“It’s an employee-driven market,” people were saying just two years ago. Skilled experts and executives appeared to be in endless demand; “lose your job today, land a new one tomorrow.” Today, though, the business headlines are about mass layoffs, corporate restructurings, and positions disappearing because of AI.

As a business coach, I am also meeting quite a few clients these days who are dealing with a looming job loss or the challenge to redefine their careers. Their emotional rollercoaster is fairly similar: doubt, shame, anger, fear, hope, often all at once. The hardest part for them is often the sense of being at the mercy of circumstances, unable to do much. So, what can I already begin to do now if a job loss seems just around the corner?

1. Open up to others

Are you ready to talk openly about your impending job loss? Most people’s first reaction: better not. Although seamless career paths are increasingly rare, many clients still feel a sense of shame when facing potential unemployment. Outwardly, they keep up appearances, intending to resurface only when they’ve landed the next, ideally better, job.

German journalist Clara Ott chose a different path – she spoke openly on LinkedIn about her job loss. Once she started in a new role a couple of months later, she shared this advice: “Be brave enough to tell your friends and acquaintances that you’re looking for a job […]. Others in the same situation will want to connect, and you’ll very likely receive unexpected support, encouragement – and job offers!”[1] Research into “weak ties” also confirms why showing your job search openly pays off. These weaker links, e.g. casual acquaintances, more often lead to new opportunities than close relationships. They open doors to new information and networks.[2]

2. Keep an eye on the job market

Even when you are not actively job hunting yet, job alerts help you to quickly get a sense of the current job market. If you’re a manager or specialist, it’s worth identifying the right headhunters – either for later or, discreetly, already now.

3. Understand your legal options

When you’re facing the threat of job loss, uncertainty can feel overwhelming, especially if your previous career moves were voluntary. What needs to happen when? How do I react when my employer informs me that my role is being cut? Even figuring out the notice period can be tricky, hidden in the fine print of employment contracts, company agreements, or collective bargaining rules. A brief early consultation with a labor lawyer can quickly clear up many questions around a potential job loss. And it gives peace of mind: if the worst comes to pass, you already have an expert ready to review and negotiate your termination or separation agreement.

4. Update your CV and cover letter

If you have spent many years in the same company or organization, chances are your documents are not up to date. Redesign your résumé so it looks professional and engaging, and seek feedback from recruiters, coaches, or trusted peers. Draft an initial cover letter that you can tailor later to specific roles. Make sure to show tangible results you have delivered and the capabilities that define you.

5. Put your LinkedIn profile to work

LinkedIn is your ever-visible application, and recruiters actively use it. If you are active on LinkedIn, treat it as your digital business card and optimize your profile intentionally. Focus on your career track, a convincing “About” section, and posts or comments that position you as an expert. Especially here, weak ties can open doors, more often than your closest contacts.

6. Plan your finances

Financial worries often pile on in times of change and can easily trigger major stress reactions. It helps to face your finances head-on instead of pushing them aside. Ask yourself: What funds do I currently have? Can I quickly build or grow a cushion before the job loss becomes imminent? Are there alternative income streams? Which expenses could I trim? Can I expect severance pay and/or government support? And how much? Put simply: how far will my financial resources take me?

7. What should this time be good for?

Whether you choose it or not, a job transition also creates chances. One question that can guide you is: “What do I want this pause to have given me?” As counterintuitive as it may sound, this question helps you focus on the good you’d like to draw from the job loss, or, the break associated with it. Maybe it’s something useful, like decluttering the basement. Or something joyful, like traveling, reconnecting with friends, learning piano, signing up for a course, or developing a new skill.  Or, as Clara Ott puts it: “Take care of your friendships, visit your parents. You’ll seldom have so much time again to help friends with children or to take your mom on a weekday outing.”

8. Find the support you need

Sending out applications, sitting through interviews, waiting, dealing with rejection – career changes can feel tough and lonely. Reaching out early for support from peers, a coach, or an outplacement professional can be helpful, even before you leave your job. Another option is joining a “Job Search Council”: four to six job seekers with similar profiles who give each other feedback and hold each other accountable during the process.[3] External support after a job loss almost always pays off because it keeps you engaged and helps you advance faster.

9. Pause and reflect

As unsettling as a possible job loss may be, it can also become a turning point. Do I want to continue on my current path? Which industry and work environment suit me? What should be different? How do I position myself? What goals do I have? Even starting over completely may be an option, too. This pause is your chance to ask: Where do I genuinely want to go?  

Facing the possibility of losing your job is challenging. Yet consciously preparing for a job loss allows you to spend less energy and gain more clarity. And sometimes a new Plan A emerges precisely when you start working on Plan B. If you’d like support, feel free to schedule an initial conversation, and we can explore whether and how I can help.

[1] Clara Ott, Meine finalen Lehren aus 9 Monaten Arbeitslosigkeit (als Journalistin), June 2025.

[2] Massachusetts Institute of Technology News, The power of week ties in gaining new employment, September 15, 2022.

[3] Credit where credit is due: I first learned about „Job Search Councils” through this LinkedIn post by Henrike Grabert.

The feeling of never catching up on a seemingly endless to-do list is something many people experience, including my coaching clients. Despite trying different time management techniques such as timeboxing or Pomodoro, the desired results haven’t materialized. More often than not, I find myself sitting across from highly driven and disciplined individuals, who still feel like, “if I were just more productive, I could accomplish a great deal more.”

Productivity is complex and varies across countries, businesses, teams, and individuals. At the individual level, one of the most widespread misunderstandings about productivity is that it’s synonymous with “accomplishing more work” – or simply being more efficient.

Instead, productivity is actually about making the most of the limited time, energy, and attention at your disposal, and focusing on what truly matters. And you will be better able to do this if you feel alert and clear-headed. That’s why being mindful of your energy is just as important as managing your time.

Pay yourself first

The phrase “pay yourself first” is a well-known piece of advice aimed at managing personal finances. Often, when we save, we wait until the end of the month to see whether there’s any money left over. But more often than not, just the opposite is true. That’s why “pay yourself first” recommends  automatically setting aside a certain amount to save at the beginning of the month, as soon as you receive your paycheck.

