you normally work closely with is on leave, ask someone else to collaborate with you or just ask for their opinions over a face-to-face or virtual coffee, You can also use your onboarding to mix things up. If you are a senior in your company, make some time to help young/new people to get situated, you never know what you can learn from them. 

Share, share, share. If you work from home and don’t see much of your co-workers, use your daily or weekly meetings to share your experiences, what you’ve done on the weekend or what you did while on holiday. Most of us can relate to other people’s stories, and it can help us discover more about other people. We always use the first 15 minutes of our morning meetings to talk about our weekends, and yes, maybe we are taking 15 minutes that we could be working, but because of that time, we feel more connected to one another. 

Change the environment. Create a memorable experience for your team by getting them out of their daily routine. Whether you work in the office or at home, it’s difficult to put day-to-day work aside to discuss other things that are maybe just as important. By changing the environment, you can give people the time and space needed to reflect on different aspects of their work and personal lives. Being together outside of routine tasks also fosters a sense of belonging and connection.

At Optimist Performance, we love creating unforgettable memories that have an impact on people. If you need assistance organising your next team event, get in touch with us.

The Optimist View…

“I will never tell you a story that starts with I was alone one day…”, our founder Ollie Phillips used to say. The experiences we have become part of who we are; they have the power to transform us. However, it’s the experiences we share with others, the ones that we remember the most. 

At Optimist Performance, we specialise in creating experiences that will help you grow both individually and as a team. If you want to bring your team together, strengthen your company culture and values, or make sure the whole team is rowing in the same direction, get in touch with us today and see how our leadership journeys can help you and your team maximise your potential.

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The CIPD’s findings are a stark reminder of the negative impact people managers can have on employee mental well-being if they are not trained and supported to go about their management role in the right way.  As well as being damaging to employees and their families, a stressed workforce can result in poor performance, more sick days and higher staff turnover.

Healthy leadership starts at the top

Many businesses go through tense periods, but good people managers can help mitigate or even prevent negative effects on their employees. While a certain amount of stress, such as a realistic deadline, can have positive effects, too much can contribute to common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. 

One in four people will experience issues with their mental health at some point in their lifetime, and with the CIPD listing it as the main cause of long-term absence, it should be a topic that can be openly discussed without judgement or stigma. But the survey highlights – and indeed warns – about the “defining influence” top table attitudes and behaviours can have on the mental wellbeing of employees. 

Sadly, the CIPD has found what it calls a “small but disappointing slip” in attention to employees’ mental and physical wellbeing within this year’s survey statistics in comparison with the first year of the pandemic. Seventy per cent of HR respondents agreed that employee wellbeing was on senior leaders’ agendas (down from 75 per cent last year) and 60 per cent said they believed that line managers have bought into the importance of well-being (67 per cent last year).

While the CIPD found that more organisations were taking steps to tackle unhealthy practices such as ‘presenteeism’ and ensuring people who are ill are discouraged from working, it also highlighted the need for these messages to come straight from the top.

The survey concluded: “Now, more than ever, we need leaders who are not afraid to show compassion, who consciously role-model healthy working practices and foster an environment where people feel safe to speak about health issues and seek help.”

Culture is crucial for health

Companies need to use both their eyes and their ears – being observant of stressful situations and taking time to listen to their staff can help diffuse the negative impact of situations as they arise. Creating a culture that resonates with employees, where people can be open about the mental and physical health issues that affect them, is crucial.

Health is a fact of life and employees are unable to perform their roles well without it. According to the CIPD’s research, the attitudes of senior leadership are “pivotal” to making sure the well-being of their employees is taken seriously and “embedded in day-to-day people management practices.”

The survey reports that the greater focus on employee health and well-being during the Covid pandemic has slipped down the priority list, but we’re only just beginning to see the side effects of two years of lockdowns and restrictions. The consequences of delayed routine health checks and the knock-on effects on treatment programmes are likely to result in poorer health outcomes in the years to come.

