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The wellness market is the biggest it has ever been, with a valuation of nearly $2 trillion, according to a McKinsey report. But somehow todays workforce is more burnt-out than ever before. Research by the Boston Consulting Group shows that 48% of workers are exhausted from stress. The reason? Wellness works, but the way we are working doesnt. After spending a decade on Wall Street, I can attest that high stress periods at work are inevitable. Unfortunately, anyone advocating for better stress management often receives an eye roll due to the misconception that it means avoiding stress altogether. When I learned that stress management is not about removing stress but about managing my energy, everything changed. Can stress be good? Stress is a natural response to stimuli thats not innately good or bad. It can actually be positive in a corporate setting because it pushes us to meet a deadline or grow a skill set beyond our comfort zone. Thats why so many of us perform well under pressure. The human stress response, also known as fight-or-flight response, activates adrenaline and cortisol. In moderation, this is helpful for accomplishing defined, urgent tasks. Stress becomes negative when we engage our fight-or-flight response for prolonged periods of time. This leads to an exhausted nervous system and potential career burnout. Once we complete a high-stress assignment, we need to shift into a less taxing energetic state. The key here is to make sure that youre not spending your entire life in a high-stress state. Not all work tasks need to be stressful. Activities like sending low-stakes emails or catching up with co-workers, for example, can actually be enjoyable and even restorative. You need to signal to your body when youve completed a stressful event. This way, you can restore yourself and conserve your energy for the next high pressure stint. Over my career on Wall Street and now as the founder of a corporate wellness consultancy and community called Wall Street Wellness, Ive found that each person moves through three distinctly different but equally important energetic states during the day. By labeling and recognizing them, a person can start to move between them more intentionally. The most demanding energetic state: intentional intensity This is when youre in your peak performance zone. I call this the state of intentional intensity, which is when you mindfully leverage your stress response for optimal performance and productivity in order to complete a time-bound objective. I personally try to only call upon intentional intensity during periods where I have tight time constraints and high stakes. These moments happened multiple times a day when I worked in client-facing roles in investment banking and private equity. But because I was able to repair and recover after I finished my tasks, I avoided burnout throughout the workday. Sprinting through spurts of intentional intensity allows a person to access their most efficient and best work. However, given the toll that stress puts on the nervous system, you should only leverage this state when you really need it. The neutral energetic state: relaxed productivity After completing a high-stress stake, I recommend downshifting into the second defined state of relaxed productivity. You still need to be productive, but you dont need to use 100% of your mental and energetic capacity. Examples of this type of work include preparing materials for a non-urgent meeting, doing systematic analysis work, or any type of task that gets you into a flow state. These lower-intensity types of tasks allow more space to add in restorative elements that bring us joy, whether thats listening to a favorite playlist, stretching to release tension, or taking a coffee break with a favorite co-worker. Ideally, when we become more mindful about what our tasks truly require, we can spend a good portion of our working time in a state of relaxed productivity. I distinctly remember taking inventory of my tasks in finance and being surprised to find that I can make most tasks relaxing through intentionally shifting into this style of work. The least demanding energetic state: restorative time Restorative time is the third energetic state and describes periods where you can fully detach from work tasks. This might look like going to the gym, cooking a nutritious dinner, or spending time with friends and loved ones. Its essential to ensure that youve built in every day, even if it is a five-minute, screen-free walk or a short call with a loved one. Doing this allows for a mental reset, which creates more energy and excitement to return to the work environment. In the same way that having too much intentional intensity can cause burnout, having too few instances of restorative time can have the same effect. How to shift between energetic states Stress management comes from mastering the ability to mindfully transition between these three energetic states. In a work setting, it can be easy to continue staying high intensity, even when you dont need to be there. To transition to another energetic state, its helpful to have a physical or sensory experience that signals to your brain that its time to switch things up. Some people may find it helpful to do some breathwork or even go for a short walk after finishing a stressful deliverable. Other people might have a special playlist for focus time, and another for productivity and rest. The more sign posts you can create for your body that youre changing energetic states, the better. These give your nervous system the clear message that its no longer in danger and can relax and begin recharging. Burnout doesnt come from working hard. It comes from working too long in a more intense state without taking the necessary time to recharge. Remember, the brain is like a muscle. It needs time to rest and repair. Mastering the ability to switch between energetic and stressful states is the key to achieving peak performance and career longevity. This insight was the great unlock in my own career that changed everything. Ultimately, the key to managing burnout isnt reducing stress, its managing your energy.