When we let work tasks, meetings, and projects simply run their course, we rarely have any energy left for ourselves. We often end up pouring everything we have into the tasks at hand – and not even the ones that are truly important to us or our work. The best way to avoid becoming totally exhausted is to make sure that your time comes first.

The start of the year is an ideal time for this. Before your work calendar fills up, it might pay off to plan vacations and smaller breaks ahead of time. (Are you the type that doesn’t enjoy planning, preferring to be spontaneous? While that’s perfectly understandable, you nevertheless run the risk of letting others do your “planning” for you. Before you know it, your calendar will be jam-packed when what you really need is a break.)

The same goes for the working week: 68% of people say they don’t have enough time during the day to concentrate without distractions. One solution is to block off some focus time in your calendar, either weekly or monthly. The amount of time varies by profession and individual, but 25% of your working hours is a good place to start. If you manage to dedicate this time to tasks that move the needle the most, it will boost both your satisfaction and your energy levels.

When a meeting could just as easily have been an e-mail

Not all meetings are bad, but for many, meetings (just like emails) are major drains of their time and energy. Productivity expert Christian Poensgen refers to a 2021 study in his newsletter “Beyond Productivity,” which found that professionals spend an average of 14.2 hours per week in meetings. By November 2021, that number had jumped to 21.5 hours – a 50% increase.[1]

This trend didn’t reverse after the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2023 study by Microsoft found that the time spent in calls and Microsoft Teams meetings increased by 192% compared to 2020.[2] In just three years, people were spending three times (!) as much time per week in meetings. This is a problem[3], especially when meetings are too long, poorly organized, and have no clear purpose.    

Taking part in too many meetings can be a surprisingly “effective” way to drain your energy. One practice that has proved its worth is to regularly double-check all the meetings in your schedule. What ones do you attend simply because of “meeting FOMO” (the fear of missing out)? And when you find a meeting that is attended by all colleagues – check whether one person would suffice, or whether you can all take turns. Are your meetings well-documented, potentially using AI tools, so you can access information independently and at your own convenience?

The power of a positive space

When knowledge workers are asked where they work the most, they often respond with “in the office” or “at my desk”. When it comes to our energy balance, however, it’s helpful to ask ourselves where we actually work best. Not only—but especially—for introverts, calm spaces such as “quiet desks”, private offices, or relaxation areas are invaluable. Noise-canceling headphones in larger offices can also help you maintain energy and focus.

At times, a complete change of location can also make a difference. For weeks, I kept postponing writing this article (and others) until I blocked off two days in my calendar and traveled to a lake in Brandenburg for a “winter writing retreat”. A friend inspired me to try this; he had talked his boss into allowing him to work from a café one morning each week, because he found he could complete a creative task more easily there.

And last but not least: Work doesn’t necessarily have to be linked to a specific place. Have ever tried calling a client or meeting with a colleague while taking a walk?

Boost productivity with working less (yes: pause!)

Even using smart “hacks,” you can’t grow or generate an endless supply of energy. Regular breaks are vital to recharge our batteries and deliver the energy to accomplish more. We simply need to press the pause button now and again.

Our mental energy follows a natural rhythm throughout the day. After around 90 minutes of focused attention, we hit a low point that lasts for about twenty minutes. If we push through it—maybe skipping lunch to squeeze in more time—we risk becoming more distracted, tired, and less productive. In this article, you can learn which places are best for taking breaks and what the “7 types of rest” are all about.

Embrace focus, ditch multitasking

I’m constantly surprised by how much I can get done when I work on just ONE thing and get into the flow of it. No wonder, though: Gloria Mark, an expert on attention, has discovered that we need 50% more time to complete a task when we’re frequently switching between tasks.

Surprisingly, the main reason for all this task-switching is not colleagues interrupting with questions or requests. On average, knowledge workers send and receive 126 emails a day. 70% of these emails are opened within just 6 seconds of arrival. And 84% of people leave their email program open in the background, even while working on other tasks. ^[4] This causes constant distraction, so it’s no surprise to learn that checking emails only at specific intervals saves both time and energy.

Takeaway: Energy is your greatest asset

Managing our energy is essential, but even with the best strategies at hand, it’s a finite resource. We need both energy and prioritization to accomplish what we’ve planned. And “what we’ve planned” is never synonymous with “everything.”

[1] Christian Poensgen, How to have more productive meetings (6 Actions), in: Beyond Productivity, November 2024.

[2] Microsoft Work Trend Index Annual Report, “Will AI fix work?”, Mai 2023.

[3] Vera Starker, „Konzentration ist ein Tor zum schönen Leben“, Interview im Harvard Business Manager 2/2024.

[4] Christian Poensgen, How great leaders manage their time, in: Beyond Productivity, September 2024.

Since she had never worked with a coach before, she asked me toward the end of our conversation, “But what exactly happens in coaching?” The honest answer: It depends on the coaching topic and is hard to generalize. Still, it is a legitimate question, one I would I’d like to examine more closely here.

Coaching defined: What it means and what it doesn’t

Coaching is about guiding individuals through a process of change. The principle is that clients already have the expertise they need to find their own solutions. As a coach, I don’t teach (as in training) or deliver answers (as in consulting); instead, I assist clients in uncovering the solutions that suit them best. They gain clarity about their goals, become aware of their resources, and move forward with (renewed) energy to take action.

What topics typically come up in business coaching?

Business coaching can address a wide range of topics, including career aspirations, team leadership or self-management challenges, navigating workplace conflicts, returning to professional life after parental leave, or preparing and applying for the next step on the career ladder. What these issues have in common is that they can feel daunting, require adept handling, and usually weigh (heavily) on the client’s mind before they decide to start coaching.

By the time clients come to see me, they have often been mulling over whatever it is that’s bothering them for weeks or even months, unable to make a decision or move forward. At times, they’re simply looking for a sparring partner to evaluate and/or tackle a situation together. You can find the types of questions my clients (typically) seek support with here.

