Success Advice
7 Powerful Ways to Stay Energized and in the Zone All Week

Why is it so hard to stay “on” and in the zone all week? You can read all the motivational quotes and blog posts as much as you want, but things hardly go as planned.
Picture this: you arrive at your desk and you’re already feeling a bit sluggish. (“Brain fog” is a real phenomenon.) Instead of getting down to business right away you take just one social media hit before you start any work. Deep down, you know exactly what you should be doing.
But you’re not doing it. Fast forward to Wednesday and you’re now drowning in the middle of one of “those weeks” where you’re off your game. The good news is that you can start and finish every week with unstoppable energy and motivation.
Here are 7 powerful ways to stay energized and in the zone all week:
1. Visualize The Obstacles
Practically every self-improvement book and article ever written talks about the importance of visualizing success. That’s okay but you’ll get better results if you also visualize the obstacles that could get in the way of a successful week.
What are the occurrences that typically get in the way of you having a great week? Think about these and write down what you can do to make sure they don’t trip you up too much when they inevitably arise.
“One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.” – Albert Schweitzer
2. Forget About Goals
In his biography, Dilbert creator Scott Adams famously said “Goals are for losers.” Successful people instead rely on repeated actions that one can take to accomplish their specific goals. For example, you’ll never accomplish a goal like “get one new high paying client this week” unless you have a set of repeated actions that, when done, will give give you a great chance of hitting that goal.
The person trying to land a new high-paying client is better off focusing on the repeated action of contacting at least 20 potential clients via social media per day to land that new client. Think about your big goals for the week and the repeated actions you can take that will make success inevitable.
3. Keep A Scorecard
Keeping a scorecard is one of the best ways to stay in the zone all week. Continuing our above example, if your goal was to contact at least 20 potential clients per day via social media, it’s important that you keep score of how many you actually contact. You can use a spreadsheet or even just a pen and paper to keep track of this. The act of keeping score itself will keep you motivated throughout the week.
4. Play To Your Strengths
You’ll find it easier to stay in the zone if you focus on activities you have a natural inclination for. If you’re constantly spending your time on things you hate, you’ll lack energy and motivation.
Ideally, you’ll want to eliminate any activities currently on your plate that are not in line with your natural strengths. This is not always possible. If you cannot limit an activity completely, consider outsourcing or automating it it.
5. Eat Good Fats
Numerous scientific studies show that a diet high in dietary fats like nuts and avocados,
make it easier to maintain energy throughout the day. Fat has also been shown to increase mental focus.
However, this only works if you limit consumption of carbohydrates, especially sugars and grains. These will lead to the dreaded “sugar crash” that makes it difficult for you to stay in the zone.
6. Do Less
It’s a myth that ultra-productive people are getting a million things done every week. Instead, they spend most of their time focusing on the few, high leverage activities that will really move the needle.
Before you begin your work day, identify the three most important things you need to do that day and the one thing that you must do. By focusing on doing less, you’ll accomplish much much more.
“I continue to be drawn to clarity and simplicity. ‘Less is more’ remains my mantra.” – Stephane Rolland
7. Be Bored
We only have a certain amount of precious mental energy to use throughout the day. And we’re better off using that mental energy on those few important activities that make all the difference. Even doing “harmless” things like checking social media, playing on our smartphones and even listening to music can drain our mental resources.
We’re much better off “embracing boredom” as Cal Newport described in his excellent book, ‘Deep Work’. For example, instead of checking your email a during a break, just sit in a comfortable chair or go for a walk.
Energize Your Next Week
Combining this strategy and the others described in this article can be transformative for you. Picture this: next Monday you arrive at your desk and immediately tackle your most important project for the day.
You feel energized and excited as the week progresses. You continue taking focused, consistent action throughout the week. When obstacles arise (which they surely will), you don’t get discouraged. Instead, you calmly overcome them while maintaining your momentum. You’re in the zone, and feeling wonderful.
On Friday, when you look back at your scorecard, you marvel about how much you just accomplished. You just accomplished more in one week than you typically do in an entire month.
By implementing the ideas in this article you can and will make all your dreams come true and reach your highest potential. So get to it! An entire new world of productivity and success awaits you.
What are some ways you stay energized and in the zone all week? Leave your thoughts below!
Image courtesy of Twenty20.com
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Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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