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E-Commerce
As the Super Bowl clock ticked just below three minutes left in the game, Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith picked up the giant Gatorade cooler, snuck behind head coach Nick Sirianni on the sideline, and hit him with the traditional shower celebration. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Philadelphia Eagles (@philadelphiaeagles) It was probably one of the best ads of the Super Bowl, and it wasnt even a commercial. And yet, it still told a story about how close the ties are between this brand and one of the most significant moments in sports. This year, Gatorade celebrates its 60th anniversary since Dr. James Cade first concocted his formula to keep the Florida Gators football team hydrated. Gatorade chief brand officer Anuj Bhasin says the brand is going to mark the occasion throughout the year with a strategy that aims to set things up for the next six decades. Its a balance of honoring the past, while still pushing an image of innovation. The brand still holds more than 60% market share in sports drinks, but is also competing with brands like Liquid Death, all the energy drinks, water brands, and whatever else is available in the corner store fridge. The brand has been experimenting with various ways to move beyond just a sports drink to become an overall sports fuel brand for the past decade. That goal continues in earnest into its 60th year. We have to think differently about how we use leading edge science to solve athlete problems, says Bhasin. We’re going to be thinking much more expansively about what what athletes might need and what they’re going to be having access to over the next 60 (years). Linebacker Harry Carson of the New York Giants splashes a bucket of Gatorade over Head coach Bill Parcells after defeating the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XXI on January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. [Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images] Building on tradition Theres no doubt that Gatorade sponsorship investments keep the sports drink on the big league sidelines. In 2022, brand parent company PepsiCo renewed its deal with the NFL for another eight years, and actually codeveloped a new caffeine-infused sports drink called Fast Twitch with the league. No financial details were released, but the previous deal was reportedly $2 billion over 10 years. But the post-win shower was not a brand invention. It started 40 years ago during the 1984 NFL season, though there is a dispute about who started itthe New York Giants or the Chicago Bears. Last year, the brand launched an updated take on its classic It Is In You? campaign, starting with a spot narrated by Michael Jordan. It also brought back the brands classic aesthetic of black and white images, highlighted with colorful Gatorade-flavored sweat, now featuring Caitlin Clark, Aja Wilson, Jayson Tatum, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Josh Allen all perspiring the brand colors. [Photos: Gatorade] That campaign helped boost the brand in a couple areas, according to a digital brand lift study with DISQO. First, Gatorade saw an 18% growth in the number of people who think Gatorade improves athletic performance, and 12.6% lift in people who think it is scientifically proven to rehydrate faster than water” (Even if that’s a very debatable point). Bhasin says the brand also made a pivot in its approach to its social marketing, shifting from moments the brand createdcampaigns, ad launchesto reacting and capitalizing on moments in sports culture. This week, when Luka Doncic was set to make his debut as a Los Angeles Laker, Gatorade posted a video of the Hollywood sign flipping its Ls to resemble the NBA stars number 77 jersey. It attracted more than two million views on X alone. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gatorade (@gatorade) The brand is also pushing harder on a shift its made over the past year that is less centered on the brand, but led by its athletes, influencers, and scientific experts. Consumers dont have to listen to us. They can skip our commercials. They can skip our digital creative, says Bhasin. They will opt into it if the content is highly relevant, so developing content that is founded in sport culture and sport science is the biggest shift that we’re making. Over the next few months, the newest batch of brand content will start rolling out. Last year was hyper focused on resharpening who we were and what we stood for with athletes, says Bhasin. This year is about deepening that trust emotionally with them, while also showcasing a road map to the future.