Getting started: What to expect from the first coaching session

A coaching colleague once made an interesting observation: “A well-defined problem is often half the solution.” She’s absolutely right. In the first session, we not only clarify mutual expectations and analyze the current situation, but also define the goal the client wants to achieve by the end of the coaching process. Articulating their desired outcome and describing how they want to feel when this transpires already gives them a burst of energy: “Where attention goes, energy flows.” Beyond that, the first session is also crucial for getting to know each other, and creating a safe space where open (and confidential) dialogue can take place.[1]^,[2]

Moving forward: what to expect in the subsequent coaching sessions

The key tool in all sessions is to ask questions that prompt clients to explore their goal or issue from multiple angles. This process not only helps lay bare the stumbling blocks standing in their way but also reveals the resources that will help them to reach their goal. Typically, these are found in the following areas:

• Values: What values are important to me? How are they currently being lived up to?
• Personality: Personality type, neurobiology, interests, needs, etc.
• Skills: What mental-emotional, social, neuro-physical, and technical skills are available to me? Which ones would I like to strengthen?
• Knowledge: Knowledge in areas such as communication (1:1, within teams, non-violent communication, etc.), career, health, etc.
• Concepts: Reactance patterns (“Be perfect!”), constructs (“a good boss/employee”), beliefs.
• Self: Identity, self-image, life phase.

The methods applied in a coaching session vary depending on where the resources or obstacles are to be found. They range from uncovering and changing internal drivers (“I must be perfect!”, “I’m not at fault.”, “I must not stand out.”) or beliefs, to preparing for specific situations like a pitch for the next career step or challenging personnel conversations.

In situations where important decisions have to be made, methods like the Zurich Resource Model, and approaches like “Competing Commitments” or the “Socratic Dialogue” can be applied. The objective is to consistently gain a deeper insight into the issue, understand it thoroughly, and bring about a positive change.

How clients can get the best results from their coaching

In coaching, it’s the coach’s job to take care of the process, while the coachee is accountable for the results. This is most successful when clients are open, curious, and self-reflective, and recognize that only they (not the coach) can reach their goal. Additionally, they need to take time in their daily lives between sessions to try out new behaviors, implement next steps, and regularly reflect on whether and why something worked or didn’t work (at first).

Nobody moves backward in coaching: it’s forward all the way

Ideally, clients will achieve the goal they set themselves at the start of the coaching process. For instance, my clients have successfully navigated career transitions after parental leave, have turned restructuring including a job loss into a positive, have entered into the job application or selection process fully prepared, or have simply handled conflicts with more composure and strategy. What’s just as crucial, however, is that clients conclude the coaching process with increased clarity, energy, and the realization that they have far more power to make positive changes in their careers than they initially believed.

The potential client I mentioned earlier ultimately chose not to work with me. Yet, unknowingly, she provided the spark for this blog post 😊. If you have a professional issue where you’re feeling stuck, feel free to schedule an initial consultation, and we can explore together if and how I can support you.

[1] Schreyögg, Astrid (2003). Coaching. Frankfurt/Main.

[2] Amberger, Benedikt, Erfolgsfaktoren im Coaching, in: Coaching Magazin 3/2014.

The sentence that startled me came about 45 minutes into the coaching session. The client and I had met a few times before, discussing the challenges he faced as a team leader. I asked him what thoughts, feelings, and sensations arose when he reflected on a specific conflict situation. He answered, and then added, almost as a casual afterthought, “Well, and I have severe back pain, tinnitus, and I can’t sleep through the night.” “How long have you been having these issues for?” I asked. “Oh, for a couple of years now,” he said dismissively, as if responding to a question about tomorrow’s weather—something he has no power to change.

Vulnerability, in contrast to resilience, refers to a state in which a person is more prone to developing physical and mental illnesses due to ongoing stress. The physical consequences of vulnerability include cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and heart attacks, along with specific ailments such as back pain, tinnitus, and digestive problems. On the psychological side, the spectrum ranges from mood swings and depression to anxiety/panic disorders and burnout.

Molecules create emotions and emotions create molecules

Stress researcher Hans Selye defines stress as the nonspecific response of our body to any type of demand. Triggers of stress can be physical, emotional, or social stressors. Therefore, stress is neither inherently positive nor negative; it is simply the body’s natural chain of reactions to uncertainty.

In response to stress, the body reacts with a rapid and well-orchestrated relay along the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Adrenaline and noradrenaline elevate blood pressure and heart rate, while cortisol is released from the adrenal glands to assist the body in generating sufficient energy for its stress response.

A central role in this ‘command chain’ is played by the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for thoughtful and composed decision-making in the brain. It regulates essential functions such as action planning, emotion regulation, affect and impulse control, decision-making, combinatorial thinking, and much more.

Top-down is better than bottom-up—at least when it comes to the stress response

When periods of stress alternate with rest and restorative sleep, the system stays balanced. Stress is followed by recovery, which is then followed by more stress, and so on. However, with chronic stress, the stress axis becomes continuously activated. Cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline are released constantly, leading to elevated blood pressure and heart rate. The balanced stress response tips over, weakening the function of the prefrontal cortex.

Instead of a thoughtful and composed response, we end up reacting in a more reflexive and emotional manner. The more the so-called catecholamines dominate, the more we are ‘always on’ (or eventually ‘always down,’ feeling tired, exhausted, etc., when they are lacking). Chronic stress and overload further weaken the immune system and nerve cells, potentially leading to chronic inflammatory responses and disturbing our energy metabolism.

These reciprocal effects have given rise to their own field of research known as psycho-neuro-immuno-endocrinology. They also explain why the ‘bouquet’ of physical and psychological consequences of vulnerability are so ‘colorful.’ The altered balance of neurotransmitters and changes in behavior (such as poor sleep, doomscrolling on smartphones, irritability, or lack of motivation) can create a vicious cycle that is difficult to break on one’s own.

Can I measure vulnerability?

Determining whether we are in the ‘green,’ ‘orange,’ or ‘red’ zone concerning our stress load is quite challenging. During extended phases of stress, we often struggle to recognize physical or psychological symptoms. Moreover, what does ‘normal’ even mean?

