The OptimalWork Podcast
OptimalWork
Hosted by Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif Younes, co-founders of OptimalWork, The OptimalWork Podcast will help you learn to challenge yourself in each hour of work according to your highest ideals. We discuss all aspects of Dr. Majeres's approach to work, which he developed in his private practice and teaches at Harvard Medical School, and show how it applies to everyday situations like professional work, study, sleep, and relationships.
For personalized plans to help you put the ideas into practice, visit www.OptimalWork.com.
Please send questions for discussion to team@optimalwork.com.
For personalized plans to help you put the ideas into practice, visit www.OptimalWork.com.
Please send questions for discussion to team@optimalwork.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 19, 2020 • 27min
29. The Cure for Procrastination
#29: Procrastination always involves a double-deception. First, you get deceived by the thought of all the effort the task will take, as if that is what you face when starting the task. Next, you deceive yourself by putting it off, even though you know it’s better to get started. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres take a deeper look at the underlying causes of procrastination. Understanding the cause reveals the path to overcoming procrastination.
Oct 12, 2020 • 25min
28. Discipline? Let's be sincere.
#28: If you’re trying to build a new habit but get frustrated by failure, you might think you need more discipline, more willpower. In this episode, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discuss the real source of constancy in struggle and growth: sincerity. Sincerity about your motives leads to a willingness to sacrifice particular satisfactions or outcomes in the pursuit of ideals. It thus provides the sure foundation for growth and change.
Oct 5, 2020 • 23min
27. The Post-Pre Flip
#27: You may have wondered how to apply OptimalWork's principles to "passive" activities like attending class or meetings. This week, Sharif and Dr. Kevin Majeres discussed how to actively challenge yourself in these situations, in particular, by doing a "post-pre flip" to completely change how you prepare for them.
Sep 28, 2020 • 22min
26. Overcoming the Afternoon Slump
#26: In this episode, Dr. Majeres and Sharif discuss the common, but avoidable, tiredness that often hits after lunch. It can lead to discomfort, decreased productivity, and longer work-days. Dr. Majeres outlines some key principles for engaging the afternoon slump as an opportunity for growth.
Sep 21, 2020 • 24min
25. When Anger Challenges Bonds
The podcast discusses the role of anger in relationships, connecting it to anxiety. It explores the amygdala's involvement in anger and how it detects threats. The speakers introduce the bus metaphor for navigating anger and emphasize the importance of having a destination. They discuss relationship dynamics, forming deep relationships, and the difference between anger and frustration.
Sep 14, 2020 • 24min
24. The Key to Mastering Sleep (and anything else!)
Dr. Guy Meadows, sleep expert and author of The Sleep Book, discusses an approach centered around acceptance to master sleep. The podcast explores the difference between insomnia and decreased need for sleep, the power of acceptance and growth, and how to use frustration as a cue for personal growth.
7 snips
Sep 7, 2020 • 23min
23. Patience and Thalamic Gating
#23: Dr. Kevin Majeres and Sharif discuss the neurological phenomenon of thalamic gating: the way your brain selectively filters sensations based on what you act on. By changing your behavior — for example, your response to pain or fears — you can train your brain to simply stop noticing these triggers. The key conclusion is that being willing to suffer in the end reduces suffering. This episode presents the neuroscience to support this claim.
Aug 31, 2020 • 23min
22. Reframe out of Addiction
#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, mindfulness, and challenge.
Aug 24, 2020 • 27min
21. A Vital Approach to Depression
#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.
Aug 17, 2020 • 22min
20. Train Your Attention with Silence
#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.
