On this episode I interview with Simon Austin, sports journalist and Founder of the Training Ground Guru - shining a light on the work going on behind the scenes in professional football. On work-life balance Simon says; "I think it differs for each person and I'm not sure I've got in right. I love what I do and spend a lot of time engrossed in it." Simon set up the Training Ground Guru in 2017 having previously worked for the BBC for over 10 years and as a freelancer for several national newspapers. He didn't think there was enough information being shared and in order to understand what's going on, on match day you need to understand what's happening on the training ground during the week. And so the Training Ground Guru was created; shining a light on what's going on behind the scenes in football. Very much breaking away from the traditional pattern of how things have also been done in the industry. It's taken a while for Simon to build up that trust and respect with the clubs but the response has been great so far. As a knock on this has led to the media at different clubs showing an interest and getting involved as well. I've been in journalism for over 20 years and always had a passion in this area. It's a growing area that hasn't really been covered. If a reader says; 'that was interesting', then that's enough for Simon to take as acknowledgement for what he's set out to do in providing insight. He's always wanted his own site and something that he's in control of; putting forward his own philosophy. There's definitely more freedom, however, Simon places a huge emphasis on 'thinking about your readers' and what they want. In fact he thinks of them as his boss now. Final take-away: "Be yourself. There's a lot of pressure to conform and follow the lead of others. A lot of the time this is the road to ruin. Everyone has their own journey and their own story." If you enjoyed the interview with Simon then please do start a conversation with him on; <a href="https://twitter.com/ground_guru">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-austin-78691711/">LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetgguru/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOcrigeU8ffLIdmxePRXjpw/featured">YouTube</a> You can also find more details on their<a href="http://trainingground.guru/"> website </a> If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/perfect-imbalance-podcast/id1381364085?mt=2">iTunes</a> or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview with Simon Austin, sports journalist and Founder of the Training Ground Guru - shining a light on the work going on behind the scenes in professional football. On work-life balance Simon says; "I think it differs for each person and I'm not sure I've got in right. I love what I do and spend a lot of time engrossed in it." Simon set up the Training Ground Guru in 2017 having previously worked for the BBC for over 10 years and as a freelancer for several national newspapers. He didn't think there was enough information being shared and in order to understand what's going on, on match day you need to understand what's happening on the training ground during the week. And so the Training Ground Guru was created; shining a light on what's going on behind the scenes in football. Very much breaking away from the traditional pattern of how things have also been done in the industry. It's taken a while for Simon to build up that trust and respect with the clubs but the response has been great so far. As a knock on this has led to the media at different clubs showing an interest and getting involved as well. I've been in journalism for over 20 years and always had a passion in this area. It's a growing area that hasn't really been covered. If a reader says; 'that was interesting', then that's enough for Simon to take as acknowledgement for what he's set out to do in providing insight. He's always wanted his own site and something that he's in control of; putting forward his own philosophy. There's definitely more freedom, however, Simon places a huge emphasis on 'thinking about your readers' and what they want. In fact he thinks of them as his boss now. Final take-away: "Be yourself. There's a lot of pressure to conform and follow the lead of others. A lot of the time this is the road to ruin. Everyone has their own journey and their own story." If you enjoyed the interview with Simon then please do start a conversation with him on; Twitter LinkedIn Facebook YouTube You can also find more details on their website If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