Fitness trackers provide initial insights into our recovery and adaptability to stress by measuring heart rate variability, sleep quantity/quality, and the so-called ‘body battery.’ For those seeking a more precise and evidence-based assessment, the Integral Stress Test™ is available. This test includes a questionnaire, a lab test, and a three-day heart rate variability measurement, all performed at home. Utilizing ‘hard’ data, it offers an objective evaluation of vulnerability and personalized recommendations for restoring neurotransmitter balance non-pharmacologically and reducing chronic stress.

What benefits does vulnerability measurement provide? 

The stress test ‘objectifies’ our subjective experience of stress. It reveals:

• How well our recovery is during the day and night, on weekdays and weekends
• How much and how well we sleep
• What stressors dominate our daily lives*
• How thoughts, patterns, and conditioning influence our stress response (e.g., perfectionism, lack of boundaries, high self-expectation)
• The levels of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, and cortisol in our system
• How behaviors affect our recovery ability at night (e.g., exercise, computer work, alcohol consumption, etc.)

* The wealth of data from the Integral Stress Test™, along with the restoration of neurotransmitter balance, provide both the foundation and motivation to make changes. For instance, I was surprised to discover that the most stressful time in my day had nothing to do with my job. Instead, it was the 15-20 minutes in the morning before we leave the house with the kids in tow. It was equally eye-opening to see how watching TV or working on the computer in the evening affected my sleep quality. Gaining a clearer understanding of our stressors is often the first step toward changing our response to them or gradually reducing their impact.

If you’re interested in learning more about vulnerability and the stress test, assessing your vulnerability, or finding better ways to cope with stress, workplace challenges, tough decisions, and conflicts, please don’t hesitate to reach out.  Together, we can explore how I can support you.

It’s impossible to maintain constant productivity without breaks. Hardly a controversial statement, right?  True! After all, it resonates with both personal experience and a wealth of research indicating that breaks enhance our energy levels and mitigate exhaustion.

At the same time, breaks often get a bad press, and we often feel as if we’ve been “caught” doing something illicit if we’re discovered chatting with colleagues by the coffee machine or gazing wistfully out the window for what might be deemed just a bit too long. This feeling may be triggered by a disapproving look from someone else, or by our own internal monologue whispering to us “Dillydallying won’t get the job done” or “Time is money, so speed up.” This often prompts us to return to our tasks prematurely. Because surely, the logic goes, investing more time in work leads to getting more done, right?

Pause for performance: Understanding the need for breaks

We start each day with a finite amount of physical and mental energy at our disposal. Once our batteries are drained, we become tired, worn out, or stressed. If we continue to work in this state, it impacts our well-being and job performance negatively, resulting in poor concentration, more mistakes, and much more time to finish tasks.

Contrary to popular belief, the very thing we think cements our status as high achievers can impair our performance. Research published in the “Journal of Applied Psychology”  showed that executives who failed to take adequate breaks in the evening were less effective the following day. Conversely, employees reported that well-rested managers had more energy and leadership effectiveness. The Harvard Business Manager, which cited the study, aptly titled the article “Work at Night, Fail by Morning.”

Perfect Breaks: Mastering the right timing and duration

Our mental energy ebbs and flows systematically throughout the day. Following a period of heightened alertness lasting approximately 90 minutes, we experience a downturn that persists for around twenty minutes. One 2021 study suggests that the most productive individuals adhere to this so-called ultradian rhythm, taking a 26-minute break or engaging in defocusing activities every 112 minutes of work.¹

You don’t necessarily have to follow such a strict regimen of focus periods and breaks, but taking regular, short breaks is crucial for maintaining concentration and productivity. (As I write this article, I’m employing the “Pomodoro Technique,” working for 25 or 30 minutes followed by a five-minute micro-break where I stand up and make myself a cup of tea before continuing in the same cycle. Others may opt for longer bouts of focused work paired with more extended breaks—it’s worth experimenting to find what works best for you.)

It is equally important to take at least one extended break to recharge your own batteries. Typically, this is your lunch break. For those who have a day packed with back-to-back meetings, rushing from one client to the next, and pushing through their slumps, scheduling dedicated break times in your calendar can be a helpful strategy.

The best place to take a break (hint: forget social media)

The most popular break ‘room’ isn’t a physical space at all. Many prefer to spend their downtime scrolling through the internet and social media right at their desks. This habit, though common, isn’t ideal. A study involving Korean workers indicated that scrolling can contribute more to emotional fatigue than it does to mental rejuvenation.² Furthermore, an analysis of over 80 scientific studies on breaks found that the most restorative breaks are those taken away from the desk, preferably outdoors amidst nature.³

The reason lies in the panoramic view we gain when we gaze upon the distant outdoors. “Our mental focus follows our visual focus, so the latter is vital to replenish your mental energy”, says productivity expert Christian Poensgen. A short stroll post-lunch can thus play a crucial role in conquering the post-lunch slump. “The best breaks have two ingredients: detachment and autonomy. (…) Get away from your desk, leave your smartphone there, and avoid talking about work throughout lunch.”

Not all pauses are created equal: The Seven Types of Rest

The type of break that best rejuvenates us can vary from day to day. It isn’t always about taking a walk or getting enough sleep the previous night; sometimes other forms of restoration are necessary. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith speaks of “7 types of rest”⁴:

• Sensory rest: such as phone-free times/breaks or retreating into quietness
• Mental rest: engaging in low-concentration activities
• Social rest: seeking out energizing interactions and avoiding energy-draining meetings
• Emotional rest: being able to express feelings freely, being authentic, and limiting people-pleasing behavior
• Creative rest: recharging by spending time in nature or appreciating art
• Spiritual rest: fulfilling our need for belonging and purpose, for example, through close friendships, volunteer work, religion, etc.
• Physical rest (both active & passive): including sport, sleep, and relaxation exercises.

But, but, but….!

Far from making us less productive, breaks actually enhance our ability to feel better and perform at our best. By setting an example at work through consistent break-taking and allowing for flexibility, we can help eliminate the possible stigma and feelings of guilt surrounding the need for rest.

