Eat Sleep Work Repeat

1. Recharge: Prioritize Personal Energy Renewal

When you lose the feeling for your body, and compassion and respect for yourself, you do the same to others.

Burnout epidemic. Modern work culture often leads to exhaustion, stress, and burnout, impacting both physical and mental health. The relentless pace and constant connectivity erode our well-being, diminishing creativity and empathy. It's crucial to recognize the signs of burnout and actively prioritize personal energy renewal.

Recovery strategies. To combat the negative effects of overwork, implement strategies to recharge your energy. These include:

• Prioritizing sleep
• Taking regular breaks
• Practicing mindfulness
• Disconnecting from technology
• Engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation

Sustainable work. By focusing on sustainable working practices, we can create a healthier and more fulfilling work life. This involves setting boundaries, managing expectations, and recognizing the importance of rest and recovery. Recharging isn't selfish; it's essential for long-term productivity and well-being.

2. Sync: Cultivate Trust and Connection Within Teams

We suggest that belongingness can be almost as compelling a need as food and that human culture is significantly conditioned by the pressure to provide belongingness.

Belonging is essential. A sense of belonging is a fundamental human need, as vital as physiological requirements. In the workplace, fostering trust and connection among team members is crucial for motivation, collaboration, and overall well-being. When people feel valued and supported, they are more likely to contribute their best work.

Building trust. To cultivate trust within teams, encourage open communication, empathy, and vulnerability. Create opportunities for team members to connect on a personal level, share experiences, and build relationships. This can be achieved through social events, team-building activities, or simply taking time for informal conversations.

Companionate love. Promote a culture of "companionate love" in the workplace, where employees genuinely care for and support one another. This involves showing empathy, compassion, and respect for colleagues, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. When team members feel connected and valued, they are more likely to be engaged, committed, and accountable.

3. Buzz: Foster Positive Affect and Psychological Safety

When creativity is under the gun, it usually ends up getting killed.

The Buzz state. The ideal work environment combines positive affect and psychological safety, creating a state of "Buzz." This involves fostering a culture of trust, openness, and encouragement, where team members feel comfortable taking risks, sharing ideas, and challenging the status quo. When people feel safe and supported, they are more likely to be creative, innovative, and engaged.

Positive affect. Cultivate a positive work environment by promoting joy, enthusiasm, and optimism. Encourage laughter, celebrate successes, and create opportunities for team members to connect on a personal level. A positive atmosphere can boost morale, reduce stress, and enhance creativity.

Psychological safety. Create a safe space for team members to express their opinions, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear of judgment or reprisal. Encourage open communication, active listening, and constructive feedback. When people feel safe to be themselves, they are more likely to take risks, share ideas, and contribute their best work.

4. Monk Mode Mornings: Guard Your Time for Deep Work

As far as anyone is concerned I’m reachable starting at 11 a.m. or noon and I never am available for meetings, I’m never going to answer an email and never going to answer the phone before then.

Open plan disaster. Open-plan offices, while intended to foster collaboration, often lead to distractions and reduced productivity. Constant interruptions and noise make it difficult to concentrate and engage in deep, meaningful work. To combat this, implement strategies to protect your time and create space for focused concentration.

Deep work. "Deep work," defined as "professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration," is essential for maximizing cognitive capacity and achieving meaningful progress. To cultivate deep work, consider implementing "Monk Mode Mornings," where you dedicate the first part of your day to uninterrupted, focused work.

Practical strategies. To implement Monk Mode Mornings, communicate your availability to your team and set clear boundaries. This might involve working from home, turning off notifications, or designating a quiet space in the office. The goal is to create a distraction-free environment where you can fully immerse yourself in your work and achieve a state of flow.

5. Walking Meetings: Liberate Thinking Through Movement

I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.

Sedentary work. Modern work often involves prolonged periods of sitting, which can stifle creativity and limit cognitive function. To combat this, incorporate movement into your workday. Walking meetings offer a simple yet effective way to liberate thinking and generate fresh ideas.

Walking boosts creativity. Studies have shown that walking can significantly enhance creative thinking, particularly divergent thinking, which involves generating new and imaginative ideas. The act of walking stimulates blood flow to the brain, energizing thoughts and promoting cognitive flexibility.

Walk it out. Instead of sitting in a conference room, suggest a walking meeting with a colleague. Use the opportunity to discuss challenges, brainstorm solutions, or simply connect on a personal level. The change of scenery and physical activity can help unblock subconscious mental obstacles and foster a fresh perspective.

6. Headphone Harmony: Strategically Manage Distractions

These thousands of little interruptions aren’t keeping you from the work, they are the work.

Headphone divide. The use of headphones in the workplace often sparks debate, with some viewing them as a barrier to communication and collaboration. However, headphones can also be a valuable tool for managing distractions and creating space for focused work. The key is to find a balance that respects individual needs and promotes team cohesion.

Strategic use. Implement a headphone policy that allows for periods of focused work and collaborative interaction. Consider designating certain times of the day as "no-headphones zones" to encourage communication and team building. Alternatively, create quiet spaces where employees can retreat for uninterrupted work.

Divergent vs. convergent thinking. Recognize that different types of work require different environments. Headphones can be beneficial for convergent thinking, which involves focusing on a single task and eliminating distractions. However, for divergent thinking, which involves generating new ideas and exploring possibilities, occasional interruptions and distractions can be helpful.

