Every May, organisations do something interesting. They put up posters. They share resources. They remind people that it's okay not to be okay. Some even bring in speakers (hello!!). And all of that is good. Awareness matters. But here's what I notice, year after year, working with organisations across almost every sector: the awareness hasn't translated into action. Not the kind of action that actually prevents people from becoming unwell in the first place. Because the acti

I ran a masterclass recently on survival mode and sustainable performance. And the question that got the most vigorous nodding reactions was all about de-prioritising. Not your priorities (and FYI, "priorities" was never meant to be plural. You're supposed to have ONE priority. But I digress.) Your depriorities (not a real word, should be). The things you're going to stop doing. The projects you're going to park. The meetings that could be an email. The good idea from three m

We are more digitally connected than ever We are more digitally connected than any generation in history. Our phones deliver a constant stream of emails, messages, notifications and updates. Collaboration platforms keep teams in touch across time zones. Artificial intelligence is accelerating how quickly work can happen. And yet many of us recognise the experience of: Losing track of time on our phones Feeling the urge to check a notification immediately Being distracted by d

Many organisations say they want a healthy workplace culture and sustainable high performance. Yet the way work is designed often creates the opposite effect. Constant meetings, unclear expectations and always-on communication can keep employees in a state of stress that eventually leads to burnout. Back-to-back meetings. Constant notifications. Unclear expectations. Leaders changing direction without warning. Everything framed as urgent. No real space to think. No clear sign

By now, most organisations accept that stress impacts performance. The problem isn’t whether stress matters. It's how we try to fix it. The default response to pressure I see this pattern everywhere. Teams are under pressure. People are stretched. Decision quality drops. Tension rises. So organisations respond by giving individuals tools: A mindfulness app A resilience workshop A reminder to “take breaks” Sigh!! Those things aren’t useless. But on their own, they’re not enou

We often tell ourselves - “I’ll just get through the week and recover at the weekend.” But if you’re spending most of your working week in survival mode, the weekend isn’t recovery. It's collapse. And collapse isn’t the same as rest. Survival mode was never meant to be permanent Survival mode is designed for short bursts. Deal with the threat. Come back down. Rest. Repeat. The problem is, most workplaces don’t operate like this. Instead, people are exposed to constant pressur

We’re in the depths of January and, if you’re honest, you might already feel like you’ve had enough. The inbox is overflowing. The calendar is chaotic. The only thing left in the Quality Street tin is the coffee creams (the horror!) And everyone seems to be running on fumes, desperately trying to summon some motivation. If that’s you, you’re not weak. You’re not lazy. And you’re definitely not broken. Biologically, this is one of the hardest times of the year to perform at y

My best friend Claire Weekes wrote this beautiful (and I hope inspiring) piece for Woman & Home magazine about our friendship, our extremely heavy drinking, and the journey we've taken into sobriety together. From boozy partners in crime...to people who now spend more time than is surely natural discussing out heated blankets! (the have their own names) I'm incredibly proud of her, and grateful for a friendship that has grown stronger (and healthier...mostly!) with time. Read

"When women share their stories, loudly and clearly and honestly, things begin to change - for the better." Lily Allen I heard (and loved!) this quote while listening to Lily Allen’s autobiography on audiobook a couple of years ago. It captured why these types of conversations matter, and why I wanted to create this series of podcast conversations. That’s What She Said is a series of conversations exploring the stories that shape us. Through honest, thoughtful conversations w