During times of high stress when I feel I really cannot afford to take breaks, I often turn to a quote from Oliver Burkeman’s book Four Thousand Weeks: “The day will never arrive when you finally have everything under control—when the flood of emails has been contained; when your to-do lists have stopped getting longer; when you’re meeting all your obligations at work and in your home life; when nobody’s angry with you for missing a deadline or dropping the ball (…).”⁵ Indeed!

You want to be more productive without overworking yourself? Read my blog article about the timeboxing or energy – or let’s explore how I can support you.

Sources:

1. Dr. Christian Poensgen, The surprising secret to joining the top 10% (The 90-Minute-Defocus rule), https://beyondproductivity.substack.com/p/how-to-take-breaks-strategically?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share
2. Effects of breaks on regaining vitality at work: An empirical comparison of ‘conventional’ and ‘smart phone’ breaks – ScienceDirect, in: Computers in Human Behavior, April 2016.
3. How to take better breaks at work according to research, in: Harvard Business Review, May 2023.
4. I first read about the concept of the “seven types of rest” in a LinkedIn post by Hans Rusinek, University of St. Gallen: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hansrusinek_newwork-freizeitstress-verwertungsspezialisten-activity-7181512060097228800-FsrL?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
5. Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals“, 2022.

There used to be a moment of reckoning in my working week: Thursday afternoon, when I realised there was too little week left for too many tasks. Sometimes I got in over my head, but even when that wasn’t the case, it always led to frustration. We know that we can never “do it all”. But we get annoyed when we’ve been busy all day but still haven’t done what we needed to do.

Why to-do lists don’t work

For too long, I beat myself up over it. Coaching clients also do it: I’m not disciplined enough. I’m too slow. Too this, too that. Definitely my fault. Daniel Markovitz sees things differently. In 2012, he wrote in the Harvard Business Review that to-do lists don’t work – “they only cause frustration and failure”.[1][2]

• Overburdened by too many choices: What should I do first: the minutes, the important email or the call to a customer? (Okay, first get a coffee, check social media …)
• Preference for simple tasks: On a list, all tasks look the same. They’re three or four words long. We choose the ones that are easiest to check off the list (dopamine rush!).
• Completion of urgent, short-term tasks: We are more likely to postpone the important, but perhaps not (yet) so urgent, to-dos (tax returns, training course).
• Lack of context: To-do lists don’t reflect how much time is available for a task (and whether I have to work on it in a concentrated way or can also do it quickly between meetings or while travelling).
• Lack of commitment: When we write a task on the list, it means that we intend to complete it, but not how or when (exactly).

How does timeboxing work?

In timeboxing, tasks are entered as an appointment with oneself in the calendar. So I “commit” to a specific time and duration in which I will do the task. For writing a concept, for example, I schedule two hours on a Monday morning because I’m more focused in the morning. At the same time, I plan another hour for editing the following day and think about how early I need to start the task in order to be able to get feedback from others in good time.

Why does timeboxing work?

In 1967, management guru Peter Drucker wrote: “Effective executives, in my observation, do not start with their tasks. They start with their time.” Indeed, oftentimes it’s not so much about “doing our best” as doing the right thing at the right time. Time management with timeboxing helps:

• Find the right time: By anchoring a task in the calendar, I not only think about how much time I want to give the task, but also when. When am I most focused, what tasks do I still do well when I’m already running on fumes?
• Improve collaboration: If my to-dos are on the calendar, meetings will take place outside of the time blocks I have set aside for working on my most important tasks (note: there’s no rule without exceptions, but even if this only succeeds most of the time, that’s already a win).
• Prioritize: A to-do list can be infinite, but your time is not. Timeboxing elegantly forces you to select the most important two or three tasks of the day or week.
• Establish who’s in charge: I control my to-do list, not the other way around. This point should not be underestimated, because the feeling of self-realization and control is an important factor for motivation, energy and satisfaction at work.

For me it’s clear: timeboxing makes me more productive. I can allocate 5 hours of time in my calendar to researching and writing this blog article or set no limit – in which case it can easily “take” two or three times as long. The article won’t necessarily be any better, but the movie date or workout is scratched all the same.

Timeboxing: the light version

It’s a good idea to experiment with how you want to implement the timeboxing principle. For example, I don’t plan every task in the calendar, but work with a flexible system:

• in which the most important 2-3 weekly tasks are scheduled in the calendar (and I go into the weekend with a good feeling)
• in which there is at least 1 to 2 hours of buffer time per day for spontaneous appointments or unforeseen events
• in which daily time for answering emails is firmly scheduled
• in which all private appointments are on the calendar (so I don’t subconsciously consider workouts, cinema and appointments less important than work)

But, but, but …

And when I find myself annoyed that the calendar doesn’t provide enough time for all the to-dos, I tell myself that timeboxing simply reflects reality: too much is too much. Timeboxing and a glance at my calendar then force me to prioritise. Or keep me from taking on even more in spite of myself. Because when it comes to time, the principle of responsibility is particularly essential: WE need to set expectations about what we can achieve with the (working) time we have.

You want to be more productive without overworking yourself? Read my blog article about the role of energy and breaks – or let’s explore how I can support you.

[1] Daniel Markovitz, To-Do Lists Don’t Work, in: Harvard Business Manager, 24 January 2012.

[2] Marc Zao-Sanders, How Timeboxing Works and Why It Will Make You More Productive, in: Harvard Business Manager, 12 December 2018.

Resilience is an important topic in coaching as well, whether it’s because clients want to achieve challenging professional goals while staying fit and healthy or because they’re exhausted and irritable and aren’t firing on all cylinders. They wish they could “bounce back” to their original good form – precisely what the Latin word “resilire” means. Resilience is the process through which people adaptably and flexibly react to changes.

Strengthening resilience: the GOOD

Do you have a “resilience role model” in your environment? A person who trusts that their destiny is in their own hands and has a realistic picture of their abilities? Someone who easily shifts gears from tension to relaxation and accepts things that can’t be changed with equanimity?