Many of us will struggle with our mental health at some point in our lives – but the good news is that there’s a lot we can do to improve it. Men’s Health Week 2022, took place last month organised by the Men’s Health Forum, which provides an independent voice for health and wellbeing for men and boys. 

“Time for your MOT”

One in five men will die before the age of 65, and the causes of this can be both physical and mental. In a year where we’re all trying to get back to normal, this year’s campaign is urging men to take “Time for your MOT.” 

It encourages men to make both their mental and physical health a priority by attending any routine health checks they might be invited to or by reaching out and seeking help for any symptoms they may be experiencing. Checklists are available on the site identifying when you might need to speak to your GP for additional help with both mental and physical health issues.

The Forum also reports that the number of early-stage cancer diagnoses has dropped during the lockdowns. It’s not because these conditions are getting rarer – it’s just that men aren’t visiting GPs as much as women for these conditions to be diagnosed.

Just as companies need to raise their game when it comes to employee well-being, it’s important not to drop the ball when it comes to your own health.

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According to studies, half of CEOs report feeling lonely, and of these, 61% report that feeling lonely has an impact on their performance. It also impacts their well-being and mental health. This year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is loneliness, so we’d like to devote our post to discussing how lonely it can be at the top.

Who has invited the boss?

Many leaders are making mental health and well-being a priority for their employees, which is obviously a great thing. Creating a culture of caring for employees is essential, and many companies are investing resources to promote team-building activities, building great offices to incentivise collaboration and teamwork, and other perks and benefits in order to create a sense of belonging for people in their teams. 

However, while leaders devote time to creating a healthy and positive environment for their people, they do not always reap the benefits. Many leaders are now reporting a sense of loneliness, especially on occasions such as team lunches and not being invited. 

Furthermore, even if you are the lucky one invited to lunch, how authentic and comfortable really is the situation?

An executive stated: “They’re stressed about being with the boss, and that generates a certain distance. I think for them, it’s important to have a space to be relaxed, and when the boss is present, they’re not relaxed.”

Even if you build a great relationship with everyone on your team based on trust and authenticity, the reality is that there will always be a difference since you are the one who has to make the tough decisions. This is another reason why leaders report feeling lonely. They admit that being close to subordinates can result in making these decisions even harder. 

Don’t go it alone

Admitting to stress, mental health issues or even feeling lonely is not easy for anyone, but it becomes even more challenging when you are the person that everyone looks up to. 

Read our post “What I have learned about stress and mental health since quitting rugby – By Ollie Phillips” here.

Cultivating a culture of trust and authenticity requires being honest and vulnerable with others. However, there are still many challenges and circumstances that a leader cannot communicate to others, whether because of confidentiality issues or because they do not want to alarm and bring others down.

It’s also crucial to remember that leaders are looked up to not only by their teams but also by their boards of directors or investors, who seek answers.

“The Board usually thinks that I should know everything and anything about the organisation and that’s impossible. Sometimes I get frustrated with what they say. With whom can I share this with? I cannot say this to anyone, because this is about my relationship with my superiors, and also, I cannot share organisational issues. I have to deal with it on my own.” – mentioned another executive in the study. 

In addition, leaders in large and medium organisations are not the only ones who feel lonely; entrepreneurs and founders must also be considered.

Starting your own business is exciting, but it also presents many challenges. We know that building a successful business can be daunting at times. It takes time and effort, and most of the time (at least at the beginning), you don’t have the support of a team around you. It also makes it even more difficult to disconnect, as you’re living and breathing the business 24/7.  

Fortunately, most entrepreneurs have a greater sense of purpose, an invaluable strength to help fight loneliness. 

Having a purpose can help you feel less lonely 

Having a purpose has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health. Additionally, studies show that helping others can help reduce loneliness and isolation and enhance our sense of purpose. So why not take advantage of the very thing that makes you feel lonely and use it to build connections and purpose?

“In the face of adversity, people with a stronger sense of purpose in life tend to be more resilient because they have a clear sense of goals that motivate actions that are aligned with personal values,” says Yoona Kang, PhD, lead author and a Research Director of the Communication Neuroscience Lab.

