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

Recently I was reflecting on just how much energy it takes to show up in the world, especially when we feel we have to perform, adapt or fit in. This is something I see come up again and again in conversations about wellbeing, burnout and neurodivergence. I had just come back from three keynote talks in three cities, London, Zurich and Dublin. The sessions were brilliant and full of energy. One of the key themes I was speaking about was masking in the context of neuro-inclusi

Let's talk polyvagal theory, a really helpful way of understanding what's going on in your body when you're feeling completely overwhelmed and want to throw your laptop out the window.   So you have the green zone which is social engagement, it's a nice place to be, you feel connected, creative, productive - resting and digesting like a calm functioning human. It would be lovely to stay there all the time, but that's not how humans work. Our brains are not designed to keep us

I have been thinking a lot about control recently. Or more specifically, the illusion of control, and how much energy I waste pretending I have more influence than I actually do. Earlier this month I delivered a keynote on creating a successful mindset. While I was talking through the circles of control with the audience, it dawned on me that I was not living the lesson I teach so often. Focus your time and energy on what you can control and let go of the rest. Simple to say.

I am excited to share my first mini-masterclass in a new series, designed to bring short, practical insights on leadership, culture and wellbeing directly to you! In this first video, I explore one of my favourite stories from Matthew Syed’s book Rebel Ideas. It comes from the aviation industry in the 1970s and illustrates the risks that arise when hierarchy prevents people from speaking up. Psychological safety is not a soft concept. It is a performance and risk-management e

Over the past few months I’ve had the chance to join some brilliant podcasts and dive into conversations on leadership, wellbeing, neurodiversity and creating cultures where people can genuinely thrive. I am starting to guest more on other shows, so if you’d like to hear more from me in this space, you can explore the episodes here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1uye0QzfjrBfQiVDUpB9kM?si=VqN87fqAQymYzvzNnpwg4A I hope you enjoy listening! If there are topics you’d love me

I recently co-wrote an article with Dr William Bird MBE, GP & CEO of Intelligent Health on what it really takes to perform sustainably without burning out. We often talk about wellbeing and performance as if they’re separate, but in reality they’re completely connected. When people feel supported, safe and able to work sustainably, they do their best work. You can read the full article here - https://www.intelligenthealth.co.uk/harnessing-wellbeing-to-optimise-performance/

Time for a little story. In 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was preparing to land in Miami when a small warning light came on. The captain became completely focused on figuring out what had gone wrong. While he focused on the light, the first officer and flight engineer noticed something far more serious: the aircraft’s altitude was dropping fast. Both saw the risk, but neither spoke up with urgency. By the time the captain realised what was happening, it was too late. The

One year on and my bullsh*t tolerance is close to zero. Why setting boundaries isn’t a luxury, it’s survival. October marked one year since I was diagnosed with ADHD. And, coincidentally, one year since I went 100% freelance (because why do things by halves, right? #ADHD). It’s been a wild mix of growth, fear, and freedom…so I wanted to share a few reflections on what I’ve learned about ADHD, self-employment, and setting boundaries that actually work. Getting my ADHD diagnos

In high-pressure environments, performance is not just about technical skill. Psychological safety enables people to speak up early, challenge assumptions, and learn fast. Build it before the crisis with trust, curiosity, and small, consistent habits that help people perform at their best when it matters most. Why psychological safety is the decisive edge under pressure In high-strength, high-pressure environments, even the best systems can fail if people do not feel safe to

In today’s world of work, it’s no surprise that so many people are operating in survival mode. There’s so much uncertainty, constant change, restructuring, redundancies, cost of living pressures. And when people are in survival mode, they can’t perform at their best. As a leader, you can’t control what’s happening in the wider world, but you can  build trust and create an environment that helps people feel safe enough to do their best work - even when things are tough. That’s

Life is stressful!! Ain't it just? Between deadlines, global uncertainty, constant notifications, and the inevitable curveballs that...

In today’s world of work, leaders are under pressure to deliver results while navigating complex challenges around stress, burnout, and employee engagement. At our recent breakfast event, hosted in partnership with Intelligent Health, we explored how organisations can create cultures that balance wellbeing with sustainable high performance. The discussion brought together perspectives from medicine, leadership, and elite sport. We unpacked the science of stress and why so man

When people feel safe at work, they thrive. When they don’t, they simply survive. At a recent breakfast event on harnessing wellbeing for...

The other weekend, my husband and I went to the Belgian Grand Prix. At one point, he took my phone with him because it had our tickets on...

I’m proud to be an alcoholic. After 7 years sober, I share my story of addiction, stigma, and the Change Triangle, and how workplaces can create more inclusive cultures around sobriety.