Has this person been like that since childhood? Quite possibly, because resilience traits are innate to a certain extent. Far from being “tough”, resilient children are good at acting deliberately. They are intelligent, optimistic and are more likely to ask others for help. As adults, they experience ups and downs but tend to react to crises by changing course before things get out of hand.

At the same time, resilience is not just an innate characteristic – “nature”, in other words. Resilience is also a skill and a process that encompasses triggers (stress, crises, trauma), resources (self-esteem, positive outlook on life, supportive social relationships, etc.) and consequences (changes in attitudes or behaviour). This process is not static but dynamic. Resilience is both “nature” and “nurture” – innate AND learnable.[1][2]

And although you can’t completely change yourself or your history, you don’t have to simply accept a lack of resilience. Particularly when the stumbling block is your own beliefs and patterns of thinking. We have much more control over them than we think. They can be made conscious and changed – like a bad habit that can be broken.

Although this little experiment might feel strange at first: for two weeks, try not to let any problems that arise get under your skin. Instead, observe them like a scientist or tinkerer would do: “I acknowledge that you are there. Let’s see what I can come up with to solve you even though some things probably won’t turn out as I expect.” Don’t waffle or see yourself as a victim (“Why is this happening to me of all people?”). After a few days, you’ll probably notice that you’ve got more solutions up your sleeve than MacGyver (three shoelaces, two paper clips, one fuse …) and that focusing on solving problems actually energises you instead of tiring you out.

Strengthening resilience: the BAD

Of course, it’s not quite as simple to boost your resilience as this thought experiment suggests. Beliefs and patterns of thinking that we have, in many cases, “practised” for years can be extremely stubborn. Even when we recognise them, it takes a lot of conscious training to gradually chip away at them. And it is perfectly legitimate to seek help through coaching along the way.

Those who want to train their resilience also have to bear in mind that it’s a complex construction site. If it were a house, it would rest on no fewer than four pillars:

• (Neuro)biology: overall health, neurochemical balance, biological regenerative capacity
• Psychology: mental and emotional strength, personal preferences and motivators, life stage, regenerative capacity
• Social environment: relationships, family/friends, colleagues, life stage of the network
• Physical environment: environment/place of residence, (working) conditions, time and process management skills

The (neuro-)biological dimension in particularly is important: if the balance of neurotransmitters important for tension and relaxation is disturbed, the person is already acutely exhausted or (mentally) ill, medical and/or psychotherapeutic support may also be needed in some cases. If important physical resources are lacking, it is almost impossible to change one’s behaviour, do mindfulness exercises or exercise more.

In any event: resilience is often a lifelong task in which the four pillars must be well maintained and kept in good nick.

Strengthening resilience: the UGLY

Resilience is an individual “superpower”. However, critics rightly see the ubiquitous use of the term as an indication of the tendency to individualise societal risks.[3][4] Health, psychological and physical performance, and feeling stressed are not only dependent on the individual: Some stress factors are exclusively caused or exacerbated by working conditions. There are also problems in which responsibility for a structural problem is shifted to the individual under the fig leaf of “resilience”.

Coaching therefore also takes a critical look at the person’s living and working conditions. Ultimately it can be just as important to put your foot down and say, “That’s it, something’s got to change” instead of “Ok, I am becoming more resilient and tolerate it”. Reflecting on your own motives and needs and expressing them openly creates the space to set boundaries. And an awareness of where clients must actively do something to accomplish what they want to come true.

Are you facing a professional challenge that calls for greater resilience? Learn more about my coaching services or let’s connect and find out how I can help.

[1] Angela Duckworth, Grit: The power of passion and perseverance (TED Talk), 2014.

[2] Harvard Business Manager, The secret to building resilience, 29 January 2021.

[3] Hamideh Mahdiani & Michael Ungar, The dark side of resilience, in: Adversity and Resilience Science, Volume 2, pp. 147–155, 3 February 2021.

[4] Natasha Sholl, We need to stop talking about resilience. I’m not here to inspire you with all the trauma I’ve endured, in: The Guardian, 3 October 2021.

“What should my next career step be?” is one of the main triggers that leads clients into business coaching. Because rather than joyfully laying the groundwork for the future with our career decision, we fret and worry. But why? And what can help to avoid getting stuck at a career decision, paralyzed by what-ifs?

The Amber Room, the Ark of the Covenant and the “optimal” career decision

Having a wealth of (professional) options is both a blessing and a curse. Theoretically, everything could always be a bit better if I make the right decision. That’s exhausting. A decision is optimal, in the perennial opinion of mathematicians and economists, when one has considered every alternative—including the probability of every possible consequence. 

ChatGPT offers the same answer when asked about how to make a good career decision. The artificial intelligence advises us to gather information, anticipate the consequences of a decision, seek advice, create a list of pros and cons or a decision tree, etc. But anyone who has tried to “calculate” the best professional decision is liable to be reminded of the famous Amber Room. Sure, there’s an optimal solution out there. But finding it is a devil of a problem.

A few years ago, I was flirting for months with the notion of a professional change. But would this career decision make sense? Out of the salaried life as a PR expert? Into independence as a coach? Then I went on parental leave and major restructuring in the company forced me to make a career decision.

And the winner is: no career decision at all

Stay? Go? And if so, where to? Many times, we decide not to change anything—even if we are unhappy with the status quo. Modern decision-making researchers such as Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman demonstrated why*:

• “Losses loom larger than gains”: when making decisions about changes, we weight the losses about twice as heavily as the expected, but ultimately uncertain, gains. Would I be able to work more flexibly if I were self-employed? And would that completely outweigh the lost security of being employed? Partially?
  
• Having too many alternatives is overwhelming: in a field experiment, researchers had customers taste six types of jam. Later, 30 of 100 people bought a jar. If customers had a selection of 24 jams, however, only 3 (!) actually bought a jar.
  
• “Sunk costs”: previously invested costs can also keep us from making decisions. This was also true for me. For although I was no longer satisfied, I wondered if it made sense to “throw away” my internal network and all the overtime hours that I had worked hard to accumulate and that might potentially still pay off.
  

