As 2024 draws to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on a big idea that many professionals struggle with: the paradox of wellbeing and high performance. How can you take care of yourself while maintaining productivity? How do you balance individual needs with team demands? And is it even possible to prioritise self-care without compromising your workload?
These questions highlight what many of us see as an impossible tension: rest versus productivity, recovery versus effort. But here’s the truth: there is no paradox. Wellbeing isn’t the enemy of high performance; it’s a core part of achieving it.
Wellbeing and High Performance Are Mutually Inclusive
At first glance, the idea that you can rest and perform at a high level may feel contradictory. But in reality, wellbeing is intrinsic to sustainable success. When you start to see performance as a balance of effort and recovery, everything shifts. This balance is at the heart of what I call being a Business Athlete and my Cadence Approach.
Athletes understand this better than anyone. Their success doesn’t just come from intense training or competition—it comes from the quality of their recovery. Recovery isn’t just about stopping; it’s about actively restoring energy, whether through movement, sleep, or small restorative habits. The same principle applies to you as a professional.
The Effort Lies in Recovery
For busy professionals navigating demanding schedules, the most significant gains often come from slivers of recovery—those small but deliberate moments of rest and recalibration. These are quick, actionable habits that help reset your nervous system and balance out the stress of effort:
- A 5-minute walk to clear your mind.
- A moment of deep breathing or mindfulness between meetings.
- Pausing to look at the horizon for 30 seconds to reduce tension.
Recovery doesn’t need to mean lengthy downtime; it’s about integrating small, restorative habits into your day to boost energy, focus, and resilience. When you take recovery seriously, performance follows.
A Thought to Take into 2025
As we close the year, I invite you to rethink the relationship between wellbeing and high performance. Rest isn’t a barrier to success—it’s the fuel for it. Whether you’re taking time off this holiday season or just slowing down, consider it an investment.
Your ability to thrive in the fast-paced, high-performance environment of 2025 will depend on how well you can balance effort and recovery. Take time to recharge, build in those slivers of recovery, and trust that prioritising your wellbeing will only enhance your success.
Here’s to a Balanced, Energised Start to 2025
Thank you for all your support in 2024. I hope you have a wonderful break filled with rest, connection, and whatever restores you most.
See you next year!
Join Us Live for a Brand New Webinar
We’ve just launched a brand new webinar for 2025, linked to Leanne’s brand new keynote SUSTAIN.
Live Webinar – Sustainable People Drive Sustainable Businesses
How can your organisation drive sustainable success in 2025? It starts with your people.
Join us on Wednesday, 15th January at 12.30pm for our webinar, “Sustainable People Drive Sustainable Businesses“, where we will introduce the concept of Personal Sustainability—a game-changing approach to resilience, wellbeing, and high performance.
