#43 - Work Better, Rest Better: Dr. Lisa Bélanger on Tiny Habits for Big Performance

Today’s guest is Dr. Lisa Bélanger

Episode 43 of the The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast podcast, hosted by Greg Wells PhD, titled "#43 - Work Better, Rest Better: Dr. Lisa Bélanger on Tiny Habits for Big Performance" was published on December 27, 2022.

December 27, 2022 · The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast

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Summary

Closing the gap between intention and action—making evidence-based mental health and performance habits simple enough to do daily at work and at home. In today’s conversation Lisa Bélanger explores how to design days that reliably produce focus, energy, and calm—especially in uncertainty. She and Dr. Wells unpack why behavior change fails when it relies on motivation alone, and how to use “make it easy and attractive” design to make the right choice the default. They dig into exercise as first-line therapy for cancer-related fatigue, what nature does to the brain during recovery, and how “doormat” rituals separate work from home when boundaries blur. Expect practical micro-habits grounded in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral medicine. You will learn a simple behavior-design formula: engineer your physical and social environments so the desired action is the easiest one available. You will learn why exercise acts like a drug for fatigue (even during treatment) and how clinicians drove 97% adherence with a “just show up” contract. You will learn a three-bucket break model—connect to self, others, or nature—and why even three minutes off-screen changes mood and performance. You will also learn practical mindfulness (notice wandering, bring it back) and “doormat” rituals that bookend the workday so you can be fully present at work and fully present at home. You will discover that motivation usually follows smart design—tiny, friction-free steps compound faster than willpower. You will discover that nature reliably downshifts the brain’s decision-making load, accelerating recovery and clarity. Feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty, screens, and endless to-dos. Lisa gives you a playbook to regain agency—design the next three minutes, not the next three months.

Episode Description

Closing the gap between intention and action—making evidence-based mental health and performance habits simple enough to do daily at work and at home. In today’s conversation Lisa Bélanger explores how to design days that reliably produce focus, energy, and calm—especially in uncertainty. She and Dr. Wells unpack why behavior change fails when it relies on motivation alone, and how to use “make it easy and attractive” design to make the right choice the default. They dig into exercise as first-line therapy for cancer-related fatigue, what nature does to the brain during recovery, and how “doormat” rituals separate work from home when boundaries blur. Expect practical micro-habits grounded in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral medicine. You will learn a simple behavior-design formula: engineer your physical and social environments so the desired action is the easiest one available. You will learn why exercise acts like a drug for fatigue (even during treatment) and how clinicians drove 97% adherence with a “just show up” contract. You will learn a three-bucket break model—connect to self, others, or nature—and why even three minutes off-screen changes mood and performance. You will also learn practical mindfulness (notice wandering, bring it back) and “doormat” rituals that bookend the workday so you can be fully present at work and fully present at home. You will discover that motivation usually follows smart design—tiny, friction-free steps compound faster than willpower. You will discover that nature reliably downshifts the brain’s decision-making load, accelerating recovery and clarity. Feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty, screens, and endless to-dos. Lisa gives you a playbook to regain agency—design the next three minutes, not the next three months.

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