What can help to gain clarity and focus?

There’s no all-purpose recipe for career decisions. But four steps can help:

Which parameters are the most important?

Colleagues who are friends. An empathetic boss or a highly competent one. Creative freedom, short commute, new fields of activity, professional development, a higher salary, attractive benefits—ideally, we want them all. But for most people, the greatest satisfaction in a job comes when they experience themselves as self-effective and in harmony with their values. In coaching, reflecting on your values often brings clarity and the necessary confidence to make a career decision. After all, the perfect role for a doctor whose core values are curiosity, empathy and flexibility may look different from the ideal career for a doctor for whom recognition, belonging and performance are paramount.

Set goals and take action

Career decisions get easier when you know what you want to achieve. But sometimes we don’t really know what we want. Plus: “You can’t find passion in your brain”, as American entrepreneur Marie Forleo so aptly puts it. Oftentimes we are so “in our own heads” about our decisions that we are essentially paralyzed.

I was helped out of this predicament during my parental leave by working out a rough game plan with my coach that autumn: “Iin March I will start to reorient myself professionally and from late summer I will start implementing it.”

Sounds vague? For me, it was exactly what I needed. In the first phase (“by March”), I stopped trying to imagine my next professional step amid sleep deprivation and two small children (and used my resolution to ward off irksome questions from the people around me). Only thereafter did I start to gather information, talk to other self-employed people and coaches, and did look into training options. The career decision to embark into self-employment didn’t occur one day after weighing all the options, but gradually took shape with each new piece of information I received.

Talk back to your imaginary monsters

In career and “Plan-B” coaching, you often hear the phrase: “I would love to do this and that, but …”. But then I can’t maintain my standard of living. But then I’d be considered crazy. But I lack the expertise or experience. On closer inspection, these “buts” often (though not always) turn out to be as harmless as the paper tigers of Chinese lore. 

When I’m self-employed, what do I do when I miss the exchange with colleagues? Seek out contact with other self-employed people. What do I do if I don’t generate enough sales at the beginning? Build savings or apply for a start-up grant. What if being self-employed doesn’t make me happy? Go back to being employed. Many “worst-case scenarios” of my career decision were either not so bad at all or I came up with a lot of things I could do if worst came to worst.

The worst decision: no decision at all

Regardless of whether I would have accepted, changed, or left my professional situation at the time: after months of hemming and hawing, I made it my priority to actively make any decision at all and then not to second-guess that decision afterwards. And until now, as a self-employed coach, I’ve stuck with it 😊.

Career decisions are not easy for anyone. But they are always an opportunity to reflect on yourself and your (professional) life. To sum things up in the immortal words of baseball icon Yogi Berra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

Are you stuck with a career decision? Or would you like to develop your “plan B”? Let’s talk—book a first call or explore my offerings here.

*Quelle: Science Notes, Das Magazin für Wissen und Gesellschaft, 18. März 2018, Was tun? Wie wir uns entscheiden und warum nicht. – Science Notes

Imposter syndrome, first described by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978, is a psychological phenomenon in which affected individuals are plagued by self-doubt about their own abilities and achievements. They are quick to identify mistakes, setbacks, and failures in themselves. They explain away successes as due to the much more important contribution of others, chance, or luck. On her podcast, psychologist Franca Cerutti described in a wonderfully drastic way how she often felt like a “ditz” at the beginning of her career.

The four apocalyptic horsemen of the imposter syndrome: the 4 Ps

According to an article in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, a staggering 70 percent of all people have gone through phases in which they experienced imposter syndrome. Not quite as large, though still considerable, is the proportion of people who suffer from its effects. Those who doubt their capabilities will be less likely to apply for an attractive position. Those who tend to hide their light under a bushel in an application letter or interview and somehow manage, “against all expectations”, to land a job, will be less likely to negotiate aggressively for a good salary.

And while imposters are often outstanding at their jobs, they run the risk of massively overworking themselves or suffering from burn-out. Imposter syndrome, after all, doesn’t come alone. Its four horsemen of the apocalypse are the four “Ps”: perfectionism, procrastination, paralysis and people-pleasing. These “help” the imposter reduce the risk of being exposed. As a result, however, imposters regularly invest more energy and focus in their work than they have at their disposal.

These four horsemen harm not only the imposters, but also their colleagues. While I was still working as an employed manager, team members would tell me that they needed quicker feedback, particularly when it came to important concepts or lengthier texts. A clear consequence of “paralysis” and “procrastination” on my part. I didn’t want to give feedback until I understood texts and concepts down to the last detail. It had to be “perfect” when a quick and pragmatic response in direct conversation would often have been better. And did “people pleasing” at that time lead to not rejecting tasks and projects for the team, even though the workload was already far too high? Most certainly.

How can we escape the “ditz” mindset?

The good news is that very few of us will ever find ourselves performing surgery on the strength of a fake degree. So we’re not really frauds—we just feel like it sometimes. And we feel that way because we think like an imposter (“I hope no one notices that I’m only here because I got lucky.” “I’m not as good as the others think”, etc.).

In business coaching, the focus is working on the three-pronged approach of recognize – understand – change. Do I recognize when I’m thinking and feeling like an imposter, and do I understand what is going on inside me in those moments? Then I am also able to change those thoughts and feelings. The dysfunctional self-image described by imposter syndrome then comes into play less frequently or even disappears altogether.

First-aid kit against imposter syndrome

In addition, there is also a variety of other ways to work on negative thought patterns on our own. Everything that helps to give space to positive thought patterns space is allowed:

• Cultivate an awareness of your own strengths:
  What am I really good at? We particularly tend to underestimate the qualities that are most responsible for our success. Make a list and also ask colleagues/supervisors/friends/family for feedback.
  
• Write down your successes and collect & celebrate positive feedback: When I, fresh out of university, felt like an imposter for months in my first job, I regularly re-read the remarks of my two master’s thesis reviewers. Sounds silly, but it helped. There it was, in black and white, that I had, at least once in my life, done something well 😉.
  
