In a recent episode of The UnWorking Podcast, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Steven Macgregor, a well-being pioneer, international speaker, bestselling author, and leadership development expert. Join us as we explore and reflect on his transformative journey, insights, and the recent re-release of his book, “The Daily Reset.”
A Transformative Journey: Reflecting on the past few years, Dr. Macgregor shares his journey into the intersection of health, leadership, and sustainable performance. From teaching at a business school to his background in design thinking, his experiences have shaped his unique perspective on well-being.
“The pandemic has forced us to adapt, significantly impacting work and the workplace. It’s been a transformative period.”
The Daily Reset: A Holistic Approach: Discussing his book, “The Daily Reset,” Dr. Macgregor introduces its distinctive format—a page for every day of the year, covering twelve key themes. The book offers a trilogy focused on well-being, positive leadership, and embedding these principles in the workplace.
“I wanted to make the content accessible for people. Embedding change through small daily tweaks is key to sustainable well-being.”
Striking the Balance: Well-Being and Performance: The conversation shifts to balancing a healthy work environment and optimal performance. Dr. Macgregor emphasizes the importance of loving the process, making small, consistent changes, and understanding the give-and-take nature of high performance.
“We have to stay the course. If we don’t love the process, sustaining change becomes challenging. It’s about having give and take.”
Leadership and Culture: Pillars of Well-Being: Highlighting the role of leadership, Dr. Macgregor underscores the need for leaders as authentic role models. He advocates for elevating well-being to a strategic level within organizations, moving beyond a checkbox exercise.
“Well-being is about building a more human leadership capability, developing a culture where people can flourish within the workplace.”
Design Thinking: Shaping the Future of Well-Being: Incorporating design thinking into well-being approaches is crucial. Dr. Macgregor explains how design thinking, rooted in understanding human needs, can effectively solve complex well-being problems in various organizational landscapes.
“Design thinking is about understanding the deep needs of human beings. It has great potential for empowering well-being within an organization.”
Exercise Snacking: Small Changes, Big Impact: The concept of exercise snacking is introduced. Dr. Macgregor shares the idea of incorporating small bursts of exercise into daily routines, emphasizing the impact of small changes on overall well-being.
“Exercise snacking is about finding those little pockets of time—lifting kettlebells while waiting for your coffee or taking a fast walk instead of driving.”
The Daily Reset Revisited: Fresh Perspectives: Dr. Macgregor revisits “The Daily Reset,” explaining the motivation behind its recent re-release. He removes pandemic references and adds new entries to provide a fresher version, making it a powerful tool for individuals on their well-being journey.
“The book isn’t about the pandemic, but its association was hindering the message. We added about 35-40 new entries to make it more relevant today.”
Navigating the New Year: A Conversation with the Self: As we step into a new year, Dr. Macgregor shares insights on managing the pressure of resolutions. He encourages carving out time for self-reflection, focusing on small, meaningful changes, and not succumbing to overwhelming expectations.
“Carve out that time in the morning, have a cup of coffee, don’t go on your phone. The answers will come. The insight will come. It’s about giving yourself that chance.”
Connect with Dr. Steven Macgregor: Connect with Dr. Macgregor on LinkedIn, visit his website www.stevenmcgregor.com, and find his books on Amazon. Don’t forget to subscribe to his newsletter for weekly insights.
As we conclude this enriching conversation with Dr. Steven Macgregor, we invite you to reach out, share your thoughts, and engage with us. Thank you for being a part of the Unworking podcast, where we explore the future of work and the workplace. Stay tuned for more thought-provoking content, and here’s to a year of well-being and positive change!