Whether you are an entrepreneur or a senior leader in a big organisation, you could potentially use your experience and knowledge to help others by becoming a lecturer, a teacher or a mentor. This allows you not only to benefit from helping others but also to create more meaningful and deeper connections that will in turn help alleviate your feeling of loneliness too. 

“As a teacher or mentor, I can share the lessons that I have learned with no negative consequences.”

Many aspiring leaders seek mentors who can answer their questions and whom they may look up to. Furthermore, it doesn’t necessarily mean investing a great deal of time; the important thing is to find a structure that benefits both of you. 

Why do leaders feel lonely even while surrounded by people?

We can feel lonely while surrounded by people and be absolutely content by ourselves. The difference is in the connections, so even though leaders spend a lot of time surrounded by people at dinners, social gatherings, and so on, that doesn’t guarantee the interactions are significant enough to produce a sense of connection, hence exacerbating loneliness. This is where developing stronger bonds with your mentees can be advantageous, but time management is also necessary.

Leaders spend most of their working week in meetings, and we must also factor in the amount of work-related social duties they have to fulfil. All of this takes up the majority of their free time, which isn’t spent with individuals who could help them feel less lonely and disconnected.

Leaders of large corporations, entrepreneurs, and founders also work longer hours, which means they are devoting time away from their personal lives to work. As a result, their work-life balance, mental health, and stress are all affected.

So while the top job may seem great from the outside and it’s a goal for many people, it’s important to consider that it comes with many sacrifices too. That said, we’re not trying to discourage people from aiming high; the reminder here is to take time to reflect on the price of success and how best to protect your mental health and well-being at the top. 

The Optimist view…

While it may appear that feeling lonely is an inevitable component of the top job, it doesn’t have to be. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to help leaders access the support and connections they need to flourish.

Whether you’re a big company executive, an entrepreneur or a start-up founder, there are plenty of networking groups and events where you can meet individuals in similar situations.

You can also get help from others who have been in your shoes. We’ve already discussed how being a mentor can be beneficial, but you can also find a mentor for yourself — someone who has “been there, done that” and who can provide a sympathetic and supportive ear. 

Last but not least, you can hire a coach to act as a sounding board and confidant. Having a coach is beneficial not only because you have someone with whom you can share your thoughts, issues, and concerns but also because it allows you to devote a specific amount of time to yourself.

Our coaches at Optimist Performance have been there, and they understand how valuable an empathetic ear and a trustworthy relationship can be, not only in terms of professional development but also in terms of mental health and wellbeing. Our goal is to help people reach their greatest potential, and we realise that feeling alone won’t help you get there, so we offer the support and guidance you need to succeed.

Get in touch with us today and find out how our executive coaching can help you. 

The post Who cares if leaders feel lonely? – by Optimist Performance appeared first on Optimist Performance.

We all have heard about the many benefits of being grateful, but what is truly remarkable is how gratitude can reshape our brains to help us achieve long-lasting results. 

The benefits of having an attitude of gratitude

We have now numerous studies and research that prove the incredible benefits of being grateful. 

These are some of the benefits and research of having an attitude of gratitude:

• Improves interpersonal relationships at home and work (Gordon, Impett, Kogan, Oveis, & Keltner, 2012).

• Helps strengthen relationships, and couples studies showed that it could help couples have a long-lasting relationship (Algoe, 2012).

• Improves our mental and physical health. Even more, if we keep our attitude of gratitude long enough, it will also significantly impact our ability to maintain healthy habits. It can even reduce pain (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005) &  (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).

• It can also reduce or prevent burnout, and it helps reduce anxiety and depression. 

• Fosters adaptive coping mechanisms, improving our emotional resilience and inner strength (Gloria & Steinhardt, 2016).

• It helps team cohesiveness in the workplace. Individuals who practise gratitude are more likely to take more responsibility at work and go that extra mile. In turn, it improves productivity and teamwork. 