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E-Commerce
Watch any Olympic event, and youll notice this universal ritual: The moment an athlete completes their performance, they turn to their coach for feedback. Theres no defensivenessjust a hunger to know how to improve. They understand that even the smallest adjustment could be the difference between standing on the podium or watching from the sidelines. For athletes, feedback is not criticism. Its a tool for enhancement. This mindset isnt confined to sports. High performers in every fieldwhether thats business, academia, or the artsshare an insatiable appetite for actionable feedback. Its their secret weapon for continual improvement. Why feedback fuels growth Feedback often gets a bad reputation. Many people mistakenly view it as a critique of past performance or decisions. But reframing feedback as an investment in future growth shifts the narrative. High achievers dont see it as an attack on their abilities. They see it as an opportunity to elevate their performance.In organizations, feedback takes many forms: executives refining leadership skills through 360-degree reviews, entrepreneurs tweaking pitches after investor input, or creatives honing their craft with input from trusted peers. The best performers seek it proactively, seeing it as their competitive edge. They dont just ask for feedbackthey act on it. Here are some lessons that we can take from how high performers see feedback. 1. Feedback is a collaboration, not criticism Olympians focus on improvement, not excuses. Scott Hamilton, Olympic champion figure skater, shared with me the wise words his coach told him: Never give excuses, offer reasons. Excuses stall growth, Hamilton explained, but reasons illuminate areas for adjustment. Similarly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasizes the value of being a learn-it-all over a know-it-all. This echoes psychologist Carol Dwecks work on mindsets: Individuals with a growth mindset embrace feedback as fuel for improvement, while those with a fixed mindset see it as a threat. High performers treat feedback as a collaborative effort to refine their skills, not a critique of their character. 2. Small adjustments can lead to big impact Feedback doesnt have to mean an overwhelming overhaul. Often, its minor tweakschanging the tone of a presentation, adjusting priorities in a projectthat lead to the biggest breakthroughs. 3. Dont wait for feedback, ask for it High performers actively seek feedback instead of waiting for annual reviews or chance encounters. By asking for input, they demonstrate curiosity and a commitment to growth. People are often eager to help those who genuinely want to improve. When seeking feedback, specificity is key. Instead of asking, Do you have any feedback? try,Whats one thing I could do to make this presentation more engaging? Clear, targeted questions yield actionable insights. 4. Feedback is a continuous process Annual performance reviews arent enough. Thats because feedback is most effective in two forms: Reflection-in-action: Immediate insights during the task, like an Olympian receiving real-time coaching from their coach on the sidelines during a competition. Reflection-on-action: Deliberate analysis after the fact, such as debriefing a major presentation to identify lessons for the future. Turning feedback into action Over time, this continuous feedback loop drives incremental changes that compound into significant growth. To integrate feedback effectively, high performers follow these five strategies: Ask specific questions: Shift from vague to precise. Instead of, How am I doing? ask, Whats one way I can make this project more impactful? or, What is an idea I should consider to shorten my time to closing a deal? Build a feedback network: Seek diverse perspectives from managers, peers, clients, and stakeholders. Each offers unique insights. For example, ask, What can I do to make this communication clearer? Normalize feedback in teams: Foster a culture of regular, informal feedback. You can use after-action reviewscommon in the military and healthcareto refine processes and achieve better outcomes. When it becomes part of the tapestry of the organization, people learn to expect it. If you do it right, it offers an opportunity to extract a lesson from one event and use it in another. Act quickly: Show that you value input by implementing feedback as quickly as possible. Close the loop with the person who shared itexplain what youve changed or why you chose not to, which demonstrates intentional thought. Reflect and adjust: Self-reflection is as critical as external input. Review your work, look for areas of improvement, and experiment with new approaches. Consider recording yourself, practicing in front of a mirror, or viewing your performance from the perspective of key stakeholders. Reframing feedback as a growth tool Every project, like every athletes performance, is an experimenta chance to refine and improve. By reframing feedback as an enabler of professional success, not a critique of abilities, you unlock the potential for lasting achievement. Olympians rely on their coaches to fine-tune their performance. In the same way, embracing feedback with a growth mindset transforms high potential into high performance.
Category:
E-Commerce
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