The OptimalWork Podcast

#22: This week we discuss the nature of addiction, that is, repeatedly giving into a craving in which the costs outweigh the benefits. Addiction comes in many varieties. One mild example discussed is frequently giving in to distractions in work. The pattern of how addictions form is generally the same, and they are likewise broken by following the three steps of the Golden Hour, reframing, mindful...

#21: A major new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry highlights three behavioral factors that substantially affect the likelihood of depression. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the study, as well as depression in general, and connect it to OptimalWork's approach.

#20: The practice of mindfulness is becoming more and more popular, but it can be difficult to understand what it really is, and what effects it has. In this session, we discuss the practice of mindfulness, distinguishing different types of mindfulness, and explaining how certain practices can help you to work at your best, by training your attention through the deliberate effort to attain silence...

#19: Exercise has a tremendous power to transform your brain. Surprisingly, exercise has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for depression. In this video, we discuss why this is the case, and why exercise offers unique benefits for everyone, from shaping the way you approach challenges to the way your brain functions.

#18: Embracing challenges starts with your judgements about them. If you’re stuck seeing challenges as threats, you need reframing. Rather than avoiding challenges, or forcing yourself to get them over with, reframing means recognizing each challenge as an opportunity for growth or service, by placing it in its true context of your whole life. Reframing is not just a mental trick — it causes an id...

#17: How motivated are you to tackle the challenges of the day? For many, motivation comes and goes, which means it’s not really under your control and, more importantly, it’s not really coming from you. You get motivated by things, rather than you motivating yourself to do what’s best. Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss what motivation really is, what the only true stable source of motivation i...

#16: In this episode, Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss motives and priorities. It's common to see outcomes — like getting into the best school, securing a well-paying job, etc. — as ends in themselves. This approach has major costs: if you don't achieve the outcome, you get frustrated and double down on your outcome-focus; if you do, it just leads to you raise the bar and pursue an "even bette...

#15: In this episode Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the nature and cause of anxiety. Understanding how anxiety works and what it really is — which is quite simple — can help you transform your approach to it. Crucially, as Dr. Majeres explains, anxiety is not a disorder or something to be avoided. Anxiety can be transformed into your best performance by following three steps: reframing, mind...

#14: Last week, we discussed the left-brain/right-brain paradigm as it bears on work, and this week we are building off the discussion to address motives. Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist re-popularized this paradigm in his 2009 book The Master and His Emissary, grounding it in neuroscience and using it to explain aspects of psychology, society, and culture (in contrast to previous pseudo-scientific...

#13: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss the different roles of the two hemispheres of the brain ("left brain" and "right brain"). Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist re-popularized this paradigm in his 2009 book The Master and His Emissary , grounding it in neuroscience and using it to explain aspects of psychology, society, and culture (in contrast to previous pseudo-scientific versions of the...

#12: This week we used the feeling of frustration as our starting point. In the course of the discussion, we also talked about self-labeling (what we call "schemas"); the true nature of success and failure; and the benefits of focusing on process rather than outcome. This episode gets to the heart of OptimalWork's approach. Schemas are contrasted with ideals: schemas result from and lead to motive...

#11: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the default mode network, a network of brain regions that have profound implications for the way we work and live. The default mode is involved when you get distracted, but it can also be trained to help you focus better.

#10: Mastery is one of the central concepts of OptimalWork. It means doing work well, and is cultivated through the development and practice of strategies. The projects and templates tools on www. OptimalWork.com are meant to help you make good strategies, and refine them over time. Some of the questions we discussed in this video are: What is mastery? How can you grow in mastery? What's the role...

#9: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss the Golden Hour, the central method behind OptimalWork. A Golden Hour is like exercise for your work, when you deliberately practice working at your best by preparing for your work with three steps: reframing, mindfulness, and challenge. The Golden Hour can be practiced at www.optimalwork.com!  Some of the questions we discussed are: What is a G...

#8: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes discuss the Inventory, one of the primary tools of OptimalWork. The Inventory is a 24-item questionnaire, a unique measure of how much you're embracing challenge and growing right now. Some of the questions we discussed in this video are: What's wrong with the idea of temperament and personality tests? What is the Inventory and what's unique about it? How do...

#7: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to "materialize your ideals," that is, how to bring them to life: into reality, into your actions. The key to this is the practice of order, intensity, and constancy: three ideals that you can perfect in each hour of work, and that ultimately shape your practice of any other ideal.  An example we discuss in the video is ki...

#6: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to get traction from distraction. Kevin explains our unique theory of distractions, and draws out the practical conclusions: how to prevent them, and, if they do come, how to find the opportunity for shaping yourself and practicing ideals.  Some other topics that came up:  What to do if you wake up before your alarm g...

#5: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to gain victory over tiredness - in the context of afternoon tiredness, naps, and missed sleep.  The discussion was mainly inspired by the following questions: If every time I feel tired I jump on the treadmill will that amplify the feeling of tiredness because I am acting on it?  Can you address the advisability of t...

Dr. Kevin Majeres, co-founder of OptimalWork, gives the 11 best reasons to jump out of bed the moment your alarm first sounds. This practice is one of the keys to personal transformation and growth (along with a daily Golden Hour).

#4: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss the "illusion of simultaneity" and how to get effective sleep.  The discussion was mainly inspired by the following comment: One question that I have for you, is how can I begin to regulate and improve sleep hygiene? In this time of quarantine, because there aren't specific deadlines at my job, I have the luxury (if you can ca...

#3: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss what to do when you feel overwhelmed, how to make a schedule, and how to prioritize. The discussion was mainly inspired by the following question: The question I have is about decision paralysis/decision fatigue. I have been overwhelmed by all the projects I could do, and in the choosing, I usually fatigue out and then proceed to w...

#2: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to aim for ideals in difficult relationships, and how to respond to negative emotions.  The discussion was mainly inspired by the following comment: I am on quarantine. Three of the people I live with are insufferable characters. They hijack conversations, aggressively contradict people who are just sharing information (no...

#1: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif, OptimalWork co-founders, discuss how to develop resilience in this new work environment.  Here are the questions we answered: How can I ensure that I will persevere in good work habits for weeks or even months? How should we maintain a distinction between work and family life? (E.g., thinking about work during family time; getting distracted with family when...