5. Make time to recover Who wouldn't want to work in high-performance mode nonstop? A desire for achievement and competitive success urges us on-often past our physical and mental limits. Professional athletes build in time to recover, but executives rarely do. Why not? The limiting beliefs are well accepted: commitment is noticed through hard work and suffering; only slackers take time off during the day. People tell the story of a hospitalized colleague with awe: "He worked so hard he collapsed, in service of the company." Hero? Not really. If that young executive had the self-awareness to shift his mind-set from managing time to managing and balancing energy, he might have remained in good health, The solution is simple: find ten minutes twice each day (morning and afternoon) to recover, stepping back into a zone of low but positive energy to recharge. Consider all four sources: physical mental, emotional, and spiritual activities can each fuel you. Schedule recovery activities, and stick to them until this is your new normal. Here are some examples we've observed: