Joy At Work

When your new boss is 20 years younger than you (and possibly owns trainers your teenager wants), the emotional whiplash is real. In this episode, I respond to a listener who's just landed under the leadership of someone they could have taught to drive. I share seven very practical, very real strategies for navigating this shift—without bitterness, without sarcasm, and with all the self-possession...

This week I’m joined by Caroline Clark, a leadership coach, performance psychologist, and analogue space astronaut. Caroline recently spent five days locked inside a simulated space mission in Poland—with no windows, no phones, and no escape. What she discovered is that humour isn’t just “nice to have” in high-pressure environments—it’s a survival tool. Together, we explore how laughter connects u...

Have you ever looked at your CV and thought, “This is a total mess”? You’re not alone—and you’re not wrong. But that doesn’t mean your career isn’t valuable. In this short and powerful episode, I unpack why non-linear career stories can actually be your superpower , especially during interviews. Whether you’ve made instinct-led choices, followed opportunities based on relationships, or simply chan...

Have you ever realised you’re holding your breath while answering emails? I hadn’t—until I did. This episode of Joy At Work dives into a phenomenon called email apnea , and trust me, once you notice it, you won’t stop noticing. I’ll share how a former Microsoft exec stumbled on this strange breathing pattern, why it matters to our energy, focus, and joy, and what I’ve been experimenting with to br...

Ever felt the urge to just stop ? To hit pause on work, travel a bit, try something new—or just breathe ? In this episode, I answer a question I hear often: "If I take a sabbatical, will I ruin my career?" If you’re in midlife and considering stepping off the treadmill—even briefly—you’re not alone. I share stories of people who’ve done it (including me), talk about why the old model of work is cr...

When a listener wrote in about leaving their job to return to uni for a post-grad, I had flashbacks to my own midlife university adventure — and all the mistakes I made. In this episode, I share why I rarely recommend a full-blown post-grad as the first step in a career redesign, plus the three red-flag scenarios where it’s usually the wrong move. I also tell the very real (and slightly messy) sto...

If you’ve got a half-formed career idea that just won’t go away—but you’re afraid it might fail—this episode is for you. I’m sharing the story of “Cliona,” a client who tested her dream career idea in a way that didn’t blow up her finances, relationships, or confidence. She discovered her idea wasn’t the right fit—but that clarity freed her to find a path that doubled her salary, increased her tim...

If you’ve ever been told to “just do some informational interviews” when exploring a career change, this episode is for you. I’m sharing exactly why the traditional approach to informational interviews drives me up the wall – from the selfish ask, to the hidden job request, to the way it distracts you from the real work of figuring out who you are and what you want. Instead, I introduce my philoso...

Have you ever found yourself not burned out ... but just oddly flat at work? In this episode, I respond to a listener who described a creeping sense of detachment and apathy in their work life—and the dread of staying stuck that way for the next 15 years. I share my own tipping point story from a Tuesday night in October (complete with toddler bedtime chaos and an empty interview with a man I can’...

Have you ever wondered why certain things at work feel so much harder for you than others—but easier for your peers? In this episode, I sit down with Rosie Arthey , a coach who specialises in working with neurodivergent adults in the workplace. Rosie was diagnosed with ADHD in her early 40s, and what followed was a cascade of clarity, grief, and surprising self-compassion. Together, we unpack what...

Have you ever found yourself staring at your work and wondering, “What’s the point?” after losing someone important? In this episode, I respond to a listener who recently lost a dear friend and finds that their “give-a-toss-ometer” is utterly broken. They’re wondering whether it’s okay to just stop for a while—and the answer might surprise you. We explore how grief recalibrates our values, why tra...

Have you ever felt so numb at work you wonder if it’s depression—but know it’s not? In this episode, I answer a raw and honest listener letter from a high-achieving law partner who’s “bored to the back teeth.” We dive into why career success often leads to chronic boredom, especially for smart people with a deep need for novelty and challenge. I unpack the hidden psychological toll of this emotion...

