Tips for Building Mental Availability

Stop managing time. Start mastering energy. After coaching over 200+ executives, I've learned that the high-performers prioritize their energy not their time. Here's what they've shared with me (save this): 1/ Decision Energy Optimization ↳ Map your peak alertness hours (track for 5 days) ↳ Schedule critical decisions before 2pm ↳ Create a "power hour" buffer before board meetings 2/ Strategic Recovery Design ↳ Implement the Navy SEAL 4x4 breath work (4 seconds in, 4 out) ↳ Book 20-min gaps between high-stakes meetings ↳ Use "walking meetings" for 1:1s (movement = energy) 3/ Cognitive Load Management ↳ Batch similar tasks in 90-min blocks ↳ Use "two-minute previews" before switching contexts ↳ Clear mental tabs with a daily brain dump (5 mins, end of day) 4/ Energy-First Calendar Defense ↳ Rate meetings from 1-3 (energy give vs. take) ↳ Front-load relationship building before 11am ↳ Create "untouchable Thursdays" for deep work 5/ High-Impact Recovery Protocols ↳ Master the 3-2-1 reset (3 deep breaths, 2 stretches, 1 intention) ↳ Schedule "micro-breaks" (7-12 mins) after lunch ↳ Use "energy gates" (10-min buffers) between major transitions 6/ Presence Activation Tactics ↳ Activate the 2-minute centering ritual before important meetings ↳ Use "power phrases" in private before presentations ↳ Practice selective unavailability (block "focus hours" daily) 7/ Environmental Energy Design ↳ Make their desk an "energy zone" ↳ Create a "recharge corner" in your office ↳ Mute the chaos (noise canceling earbuds) 8/ Relationship Energy Management ↳ Identify your top 5 energy amplifiers (schedule them weekly) ↳ List your energy vampires (limit exposure to 30 min) ↳ Build your "energy board of directors" (5 people who elevate you) 9/ Peak State Activation ↳ Create your "power playlist" (60-90 motivation seconds) ↳ Design your "pre-game ritual" (specific sequence before big events) ↳ Use "anchor phrases" for instant state transformation 10/ Sustainable Excellence Framework ↳ Track energy levels hourly for one week (use 1-10 scale) ↳ Implement "recovery days" after high-intensity weeks ↳ Create your "minimum viable recovery" protocol (3 non-negotiables) Reality check: Your energy capacity is your competitive advantage. Not your ability to outlast everyone else. Which tactic will you implement in the next 24 hours? ♻️ Share to help a leader thrive 🔖 Save this guide for your next energy audit 🎯 Follow me (Loren) for more high-performance tactics

"I don't have time to meditate" is the most common objection I hear from busy professionals. My response? You don't need 30 minutes in lotus position to be mindful. What you need are strategic micro-moments that fit into the workday you already have. I've coached executives who initially dismissed mindfulness as "not for them" but still needed mental clarity for high-stakes decisions. What they discovered was transformative: mindfulness isn't just about meditation. It's about intentional presence you can access in seconds. Here are five micro-practices you can implement between meetings, during projects, or anytime your mind feels scattered: 1. Three conscious breaths Take three slow, deliberate breaths. That's it. Notice the sensation of air entering and leaving your body. This resets your nervous system in under 30 seconds. 2. The sensory check-in When stress peaks, pause and notice: • 3 things you can see • 2 things you can feel • 1 thing you can hear This pulls you out of rumination and into the present moment. 3. Transition moments Use everyday transitions as mindfulness triggers. Before opening your inbox, starting a meeting, or entering your home, pause for 10 seconds. Feel your feet on the ground. Set an intention for who you want to be in the next moment. 4. Single-tasking For 10 minutes, do just ONE thing. No checking notifications, no multitasking. Whether it's analyzing data, writing an email, or listening to a colleague. Be fully there. Notice when your mind wanders, then gently bring it back. 5. Mindful listening In your next conversation, practice listening without planning your response. Notice how often your mind jumps ahead. When it does, return to the speaker's words. This builds connection and reduces miscommunication. These micro-practices aren't productivity hacks. They're the foundation of purpose-driven leadership. They create the mental space needed for clarity, wisdom, and human connection. The most effective leaders don't separate mindfulness from their workday. They integrate it precisely when the stakes are highest. Try even one of these practices today. Notice what changes. And if you're ready to build resilience and mental clarity that transforms your leadership presence, I've created something for you. Subscribe to my newsletter here → https://lnkd.in/g9ZFxDJG You'll get FREE access to my 21-Day Mindfulness & Meditation Course with practical strategies to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose. And feel free to repost if someone in your life needs to hear this.

Daily exercise and a good nights sleep ward away all types of physical ailments. It builds your immune system, strengthens your muscles, creates new gateways in your brain, provides energy stores to your cells and many other benefits. These habits help you build resilience in your body. But how do you build resilience in your mind? You need to have a strong daily regiment to build your personal resilience. And in todays rapid change environment, personal resilience is more important than ever. We need to build our mental resilience to avoid getting overwhelmed by the constant barrage of change we experience everyday. In the PWC “Hopes and Fears Survey 2024” nearly two-thirds of employees say they’ve experienced more change at work in the last year than in the 12 months prior, and one-third of workers say they’ve experienced four or more significant changes at work in the last year, including to their team structures and daily job responsibilities. One of my mentees shared with me that they have had 4 managers in the last 12 months. Another shared that 50% of their team was laid off and the workload feels untenable. And a third reported that the charter of their team was changed without notice which has upended every project they were working on. While there is certainly a role that leaders, managers and organizations have in managing change better and in resourcing their teams effectively, there is also a burden that we each have to manage our own mental resiliency to lean into the change and learn through it. I believe that every change presents itself with an opportunity for growth and to build your own effectiveness. But it means we need to learn and then practice the skills to build that resiliency with the discipline necessary to apply it. Some practices like: 1. Practicing being present and not letting your mind dwell on past or future problems – but staying focused on one step at a time as you tackle the challenges and opportunities at hand. 2. Daily prioritization of what is critical, relevant and impactful and setting aside tasks that are not 3. Communicating with leaders, managers and peers about what change is happening and working to make sense of that change in your own mind – building out perspective and making meaning 4. Leaning on others for support to help you through the change and recognizing when you are feeling overwhelmed 5. Building strategies to help yourself when you get to the point of feeling overwhelmed – breathing exercises, meditation, taking walks, writing things down, stepping away are some of the mechanisms I have used to calm myself when I feel overwhelmed. Finding what works for you What are some practices and habits that you have found that have helped you build out your personal resiliency? #reslience #changemanagement #leadership #allies https://lnkd.in/gzRk2qey