• Don’t compare yourself with others: Granted, that’s easier said than done. But comparisons are the ideal breeding ground for imposter syndrome.  Not least, as Franca Cerutti rightly says, because we tend to “compare our worst with the very best of the others”. If you take over as head of a team for the first time, comparing yourself with the best boss—30 years older than you—is only useful if you recognize that you will probably not achieve this ideal in the first year.
  
• Visualize success instead of thinking about failure, shame and negative scenarios.
  
• Dr TED: The short TEDx Talks by Mike Cannon-Brooks, the Australian co-founder of software provider Atlassian, and imposter syndrome expert Dr Valerie Young, are an excellent “quick fix” to end acute bouts of imposter syndrome.
  (Three minutes into Cannon-Brooks, you’ll have tears of laughter in your eyes for the first time, and ideally a “And where’s the piano?” moment by the end of the 14-minute TED Talk).
  
  Last but not least: Is it only the imposter who can work on getting rid of the dysfunctional self-image? Yes and no. The truth is also that when imposter syndrome encounters a toxic corporate environment or supervisors who are less empathetic and stingy with positive recognition, imposter tendencies become significantly stronger. And it has been rightly pointed out in recent years that systematic prejudice and exclusion in the workplace can lead to thoughts that resemble the imposter syndrome, but which originate not in the individual but are caused by the discriminatory environment itself.
  
  Is your impostor syndrome sabotaging your professional success? Learn more about my coaching services here – or let’s talk to explore how I can support you.

While procrastinators “leave things till tomorrow”, as the Latin etymology has it, precrastinators don’t even wait until the next day but get right down to business on the spot. But even this approach, which is not uncommon in the working world, has its challenges. In the desire to “get everything done”, precrastinators run the risk of wearing themselves out with activity. And often work vigorously on tasks that are neither important nor urgent, or for which required information is still forthcoming. 

Still planning or already working? The bucket experiments

The phenomenon of precrastination was named by psychology professor David Rosenbaum, who in 2014 carried out what came to be known as the bucket experiments with students at Pennsylvania State University. In this series of tests, students were instructed to carry one of two buckets filled with water over a distance to the endpoint. The only difference between the buckets was that they were positioned at different distances away from the finish line.

Contrary to the experimenter’s expectations, many participants picked up the first bucket and carried it to the finish (rather than taking it easier with the second bucket, which was closer to the end point and had to be carried for a shorter distance). When participants were asked about their choice, they replied that they had wanted to “complete the task as quickly as possible”. Rosenbaum concluded that the psychological pressure of the unfinished task was so great that they could not wait to reach the further-away bucket to initiate it.[1][2]

Let’s do it now!

At first glance, those who prefer precrastination would seem to be in the advantage over procrastinators, particularly in the work context. To be honest, I was always somewhat amazed by colleagues and supervisors who quickly completed tasks, were easily accessible and answered emails within an hour.

But what may appear to be exceptional motivation from the outside may be associated with extreme effort and exhaustion for those prone to precrastination. Everything has to be done before you have time for your partner or the kids, the movie date with friends, the evening run or simply sleep. But why?[3]

• Wanting to have more time. Paradoxically, many precrastinators hurry precisely because they want to have (free) time more quickly. They “work ahead” so that there will be “less going on” at some later stage. But also with precrastination, it seldom comes to that—the more tasks that are completed, the more emails that are answered, the more that are added to the pile.
• Off-loading the working memory: If you complete a task immediately, you can mentally check it off the list and no longer have to hold it in your working memory. People will actually undertake extra effort just to shed the cognitive “load”.
• Recognition: Those who work harder and “more efficiently” than others in the work setting hope to distinguish themselves in a positive way. But even those who wish to be considered reliable and don’t want to let others down also avoid putting things off—even if the tasks are not a high priority for them personally.
• Inner motivations and beliefs: Those who have internalized phrases such as “I have to do this”, “well begun is half done” and “the early bird gets the worm” are likewise driven by precrastination—the desire to get as much as possible, if not everything, done quickly.
• Pleasure and “instant gratification”: If you have a to-do list, you know all about that pleasant feeling of being able to tick off an item on the list. That little burst of dopamine is short-lived but powerful. (Many will be familiar with the phenomenon of putting a small, totally unimportant but finished task on the list retroactively just for the sake of being able to cross it off immediately.)
• Survival advantage? Some researchers suggest that precrastination might be a legacy of evolution that continues to shape us today. It can, after all, be of critical importance to our survival to pick the low-hanging fruit from the tree or eat something immediately, provided there is no saber-toothed tiger lurking around the bend.[4]

What helps against precrastination?

With so many different reasons driving people to do things right away, strategies to counteract precrastination need to be as diverse as the causes. The “top 5 tips against precrastination” will most likely be an exercise in futility. In coaching, taking a close look at one’s attitudes, values and motivations is often the first step towards getting over the urge to “do everything straight away”. If I recognize when precrastinating behavior is harming me (for example because I am using more energy than I have), I can gradually steer my behavior in a different direction.

And sometimes it helps to keep this passage from Oliver Burkeman’s highly recommended book, “Four Thousand Weeks. Time Management for Mortals”, in mind: “[t]he day will never arrive when you finally have everything under control—when the flood of emails has been contained; when your to-do lists have stopped getting longer; when you’re meeting all your obligations at work and in your home life; when nobody’s angry with you for missing a deadline or dropping the ball; and when the fully optimized person you’ve become can turn, at long last, to the things life is really supposed to be about.”

Looking to change the way you work or stuck with a career-related issue? Let’s talk—book a first call or explore my offerings here.

[1] Rosenbaum, David, et al., Pre-Crastination, in: Psychological Science 25 (7), May 2014.

[2] Burkus, David, The irresistible allure of pre-crastination, in: Harvard Business Review, August 13, 2014.

[3] Rosenbaum, David; Wasserman, Edward, Pre-Crastination: The Opposite of Procrastination, in: Scientific American, June 30, 2015.

[4] Winkowsk, Erik, Precrastination: When the Early Bird Gets the Shaft. The last-mover advantage, in: New York Times, March 25, 2019.posed to be about.”