Today’s world demands greater resilience—and science shows us how to get there

COVID-driven disruption has widened cracks and highlighted weaknesses in the supply chain and, closer to home, in our own businesses. Meanwhile, we’ve seen an absolute explosion of tech innovation—everything from digitalization to blockchain to AI. Simply put, we’re in uncharted territory. Changes are coming at us fast—at home, at work, and on the global stage. Now, we need to find ways to remain resilient, to work more efficiently. That said, we can’t just double-down on the old ways of doing things—we need to do more with less.

As my colleague, Pilar Gerasimo, a seasoned veteran of the health and wellness sector and author of Healthy Deviant has said, “We are the first generation of humans ever to have been exposed to anything remotely like our current circumstances.”

In our work at Loadsure, we’ve been actively talking about how to manage this new terrain and how new habits and tech can support us as individuals, as a team, and as a business. Here are some of our favorite findings.

Identifying and reducing unhelpful influences

In a conversation with Pilar, she told me she doesn’t advocate adding more to our lives. Instead, she recommends that we simplify, reduce, and understand what distracts us from our potential.

“I don’t think telling people they should do more—like ‘drink more green drinks, meditate more’, etc.—is working. I advocate for understanding how our environment is not designed for healthy living and acting accordingly. What looks like a problem of insufficient willpower is often a problem of chronic depletion and distraction,” she said.

Pilar instead recommends beginning each day with a simple, three-minute morning routine to set us up for success. What that routine looks like is determined by what we each find peaceful and pleasurable. For some, it might be candles and meditation, for others it might be journaling or simply walking outside and enjoying the sunshine. The idea is to do something that makes you feel good before peeking at your smartphone, tablet, or computer when reality often delivers a smack across the face.

Another easy path to success that Pilar recommends is following our built-in Ultradian Rhythms. Like circadian rhythms, these rhythms of performance and recovery are shorter and occur many times over a single day. In practice, this can be as simple as working for 90 minutes and then taking a 20-minute break to allow our brains to recharge. Then, rinse and repeat.

Leveraging productivity apps and technology

At Loadsure, we also tap into the behavior science-driven tools and methods that help us reduce distraction and get more done each day. Interested in putting them to work when you’re on the clock? Here are a few of our favorites.

FOCUS AT WILL

Focus at Will takes an evidence-based approach to increase focus by using music and soundscapes that tap into our natural rhythms. There are plenty of choices—from classical to synthetic—so it can be customized to your individual needs and tastes. And, because Focus at Will is both an app and a website, it’s really easy to use.

TIME OUT

When you dive into your workday do hours slip by without healthy breaks? The simple Time Out Mac app will remind you to take the breaks we all need to remain focused and productive—from just a moment to glance away from your screen to the 20-minute breaks that are a natural part of your Ultradian Rhythms. For PC (as well as Mac), there’s also Stretchly.

X.AI

How much more calm would you feel without the ever-constant, painful back-and-forth of coordinating schedules? Fortunately, X.ai is here for you. It’s a slick SaaS that leverages AI to coordinate meeting times, send reminder emails, and manage changes—and it’s affordable enough that you can use it in your personal life, as well.

MUSE

With a little bit of hardware and an app, Muse is a science-based way of helping keep your mind sharp and focused. It’s like getting a runner’s high—in just 5 minutes. (I know one of the doctors behind this project and he knows his stuff.)

If you’re struggling right now, give yourself a break. You’re not weak, you don’t lack willpower, and you’re not alone. We’re all feeling depleted and distracted by circumstances that have tested us in ways we’ve never been tested before.

Be generous with yourself, my friend.