The 5 keys to high-performing teams – found by Google

High-performing teams are the cornerstone of any successful organisation. The question is how to create great teams that do their best work.  Over 10 years ago, in 2012, Google set out to find the answer. Its seminal study on team performance is more relevant than ever in today’s world of constant change and remote work and was recently revisited with new insights. This Google project, named after the Greek philosopher Aristotle, researched the behaviours of over 200 teams.  Their research looked into how ‘real’ teams performed, looking at the qualities … Read More

Six sleep problems – and how to solve them

Sleep

Sleep is the great untapped resource of our busy lives. Over the years, I have seen this in client after client through the FirstBeat heart-rate analytics I use — charting their stress peaks and recovery time in lifestyle coaching. Though sleep doesn’t add to your to-do list (no NutriBullet or fitness mat required) it can completely recharge you after even the most stressful day. New research constantly reveals why sleep, still largely a scientific mystery, is so vital to our wellbeing. It restores our brains and rests our bodies. If … Read More

Why multitasking is bad for you — and how to move to mono-tasking

Chances are you’ll check your phone or flick off a quick email while you read this. You’re getting things done, right? Wrong. Research now shows that multitasking — hailed in our über-busy culture as an essential skill you should master, or face being left behind — achieves far less than you think.

Five ways to recover your feel-good factor

There is no doubt about it: we are living through a time of great change. It is hard to see what the future holds politically, economically and socially – and all of this uncertainty is stressful. It can feel challenging but it can also be a source of opportunity. So how do we remain open and positive in these circumstances? Incorporating recovery strategies into our busy days can make an enormous difference. It is our constant under-recovery that leads to chronic stress