If you’ve ever ended the week wondering how you worked so hard yet still feel drained and unfocused, you’re not alone. We live in a culture that celebrates doing more—but rarely asks whether what we’re doing actually matters.
That’s why I created the 66-Day MTR Challenge—a framework to help you do less, better. It’s not about squeezing in more tasks. It’s about rewiring how you move, think, and rest so you can show up with energy, clarity, and creativity every day.
Here’s what it’s all about—and why it works.
1. It Takes 66 Days to Rewire a Habit
Science tells us it takes, on average, 66 days for a new behavior to stick. That’s just over two months of consistent micro-shifts—long enough to change your neural pathways and short enough to stay focused.
Each day of this challenge invites you to practice one small act in any of three areas:
- Move: Engage your body—walk, stretch, dance, breathe.
- Think: Create space to reflect, journal, or questionstorm.
- Rest: Pause intentionally. Take ten deep breaths. Step away from your screen.
You don’t need more hours. You need better energy.
2. Doing Less, Better Starts with Permission
This challenge isn’t another checklist. It’s an unlearning of hustle as a badge of honor.
Every time you choose a short walk over one more email, or five minutes of reflection instead of endless scrolling, you’re training yourself to value depth over busyness.
That’s the point: to build habits that honor your humanity.
3. Movement Is the Gateway to Creativity
When we move, we think differently. A brisk walk, a dance break, or a stretch between meetings can ignite the kind of insight that no spreadsheet ever will. Think of it as cognitive cross-training: your body fuels your imagination.
Try this: schedule a “moving meeting” once a week. Instead of having a Zoom or Teams meeting- take your meeting over the phone and walk while you talk. Even better is you can walk with the person(s) in your meeting. Notice how your ideas shift when you’re not tethered to a chair.
4. Reflection Is the Hidden Accelerator
The world rewards speed, but strategy lives in stillness. During the challenge, you’ll practice short bursts of “liminal time”—moments between tasks that give your brain room to connect dots.
These pauses aren’t wasted time. They’re the birthplace of breakthrough ideas.
5. Rest Is Rocket Fuel for Rigor
Our brains solve problems when we stop forcing them to. That’s why sleep, naps, and micro-breaks aren’t indulgences—they’re tools for sharper thinking.
When you rest, your subconscious gets to work, knitting together ideas in ways your conscious mind can’t.
As I write in Move. Think. Rest., “Our best work doesn’t always look like work.”
6. Join a Community of People Redefining Productivity
Starting October 27, thousands of people around the world will take the 66-Day MTR Challenge—each finding their rhythm of movement, reflection, and rest.
You can do it solo, with a colleague, or as a team. All you need is intention, consistency, and curiosity.
Here are the simple rules:
- Commit to one small practice in each area every day.
- Track your progress with the 66-Day Tracker or your own journal.
- Share your wins and reflections along the way with #66DaysMTR.
Final Thought
The 66-Day MTR Challenge isn’t about adding another goal to your list. It’s about re-centering your energy around what actually moves the needle for more impactful work—your creativity, your focus, your sense of meaning.
Because when you move, think, and rest with intention, you don’t just change your habits. You change how you work—and how you live.
There’s still time to join!
The challenge started October 27—but you can still sign up now to get all 66 days of tips, habits, prompts, and reflections.
About Natalie
Dr. Natalie Nixon is the creativity whisperer to the C-suite, helping leaders make better business decisions through wonder and rigor. At Figure 8 Thinking, she’s a creativity strategist, global keynote speaker and author of the award winning The Creativity Leap and the upcoming book Move. Think. Rest.: Redefining Productivity & Our Relationship with Time.
Real Leaders named Natalie one of the Top 50 keynote speakers of 2022 and she’s been featured in Forbes and Fast Company. She received her BA from Vassar College, and her PhD from the University of Westminster. These days you can find her on the ballroom floor fine-tuning her cha-cha and foxtrot.
Follow Natalie on Instagram: @natwnixon.
