The Fundamentals of Being a Corporate Athlete

Why energy—not time—is your most powerful asset at work.

When I studied sports science, one principle stood out above the rest:To perform at your best, you have to train your whole system—your body, brain, and beliefs—not just your schedule.

We called it the Ideal Performance State.And I know it works.Because the time I was best at work wasn’t when I had the fanciest job title or the biggest team.It was when I was training every morning as part of a rowing crew.

Up at 5am.On the water by 6.Training hard, eating well, sleeping deeply—and somehow, smashing it at work too.I had mental clarity, emotional balance, and more patience than usual. I was in sync with myself. My energy had rhythm. That rhythm changed everything.

🧠 Performance = Energy – Distraction + Recovery

Here’s the truth: you can’t power your way to sustainable performance through willpower alone.That’s a fast track to burnout.

You have to build and manage your capacity—just like athletes do. And not just physical stamina. I’m talking about four core types of energy:

1. Physical Capacity

This is your base camp. Everything else sits on it.

✅ Sleep

When I was rowing, I went to bed early because I had to. But what I realised was how much clearer, calmer, and sharper I felt with proper sleep.Sleep is your brain’s housekeeping shift—it processes memories, regulates mood, and restores your ability to focus.If you're cutting sleep to squeeze more into the day, you're borrowing against your future self.

✅ Nutrition

Rowing demanded I eat for performance—not comfort or convenience. At work, we forget that the brain burns through a huge amount of fuel.Skipping meals or reaching for sugar spikes keeps your system in survival mode.Want clarity at 3pm? Eat like you care about your brain.

✅ Movement

We’ve reduced movement to a “nice to have,” when it’s actually one of the fastest ways to reset focus and reduce stress.You don’t need a rowing boat—just find something that gets you out of your chair and back into your body.

2. Emotional Capacity

This is what helps you stay grounded when the pressure rises—or someone presses your buttons.

When I was rowing, I built emotional regulation without realising it. Team sports teach you how to manage frustration, keep going when you're tired, and stay composed in conflict.We can learn to do this at work too, if we’re intentional.

How to build emotional capacity:

• Label how you feel, often. (“I’m edgy.” “I’m flat.” Naming takes the sting out.)

• Build in micro-recoveries between stressors.

• Have people you can be honest with, who don’t need you to be “fine” all the time.

You can’t lead others well if you’re constantly on the edge of emotional depletion.

3. Mental Capacity

This is your ability to think clearly, focus deeply, and not lose yourself in a sea of noise.

Back then, I had fewer distractions. No constant pinging. I focused on the water, then on work. And it turns out: your brain loves deep work.

Tips to protect it:

• Work in 90-minute focused blocks with real breaks.

• Reduce context switching (back-to-back Teams calls are cognitive kryptonite).

• Know when you’ve hit diminishing returns. Step away, and come back sharper.

4. Spiritual Capacity

No yoga mat required. This is about why you’re doing it.

When I was training, I had a sense of purpose. It was hard, yes, but it meant something. That meaning gave energy—even when I was tired.

Ask yourself:

• Why does this work matter to me?

• What do I want to stand for?

• What kind of impact do I want to leave behind?

When you reconnect to something bigger than your task list, your energy gets rooted. You stop running on fumes.

Performance is not a hustle. It’s a rhythm.

Here’s the shift I had to learn (and re-learn many times):

Time is limited.Energy is renewable—if you manage it.

We don’t need more hours.We need more capacity.

Final Thought

Being a corporate athlete isn’t about being superhuman.It’s about being intentional.

About building in movement, recovery, and meaning—before you’re on your knees.About aligning your biology with your goals, not fighting against it.

And above all, it’s about remembering that you can’t perform at your best if you feel your worst.

At Work Wobble, I help people find that sweet spot again—where confidence, clarity, and energy align.Because your best work doesn’t come from running harder.It comes from knowing how to train smart.

👉 Where are you underinvesting in your capacity—physical, emotional, mental or spiritual?

Let’s start there.Explore more at www.workwobble.com