7. Eliminate Hurry Sickness: Embrace Reflection and Calm

We used to have a single weekly meeting. One meeting. It did everything. Then we’d get on with work. Now we have meetings about meetings.

Constant busyness. Modern work culture often equates busyness with productivity, leading to a state of "hurry sickness." This constant sense of urgency can create anxiety, reduce creativity, and ultimately diminish overall effectiveness. To combat hurry sickness, prioritize reflection, calm, and focused attention.

Calibrate urgency. Challenge the assumption that everything needs to be done "ASAP." Take time to assess the true urgency of tasks and prioritize accordingly. By calibrating urgency, you can reduce stress, improve focus, and create a more sustainable work environment.

Time to reflect. Schedule time for reflection and quiet contemplation. This might involve taking a few minutes each day to meditate, journal, or simply sit in silence. By allowing your mind to wander, you can tap into your subconscious, connect disparate ideas, and generate fresh insights.

8. Lunch Breaks: Reclaim Your Midday Respite

You get a second wind. You return to your desk as fresh as you are in the morning because you’ve given your mind a break; you’ve given your body a break.

Burnout cycle. Skipping lunch breaks, driven by heavy workloads, leads to fatigue, poor mood, and unhealthy cravings. This creates a vicious cycle of exhaustion and poor dietary choices, ultimately diminishing productivity and well-being. Reclaiming your lunch break is essential for breaking this cycle.

Restorative power. Lunch breaks offer an opportunity to recharge both mentally and physically. Taking time away from your desk allows you to disconnect from work, reduce stress, and replenish your energy reserves. This can lead to improved focus, creativity, and overall job satisfaction.

Social connection. Use your lunch break to connect with colleagues, build relationships, and foster a sense of belonging. Sharing a meal with others can boost your mood, reduce feelings of isolation, and improve communication within the team. However, avoid enforced socialization, as autonomy is key to a restorative break.

9. Shorter Workweeks: Boost Productivity by Working Less

The ideal maximum working week was fifty hours. As he put it, “The marginal product of hours is a constant until the knot at [about fifty] hours after which it declines.”

Long hours fallacy. The belief that long working hours are essential for success is a myth. Studies have shown that shorter workweeks can actually lead to increased productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. The key is to focus on output rather than simply putting in the hours.

Diminishing returns. As working hours increase, the law of diminishing returns kicks in, leading to exhaustion, reduced creativity, and decreased output. The ideal maximum working week is around fifty hours, with output declining after fifty-five or fifty-six hours.

Weekend impact. A weekend break has a positive impact on productivity. Total output is higher in a forty-eight-hour week with a Sunday break than in a fifty-six-hour week with no day off. Having a day off work makes every working day so much more productive that the work-free Sunday is more than paid for.

10. Overthrow the Inner Mill Owner: Focus on Results, Not Presence

To run a company people actually want to work for you have to fight off the mill owner instinct and focus on what they deliver instead.

Presenteeism trap. Many workplaces still operate under the outdated belief that physical presence equates to productivity. This "presenteeism" culture can lead to unnecessary stress, reduced autonomy, and a focus on appearances rather than actual results. To create a more fulfilling work environment, challenge the "inner mill owner" and prioritize outcomes over hours.

Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE). Consider implementing a ROWE, where employees are given clear goals and the freedom to achieve them in any way they choose. This involves eliminating fixed office hours, mandatory meetings, and other traditional constraints, allowing employees to work when and where they are most productive.

Autonomy and trust. By focusing on results rather than presence, you empower employees to take ownership of their work, manage their time effectively, and achieve a better work-life balance. This fosters a culture of trust, autonomy, and accountability, leading to increased job satisfaction and improved performance.

11. Turn Off Notifications: Reclaim Focus and Reduce Stress

Each email you receive adds another task and at the end of the day you’re very fatigued.

Smartphone stress. Constant connectivity and notifications can lead to a state of chronic stress, hindering creativity and reducing overall well-being. The constant influx of information and demands can overwhelm our cognitive resources, making it difficult to focus and prioritize. To combat this, take control of your technology and minimize distractions.

Notification detox. Turn off all non-essential notifications on your phone and computer. This includes email alerts, social media updates, and other interruptions that disrupt your focus. By reducing the constant stream of stimuli, you can reclaim your attention and create space for deep work.

Microboundaries. Establish "microboundaries" to create a healthier relationship with technology. This might involve deleting email apps when on vacation, enabling "Do Not Disturb" mode during meals, or designating specific times for checking email. The goal is to make technology work for you, rather than the other way around.

12. Embrace Diversity: Unlock Innovation Through Varied Perspectives

It is hardly possible to overrate the value . . . of placing human beings in contact with persons dissimilar to themselves, and with modes of thought and action unlike those with which they are familiar.

Homogeneity trap. While it may be comfortable to surround yourself with like-minded individuals, homogeneity can stifle creativity and limit problem-solving abilities. Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.

Diversity benefits. Embrace diversity in all its forms, including ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social background, and political outlook. By creating a workplace that values and celebrates differences, you can unlock a wealth of untapped potential and foster a more inclusive and equitable environment.

Active inclusion. Go beyond simply hiring diverse individuals and actively create opportunities for them to contribute their unique perspectives. This might involve soliciting feedback from underrepresented groups, creating mentorship programs, or implementing policies that promote equity and inclusion.

Last updated: March 18, 2025