How Regenerative Performance Can Transform Work: Insights from Dr. James Hewitt’s GLS Talk

In this sixth episode of the 2025 Global Leadership Summit Recap Series on Stories from the River, CEO Charlie Malouf is joined by Will Luke, Senior Director of Project Management, to recap insights from Dr. James Hewitt's Global Leadership Summit keynote on regenerative performance. 

Dr. Hewitt, a former world-class cyclist turned human performance scientist, shared his journey from relentless “go, go, go” living to understanding the necessity of pausing and reflecting, especially after surviving cancer. The discussion introduces the concept of “cognitive gears,” a metaphor for the varying levels of mental focus and energy: low (rest and simple tasks), middle (emails and meetings), and high (deep, priority-driven work). Most workers get caught in the “middle gear” — a cycle of distractions and meetings — which can lead to burnout and inefficiency.

Charlie and Will explore Dr. Hewitt’s practical strategies, like batching emails, rethinking meeting culture, leveraging AI for smarter workflows, and recognizing the value of rest and breaks, not just as luxuries, but as critical tools for sustainability and peak performance. They emphasize aligning work with one’s natural circadian rhythms and highlight the power of quality sleep and strategic downtime for creativity and long-term effectiveness. The episode closes with a call for leaders to model regenerative practices, acknowledging that when Memory Makers are encouraged to replenish their mental and physical capacity, it has a ripple effect throughout the organization, boosting both wellbeing and performance.

Additional resources:

Dr. James Hewitt (Human Performance Scientist) - https://drjameshewitt.com  

Regenerative Performance by Dr. James Hewitt - https://www.amazon.com/Regenerative-Performance-Always-Sacrificing-Well-Being/dp/B0F7N8KM55  

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink - https://www.amazon.com/When-Scientific-Secrets-Perfect-Timing/dp/0735210632  

Win the Day by Mark Batterson - https://www.amazon.com/Win-Day-Habits-Stress-Accomplish-ebook/dp/B088F3HKQ4/  

The Art of Impossible by Steven Kotler - https://www.amazon.com/Art-Impossible-Peak-Performance-Primer/dp/0062977512  

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker - https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144324  

The Story of Purpose by Joey Reiman - https://www.amazon.com/Story-Purpose-Creating-Brighter-Greater/dp/1118443691  

The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham - https://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Stupid-Keith-Cunningham/dp/0984659269  

Thrive Global (founded by Arianna Huffington) - https://thriveglobal.com  

Huberman Lab by Dr. Andrew Huberman - https://www.hubermanlab.com  

Watch the other episodes in the GLS 25 Recap series:

Consistency Over Charisma: Takeaways from Craig Groeschel's Opening Keynote at the 2025 Global Leadership Summit - https://youtu.be/cwNiyzyD-go    

Unlocking Potential and Conquering Goals: Takeaways from Jon Acuff's Closing Keynote at the Global Leadership Summit - https://youtu.be/TxtGAFeenSo    

Live Life Like a Diversified Portfolio & More Insights from Thasunda Brown Duckett @ GLS25 - https://youtu.be/-qUowzD4-5M  

Less Really Is More: Takeaways from Juliet Funt’s Tactics to Cut Clutter at GLS25 - https://youtu.be/aa7gHNA_Wao  

Leadership Lessons from Nick Saban: Process, Discipline, and Transformation at the Global Leadership Summit - https://youtu.be/P7ldcRfsQrg  

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rnMkFRvbqho 

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes. 

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com    

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