• Helps to cultivate altruism. It increases generosity, helpfulness and empathy towards others (McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002). Being grateful is linked to an increased level of concern for social responsibility, “gratitude rewards generosity and maintains the cycle of healthy social behaviour” (Bergland, 2015).

• It links to life satisfaction and self-esteem, making people more optimistic about their future (McCullough et al., 2002) & (Lin, 2015).

But the most crucial benefit of all for us is how it impacts our brains and how we can use gratitude as a way to reshape them.

How does being grateful impact our brains?

• Releases dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters, two essential neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions; they make us feel good. 

• Reduces our cortisol level, the stress hormone, so it helps decrease stress.  

• Creates and triggers new neuronal connections in the brain’s “bliss” centre, making us feel happier.

• Activates the medial prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with managing negative emotions, which makes it easier for us to deal with difficult situations. 
  • This area of the brain is also associated with “neural pure altruism”, so it makes our brain crave the experience of giving.  

• Regulates the hypothalamus, allowing us to sleep better and wake up with more energy.

• Helps with cognitive restructuring by practising positive thinking. This means we will be more prone to notice and focus on the positive things moving forward.

These are some fantastic effects for something as easy as being grateful in our optimist opinion. Furthermore, gratitude not only has a short-term influence on our brain, but it also has a long-term effect, even if we simply practise it for a short time. 

How does being grateful become a tool to reprogram our brains?

Our brains have the ability to develop new neural connections throughout our lives. This is called Neuroplasticity, and it’s why we are able to learn new things and even recover from brain injuries. 

In addition, there is a saying in neuroscience; “the neurons that fire together, wire together”. This means the more we use these connections, the stronger they become. And therefore, the easier it’s to activate them in the future, making them a habit. 

So, in order to reprogram our brains for long-term gain, all we need to do is create the habit of gratitude. 

Furthermore, because the neurotransmitters, neural connections and brain regions that gratitude activates in our brains are all linked to our reward system, being grateful functions as its own positive reinforcement, making it easier to create the habit of gratitude.

3 easy ideas to cultivate an attitude of gratitude

Here are three simple strategies to cultivate an attitude of gratitude that have been proven to work, one of them actually by ourselves. 

Have grateful thoughts first thing in the morning or last thing at night. We’ve mentioned this before, and we are confident in its effectiveness because we use it every day. 

Keep a gratitude journal. As easy as writing three things you’re grateful for each day or people you are grateful to have in your life. Simply write down all the things you are thankful for. 

Write gratitude notes. Write thank-you notes to the people you value in your life. You don’t need to share them with them, but it has been proven to have an even more significant impact.

The Optimist view…

We like to lead by example, which is why we feel so passionate about gratitude. We benefit from it every day, implementing it into everything we do. 

Being grateful benefits you, but it also benefits others, and it is a terrific approach to ensure that your team, family, and friends feel valued.

The post How does being grateful impact our brains – By Optimist Performance appeared first on Optimist Performance.

When we don’t belong, we feel guilty, rejected, anxious, depressed, angry, alone, jealous and isolated. We are more inclined to show behaviour problems, commit crimes and have suicidal ideation.

This means that a sense of belonging is essential for your mental health, and work can be a great source to find it. However, considering that many people are still getting used to working remotely and that travel restriction might make us feel more alienated from family and friends, now is an excellent time to begin focusing on our sense of belonging.

The good thing is that according to a study, we don’t need to be together in the same room to reap the benefits of feeling part of a team. 

But why is belonging to a group so important?

Why do humans need a sense of belonging?

According to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, belonging is part of one of the fundamental needs that motivate human behaviour.

Belonging is not only a want but a necessity, according to research by psychologists Baumeister and Leary. A need that is almost as intense as the need for food in humans.

In addition, a recent MIT study discovered that we crave relationships in the same brain region that we crave food and that we experience social exclusion in the same brain area that we experience physical pain.

A lack of sense of belonging at work can also lead to job dissatisfaction and health problem, and it’s a strong predictor of depression.

