Blog - WorkLifePsych

Jul 31

Navigating change with compassion

Organisational change is consistently identified as a common source of job-related stress. Whether it's poor communication, ambiguous timelines, or the threat of job insecurity - there's plenty to be concerned about. Received wisdom is to hunker down and push through it. To 'keep calm and carry on'. But that can... read more →

Jul 17

Why comparisons leave you feeling worse

Comparing ourselves to other people is one of the most common sources of workplace unhappiness I come across in my coaching practice. It rarely announces itself directly - people don't usually say they want help with the comparisons they're making. But when we dig into the root of someone's frustration,... read more →

Jul 09

Self-compassion: the missing ingredient

Self-compassion is a topic that tends to divide opinion the moment it enters a workplace conversation. Say the word compassion in a meeting about performance and someone will usually push back: isn't that just being soft? Won't standards slip? I put that challenge to Dr. Fiona Jane Meechan, a self-compassion... read more →

Jun 24

Five myths about self-care – and what you can do instead

Self-care has a bit of an image problem. Ask most people when they last did something to look after themselves, and they will think back to a holiday, a spa day, or a long-awaited treat. All of which is fine - but if that is the only version of self-care... read more →

Jun 18

Self-care: start with less

When the subject of self-care comes up in my work with clients, there's a pattern I notice almost immediately. The moment I mention it, eyes glaze over, shoulders tense, and I can practically hear the internal monologue: now he wants me to find time for a yoga class on top of... read more →

May 28

You weren’t built to remember everything

You remembered to make the coffee. But you left it at home. You forgot to charge the car. You meant to stop at the supermarket and only realised your mistake when you opened an empty fridge the next morning. These aren't signs of a failing mind. They're examples of prospective... read more →

May 27

Is your calendar running you?

Your calendar is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal, but only if you’re the one in charge of it. Open up your calendar right now. What do you see? If you’re like many of the professionals I work with, you’re looking at a wall of commitments: meetings,... read more →

Apr 24

That’s not reflection

In my last blog post, I made the case for regularly pausing to reflect. Reflection contributes to our self-awareness, helps us keep on top of our commitments, and allows us to be more intentional as we go about our day. Having read it (right?!) you might already be saying to... read more →

Apr 14

You’re getting stuff done. But what are you learning?

We live in a culture that prizes doing. Full calendars, crossed-off to-do lists, back-to-back meetings. These have become markers of a productive professional life. But there's a quiet cost to all that doing: without pausing, without reflection, we're not actually learning from our experience. We risk repeat the same mistakes,... read more →

Mar 31

Beating your procrastination: A psychological approach that actually works

Most of the popular advice about procrastination is frustratingly useless. "Just make a start." "Stop putting it off." "Grit your teeth". It's the productivity equivalent of telling someone who's anxious to "calm down" - well-intentioned, but quite unhelpful. The good news? There's a better way to think about procrastination —... read more →