Have you ever thought, “I just want to do something that matters ”? In today’s episode of Joy at Work , I respond to a listener who wants to leave a successful commercial career to work in the charity or not-for-profit space. If that sounds familiar—if you’re craving more purpose or impact—I invite you to pause before leaping. I share what I’ve learned from years of working with midlife profession...

Have you ever gone down a Google rabbit hole after noticing a small ache… and convinced yourself it was something life-threatening? In this episode, I’m joined by my longtime friend and therapist Warren Foot to talk about something I had barely heard of before our conversation — health anxiety . And once I heard what it was, I realised just how many of us might be living with it silently. Warren s...

I’m answering a brilliant (and very real) listener question: “Is it insane to resign?” If your workplace has recently been bought out, the culture is collapsing, and you’re feeling an urgent need to escape — this one is for you. I’ll share why your frustration and anger are valid, why it’s NOT insane to want to leave, and — crucially — why pausing, planning, and positioning yourself first is key t...

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by the slow pace of change inside your organisation—you’re not alone. This week on Joy at Work, I’m joined by Luke Murphy, Product & Transformation Coach, who has walked this path himself. Together, we dive into the mindset shifts and small actions that can empower anyone—yes, even without a big job title—to become a true trailblazer for change. We cover: Why wai...

Have you ever hit the top of your career only to realise... this isn’t the mountain you wanted to climb? In this episode, I respond to a listener who’s built an enviable career, but now finds themselves utterly done with the job—yet far from done with working. We explore what it means to reach the peak and feel empty, the risks of early retirement, and the real work that begins once the big job en...

Ever Googled “career coach” and found yourself drowning in vague promises and polished LinkedIn bios? You're not alone. This episode was sparked by a real message from Mike, a listener who’s 51, cynical, and unsure where to start. He knows he doesn’t want a repeat of the same job—but how do you find someone who actually gets that? In this episode, I break down four key hints for choosing the right...

This episode was sparked by a listener who was unexpectedly made redundant after 13 years. If you've ever had the rug pulled out from under you—or fear that moment might come—this one’s for you. I break down what really happens emotionally when you’re let go (spoiler: it’s not just fear), why shame is the quietest but most damaging response, and how to gently move through it. I also share two key...

Ever find yourself thinking, “I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up”? You’re not alone — and more importantly, you’re not behind. In this episode, I respond to a heartfelt question from a 43-year-old marketing director who's feeling stuck and unsure about their future. We unravel the pressure-packed question we've all heard since childhood — “What do you want to be when you grow up?”...

  Assess how feeling career stuck is impacting you across ten areas of life - in 30 minutes.  Then, decide what you want to do about it. ------ Season 2 is officially a wrap—and in this episode, I’m giving you a fast-paced recap of what we covered, what stood out, and how to take action now. Across 18 Joy at Work Experiments and conversations with brilliant guests, we explored everything from...

  Assess how feeling career stuck is impacting you across ten areas of life - in 30 minutes.  Then, decide what you want to do about it. ------ Dating in midlife can feel like a minefield —swiping, bad dates, and wondering if you’ll ever meet the right person. But what if there was a better way? In this episode, I sit down with Kerstin Rao, a midlife dating coach who went from disaster dates...

  Assess how feeling career stuck is impacting you across ten areas of life - in 30 minutes.  Then, decide what you want to do about it. ----- We rarely talk about guilt at work , but many of us carry it every day —without realizing how much it shapes our decisions, stress levels, and even our happiness. This week’s Joy at Work Experiment was inspired by David , a high-achieving professional...

  Assess how feeling career stuck is impacting you across ten areas of life - in 30 minutes.  Then, decide what you want to do about it. ----- Stress is everywhere, and for many of us, our default response is to just crack on and keep going. But that mindset doesn’t work forever—eventually, burnout catches up. In this episode, I talk with stress management coach Bernadette Dancy about why we...

  Assess how feeling career stuck is impacting you across ten areas of life - in 30 minutes.  Then, decide what you want to do about it. - If you’re constantly saying, “I don’t have enough time,” you’re not alone. But what if I told you that you don’t need more hours in the day—you just need a smarter way to use them ? Last week, I asked you to imagine what you’d do if you magically had an ex...