We define a sense of belonging as that feeling of connectedness to a group or community. It’s the sense that you’re part of something. You feel attached, close and thoroughly accepted by your people.

While there is no consensus yet on how to define a sense of belonging, some factors have been proven to be critical in achieving it. These are:

• Acceptance
• Attention
• Support

While been together in the same room can help, none of these are impossible to accomplish from a distance. Surely we all can remember a person we saw daily but with whom we didn’t feel any connection. 

Create a sense of belonging for yourself

Relationships require time and effort, and in order to build them, the work needs to start with you. 

Using the three aspects above, we’ve compiled a list of tips that can help you, as an individual, to feel like you belong:

Work on acceptance. Validation is one of the most effective ways to convey acceptance. Validation is the recognition that someone’s internal experience is understandable, and it helps you stay on the same page, feeling like you belong, even if you disagree.

Look for similarities instead of differences. Try to find things you have in common with your peers. 

Be open to new possibilities and avoid judgment. Participate in activities with others, even if it’s not something you’d typically do. Be willing to try new things and form new relationships.

Be aware of nonverbal communication. Keep a close eye on your nonverbal communication. When we don’t feel comfortable, our nonverbal signals can appear unfriendly. 

Ask for support. Don’t be hesitant to seek help when you require it, even if it is minor. Asking someone’s opinion or input can be a terrific way to start a relationship and can help you discover mutual interests.

Speak up and be seen. On the other hand, don’t be scared to speak up if you have anything to say or add. Everyone has something to contribute, and you will have skills and expertise that others will undoubtedly value. This might also assist you in achieving acceptance.

Make an effort and be patient. It takes time and effort to form connections with other individuals. Be patient and give it your all.

Help your team to create a sense of belonging

Creating a feeling of belonging is not something we can do for others, but we definitely can help. 

Want to help the people in your team to achieve a sense of belonging? We have gathered some tips here:

Create opportunities for people to connect. It can be challenging to find things in common when working remotely or with someone you have never met in person. However, as a company leader, you can help. Create events outside of work to foster connections based on shared interests, even if they are remote. You can also build forums where people can discuss various topics. (Read more about team building activities here)

Set up a mentoring programme. According to research, encouragement of mentorship can help with the development of a sense of belonging. This is excellent for new employees or people who have a hard time making connections.

Foster alliances. The same study shows that even having one ally inside a group can improve our sense of belonging. A way to do this is to connect two people you know can help each other or have shared values and goals. 

Ask about people’s views on what they would do. Even soliciting suggestions on how to foster a sense of belonging can be beneficial, which is helpful to newcomers and those who feel excluded. (Read more about how to use questions to empower your team)

Create psychological safety. It’s critical to create an environment where people feel safe and can be themselves. As we said before, a sense of belonging is based on acceptance and support, and it would be challenging to feel accepted if the environment doesn’t allow you to be yourself. 

Allow freedom and autonomy. While sharing common goals and values contribute to a sense of belonging, autonomy is also essential. It’s nice to be a part of a group, but we must maintain our individuality and freedom.

Practise recognition and appreciation. Being able to express one’s thoughts and feeling respected, as well as being appreciated, are crucial parts of experiencing a sense of belonging. As a company leader, you must help ensure that your employees are at ease with one another and with the organisation as a whole.

Reimagine the recruitment process. You can start helping your team to create a sense of belonging from the start by choosing people who you know would fit with the rest of your team. Wes MD uses the “speed dating” style as part of their interview process. When they have a candidate they like, they arrange for them to meet different people from the team. This ensures that they are a good fit and that you are selecting the best applicant for the job. (Read more about their experience here)

The Optimist View…

We all belong somewhere, we just need to find our tribe. Likewise, finding our tribe will require some effort on our part too. 

At Optimist Performance, we have our tribe too. A tribe of Optimists! 

The post Do you or anyone in your team lack a sense of belonging? Check out these tips appeared first on Optimist Performance.