In a world where screen time is increasing and attention spans are decreasing, it is imperative that the students of today are equipped with the right tools to engage in effective work. Increasingly, it is becoming more difficult for students to maintain their attention on study, or even find the motivation to ‘lock in’ and complete their work. This is why we are running the Optimal Work program here at Nairana.
The Optimal Work program is a neuroscience based program developed by Dr Kevin Majeres. Its focus is simply improving the standards and practices of an individual’s work. There are three main ways this program sets out to do this. First, it helps people find true meaning in their work through setting up relevant ideals and goals. Next, it encourages and teaches individuals to actively embrace challenges in their work through reframing their mindset. And finally, it aims to improve work ethic and attention spans by teaching individuals to engage in mindful, focused work. In order to put these three cornerstones into practice, students engage in a ‘Golden hour’ of study. This is essentially an hour of study prepared in advance. First the student will set a time limit for their study, then they will write down detailed steps for every task they have to complete. After this they will write down a relevant ideal to motivate them to tackle the task head on, and finally finish with a minute of mindful meditation to prepare their mind to focus on the present moment and eliminate both external and internal distractions. Each day at Nairana, we complete two golden hours of study, ensuring your son is getting quality work done. Between each golden hour, there is a break, allowing time for spiritual formation activities you come to expect at the centre. After study and formation, dinner is provided, to end the night in a united, social way.
Every 3 weeks, Gabriel will give a talk on the essentials of Optimal Work, ensuring your son has a strong understanding of the program, so that his work will be optimised. Thomas is also available to assist students with homework questions or general content in the humanities department, allowing for expert help to be given when needed. Both will supervise students every Monday and Tuesday, and provide assistance whenever needed throughout these sessions.