09 Dec Reflections on 2024

Whatever we celebrate, however we celebrate, let us remember why we celebrate. When we connect our hearts with others, we spark hope, kindle joy, and become the light.

Work-life integration over work-life balance

In everyday parlance, we refer to the competing priorities of work and life as ‘work-life balance’. However, this phrase creates an unhelpful dichotomy, suggesting ‘either’ or ‘or’. Balance is a faulty metaphor that implies that an equal amount of time is split between work and all the other aspects of life.

Integrating work-life integration by adopting a values-based approach and managing the boundaries between your life and work is a more sustainable approach.

You can find the full post here.

 Navigating your career

The principles of Charles Handy’s ‘The Empty Raincoat Curve’ apply to your career as a powerful metaphor, just as they do to understanding the life cycle of an organisation. Like organisations, careers go through stages, each with challenges and opportunities. Recognising and managing these stages enables you to navigate your career path more effectively, ensuring sustained growth and fulfilment.

The start-up stage in a career is akin to the early days of a new venture; it is exhilarating but fraught with uncertainties. As individuals progress in their careers, they enter the growth stage, where initial successes lead to career advancement and continuous learning. The tipping point is a critical juncture in a career where individuals face significant challenges that can lead to either renewal or decline. For those who successfully navigate the tipping point, the beginning of a new chapter represents a period of renewal and growth. Unfortunately, not all individuals successfully navigate the tipping point. Those who fail to adapt may enter a period of decline characterised by stagnation or irrelevance.

You can find the full post here.

 Turn everyday stress into optimal stress

It’s a medical fact. From a physiological perspective, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with stress.

When managed well, stress can be an ally rather than an enemy. There are three ways to manage stress.

1/ Become self-aware and tune into your body to better harness your stress response.

2/ When you are overloaded, focus is hard to maintain. Stay in the present with full attention on the task at hand—one thing at a time, one step at a time.

3/ Make time for non-doing. Learn how to reset, come down, and shift gear. Tune once more into your body, your breath, your thinking.

You can find the full post here.

With my best wishes for 2023 

A special thanks to you all, clients and colleagues near and far.

May you all enjoy a wonderful holiday season, and look forward with hope to the New Year.