To reach high levels of performance in any domain – including business – effective recovery practices are essential.
As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz stated in a 2001 Harvard Business Review article entitled “The Making of a Corporate Athlete,” “the real enemy of high performance is not stress, which … is actually the stimulus for growth. Rather, the problem is the absence of disciplined, intermittent recovery. Chronic stress without recovery depletes energy reserves, leads to burnout and breakdown, and ultimately undermines performance.”
Dr. Greg Wells echoes this concern and points to four interrelated global epidemics: inactivity, obesity, sleeplessness and mental illness. To combat these epidemics and maximize your performance, there are four “pillars of recovery” that you should incorporate into your daily routine: move often; eat for energy; sleep; and think clearly.
Pillar 1: Move often
The Canadian exercise guidelines for adults recommend 2.5 hours of moderate activity per week, which should include two strength-training sessions. This works out to roughly 30 minutes per day of physical activity.
The best approach is to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, such as by parking farther away from the office or getting off the bus one stop early and walking vigorously the rest of the way. Two good rules of thumb are to move every 45 to 60 minutes and to find an activity that you enjoy – if you like doing it, you’re more likely to do it often.
Pillar 2: Eat for energy
If you want to think clearly, stay focused and meet your deadlines, you need to fuel appropriately with brain-boosting foods.
Start with well-balanced meals; fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables and divide the other half between lean protein and whole grains. Remember to eat in the morning to kick-start your metabolism, and then again every four hours to keep your energy sustained. Brain-boosting foods include omega-3s for memory and cognition, antioxidant-rich foods to protect you from cell damage, and protein in the morning to promote alertness.
For maximum mental performance and physical co-ordination, stay hydrated throughout the day as well; we recommend approximately 12 cups of fluids for women and 15 cups for men per day, half of which should be water.
Pillar 3: Sleep
Studies have shown that almost 20% of us are chronically sleep-deprived. This lack of sleep impairs our ability to function and has a detrimental effect on our health.
For maximum recovery and subsequent performance, it’s recommended that you sleep seven to eight hours per night. Keep your bedroom cool and dark. Develop – and stick to – a consistent pre-sleep routine that will signal to your body that it’s time to sleep, no matter where you are. Make sure your routine doesn't include any screen time in the hour before bed; the blue light from screens strips melatonin, a hormone that helps control your sleep and wake cycles.
Pillar 4: Think clearly
Today’s leaders face information overload, constant pressure and busy, distracting environments. All the while, you’re expected to be “on” at all times. If you want any chance of keeping up, it’s important to train your mind to be present, focused and attentive through regular mindfulness practice.
Studies have shown that just eight to 20 minutes of mindfulness training each day can help improve your sleep, focus and ability to work efficiently. People who practise mindfulness have also been shown to have less cognitive rigidity, meaning it’s easier for them to come up with creative ideas and solutions than it is for non-meditators. It has worked for Olympic athletes, navy SEALs and samurai warriors, and it may do wonders for you as well.
Now that you know how important recovery is to performance, start incorporating these pillars into your own routines. Start by focusing on just one and then work your way through the others to become the best version of yourself.
