Which Behaviors Cause Frustrations at Your Workplace?

Cathie Leimbach • September 9, 2025

Every workplace has its challenges. Some common behaviors create frustration for both leaders and team members. When these patterns show up, they can lower morale and productivity:


  • Showing up late for meetings or shifts
  • Calling in sick often
  • Missing deadlines or forgetting important details
  • Avoiding teamwork or refusing to help others
  • Complaining without offering possible solutions
  • Ignoring feedback or repeating the same mistakes



These behaviors can drain energy from the team. Yet, here’s the good news: people tend to show up differently when they feel valued and appreciated. When employees know their efforts matter, they’re more reliable, more engaged, and more willing to go the extra mile.


Creating a culture of appreciation isn’t complicated—it starts with small, intentional actions. Leaders who show genuine care for their employees as people see better teamwork, stronger morale, and improved results for the organization.


Want to learn how?   Join us for a 30-minute webinar on  Strengthening Your Culture - by Showing Appreciation in the Workplace on Monday, September 22, at 12:30 pm Eastern. You’ll leave with at least one simple action that will increase your employees’ willingness to contribute more at work.

Maximize Your Day: Start the Night Before

By Cathie Leimbach • October 21, 2025
Want to boost your performance? According to James Hewitt, author of Regenerative Performance , a truly high-performance day doesn't begin when your alarm goes off—it starts the night before. Hewitt shows that rest isn't a reward you earn after a busy day; it's a vital part of your work strategy. Think of sleep as a required meeting for your brain and body to repair and prepare. Without proper rest, you can't show up as your best self, and the consequences are serious. Here’s a startling fact from research: Staying awake for 17 to 19 hours straight can impair your performance as much as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05% . While the legal limit for driving in the U.S. is 0.08% BAC, many countries consider 0.05% to be legally impaired. After 24 hours of wakefulness, impairment is similar to having a 0.10% BAC, which is well over the legal limit. This level of fatigue slows your reaction time by up to 50%! To avoid this dangerous drop in performance, Hewitt offers a few top tips for better sleep: Create a Buffer: Spend the hour before bed winding down. Avoid work, stressful news, and intense exercise. Manage Your Light: Dim the lights and stop using electronic screens about 30 minutes before sleep. Be Consistent: Go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. By making sleep a priority, you're not just resting; you're actively preparing for success with a sharp, clear, and high-performing mind. View Maximize Your Day to see exactly how fatigue affects your performance!

Boost Your Focus with Cognitive Gears

By Cathie Leimbach • October 14, 2025
In his book, Regenerative Performance, author James Hewitt suggests thinking about your brainpower using the idea of cognitive gears. This simple idea can help you manage your energy and get more done without burning out. Just like a car, your mind has different gears: high, middle, and low. Learning to switch between them is key to working smarter. Understanding the Gears The high gear is for your toughest, most important work—the stuff that needs all your focus, like solving a hard problem or writing a detailed report. Use this gear when you have lots of energy and can block out all distractions. It's powerful, but you can’t stay in it for long; it drains your energy quickly.  The middle gear is your everyday speed. Think of it as "autopilot" for tasks that need less intense focus, such as checking emails, attending routine meetings, or working on familiar projects. You can stay in this gear for longer stretches, and it's where most of your day-to-day work happens. The low gear is for recovery and maintenance. This isn't about working at all! It's about taking breaks, moving your body, and doing activities that let your mind rest, like going for a walk or chatting with a co-worker. Using the low gear helps you recharge so you can shift back into middle or high gear when you need to. Drive Your Day Smarter The secret to regenerative performance is to be mindful of which gear you're in. Don’t try to do high-gear work all day. Schedule short, focused bursts in high gear, then shift to middle gear for less demanding tasks, and always make time for the low gear breaks. By consciously managing your cognitive gears, you'll improve your focus and keep your performance high without running out of gas. Want a quick visual reminder? Check out Cognitive Gears , summarizing these gears!