Less health hacks, more living

It’s time to stop running on fumes. Hustling harder won’t fix what recovery and sustainable rhythms can.

For the Long Run is a playbook for building energy, protecting your wellbeing and performing at your best. Author Jessica Spendlove offers a practical, evidence-based framework for sustainable performance: a personalised daily operating system designed to protect your energy, resilience and recovery over the long term.

Jessica began her athletic career as a competitive swimmer and elite national swimming champion, growing up in Sydney before becoming a leading authority on sustainable performance, wellbeing and nutrition.

She has a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics, is an advisor to Monash University’s Corporate Education program and translates cutting-edge science into practical strategies and systems with real-world application. She’s also a speaker and podcast host where she explores the science and strategies behind sustainable high performance.

“This book is very much my lived personal and professional experience and the journey I have been through starting with swimming, nutrition and high performance,” says Jessica.

Grounded in physiology, behavioural science and real life, she draws on 15 years inside elite sport, military and corporate environments to challenge the “push harder, optimise more” approach to wellbeing.

“As a late millennial we were pushed to work hard and do whatever it took to reach our goals, always chase them and keep moving. That just isn’t sustainable.

“It took me about 10 years where I was always doing more, building, extending before I stopped, which happened to be around COVID. I was exhausted and empty.”

By circumstance Jessica was forced to figure out what was going on – and it led her back to the basics. For the Long Run builds her approach around five daily life rhythms – nutrition, exercise, stress and recovery, sleep and connection.

Jessica advocates for building energy, protecting your wellbeing and performing at your best without burning yourself out.

She advocates creating a personal operating system that works even when life gets difficult. If you can manage it on your busiest day, then you can manage it on the best. Her concept of structured flexibility gives you the framework for freedom.

“This is what I believe is the sweet spot: structure that creates stability without rigidity,” writes Jessica. “Rhythms made up of behaviours that work for your life, that allow for adaptability without requiring perfection or an all-or-nothing approach.

“I really wanted to move away from rigidity to something highly practical. Plus, your 24 hours at age 20 looks different to when you’re 40.”

Find your domino habit, what’s the one thing you can do which makes everything in your day easier? It might be food prepping and taking meals to work, walking or getting out of bed at the same time.

“Bring it back to what you do every day – eating, sleeping, moving. What areas make you feel most aligned or connected. Anchor those habits as part of your daily rhythm, figure out why you are doing them – does it give you energy for your day or help you cope with stress?

“Pick one or two things you can do daily and make them things you love. Don’t force yourself into the pool if you don’t like swimming.”

Remember that your brain needs recovery as much as your body, especially when you work in a busy or chaotic workplace. Jessica believes recovery needs to be treated as seriously as performance.

Watching a streaming service or scrolling isn’t always a great rest. Reduce stress and restore energy with no phones, no emails or scrolling. Even if it’s a few minutes between appointments, it can all count.

Jessica suggests getting the basics right before the fashionable extras. Performance hacks are all well and good, but if you’re not sleeping, eating, recovering and moving well, then cold plunging or supplements won’t necessarily be of optimal help.

“I really believe in these principals. I have seen them work and help people as I use them to help myself. Test them and see what helps you, gives you energy and what creates space in your life.”

For those involved in medicine, Jessica suggests figuring out what your third space is and going there every day. The third space is not the workplace or home but a place to stop briefly and change gears. It can be a café, a park or even in your car.

But the trick is to pause there, even for a few minutes. Have a drink, look around, let your mind wander. Leave your phone in your pocket.

“We’ve been made to think health has to be hard and unenjoyable. If you lean into what you do best and do the best for yourself – maybe a bigger meal today because you need it or some more protein – it supports the rest of the things you are trying to do.

“It’s too hard to be perfect. We all have elements we struggle with through our life, but if we can find the flow and the rhythms of our day, it’s about doing what actually matters in a way that fits your real life.”