Perfect Imbalance Podcast

39. PI #39: Simon Austin - shining a light

On this episode I interview Amanda Bate, Copywriter, Social Media Marketer and champion for putting your health first. As you listen more you'll understand why this is the case. On work-life balance Amanda says; "It's doing what you want in your work life and doing what you want in your time away from your work. For some people their life is their work. It's so personal." Putting your health first has taken Amanda a lot of time and a lot of planning and ultimately culminated in her taking the leap of faith and leaving behind the comfort of the corporate world. In her words; it was to achieve the best health, the best me; the best way I could present myself to the rest of the world. Amanda was first diagnosed with Crohn's when she was pregnant. It knocked her sideways and she was referred to see a counsellor, which at the time Amanda thought was a little over the top! However, it was incredible to talk to somebody. What resonated most was hearing the counsellor saying; without your health, you will not be able to look after your baby. Living with a chronic disease can often wipe Amanda out. One of the best tonics Amanda has found for her own well-being, is simply getting outside. "My purpose is writing content and raising awareness through using words; helping other companies to promote and market themselves." Speaking candidly, it took Amanda 3 years to make the leap and leave an organisation that she'd worked in for 15 years. Although she was working in communication and loving the world of communication, a lot of the writing she did was structured and regulated. Amanda had what she describes as an 'itch' that she needed to scratch. This was where her blog started and through writing about her own illness, others started to find and connect with her. Final take-away "Believe in yourself. Try and knock some of those fears away. Just do it." If you enjoyed the interview with Amanda then please do start a conversation with her on; <a href="https://twitter.com/Redwood_Copy">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-bate-706a6629/">LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amanda_redwoodcopy/?hl=en">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/redwoodcopy/">Facebook</a> You can also find more details on their<a href="http://www.redwoodcopy.co.uk/"> website </a> If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/perfect-imbalance-podcast/id1381364085?mt=2">iTunes</a> or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Amanda Bate, Copywriter, Social Media Marketer and champion for putting your health first. As you listen more you'll understand why this is the case. On work-life balance Amanda says; "It's doing what you want in your work life and doing what you want in your time away from your work. For some people their life is their work. It's so personal." Putting your health first has taken Amanda a lot of time and a lot of planning and ultimately culminated in her taking the leap of faith and leaving behind the comfort of the corporate world. In her words; it was to achieve the best health, the best me; the best way I could present myself to the rest of the world. Amanda was first diagnosed with Crohn's when she was pregnant. It knocked her sideways and she was referred to see a counsellor, which at the time Amanda thought was a little over the top! However, it was incredible to talk to somebody. What resonated most was hearing the counsellor saying; without your health, you will not be able to look after your baby. Living with a chronic disease can often wipe Amanda out. One of the best tonics Amanda has found for her own well-being, is simply getting outside. "My purpose is writing content and raising awareness through using words; helping other companies to promote and market themselves." Speaking candidly, it took Amanda 3 years to make the leap and leave an organisation that she'd worked in for 15 years. Although she was working in communication and loving the world of communication, a lot of the writing she did was structured and regulated. Amanda had what she describes as an 'itch' that she needed to scratch. This was where her blog started and through writing about her own illness, others started to find and connect with her. Final take-away "Believe in yourself. Try and knock some of those fears away. Just do it." If you enjoyed the interview with Amanda then please do start a conversation with her on; Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook You can also find more details on their website If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

38. PI #38: Amanda Bate - putting your health first

On this episode I interview Andrea Goodridge, entrepreneur and owner of a business called Ad Florem and she's on a mission to help people understand more about 'energy in versus energy out'. On work-life balance Andrea says; "If you can find out what gives you energy and where you can add energy; that's where I get work-life balance. I make my own definition of work-life balance; I don't compare mine with anyone else's." Andrea has a background of working within learning and development and has spent the last 20 years in this space. In other words; she challenges leaders to challenge themselves. This includes thought processes, mind-set, how they're feeling, behaviour and the impact that they're having on other people. Whilst others will be talking and focusing on resilience and burn out, Andrea is seeing something else with her work. Leaders need to look inwards so that they can start to challenge themselves. There's a general feeling of leaders being overwhelmed. Andrea is seeing them literally 'falling off the table'. They don't have any energy left and they are losing sight of who they are. Where no support is being offered (internally within organisations), leaders are looking outside and self funding development and opportunity to have time away from the chaos. "I see my purpose as getting leaders to take time away from the chaos and focus on themselves." This is what gets Andrea up in the morning because she knows that she's able to get leaders to take time away and focus on themselves. In Andrea's line of work she sees that many leaders' focus is in on targets, systems or processes. They might be dedicating time to culture, teams, services or customers but what's missing is the 'them' bit. Final take-away: "You can't be a great leader if you can't be a great YOU." If you enjoyed the interview with Andrea then please do start a conversation with her on; <a href="https://twitter.com/adflorem">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreagoodridge/">LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ad_florem/?hl=en">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adflorem/">Facebook</a> You can also find more details on their<a href="https://adflorem.com/"> website </a> If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/perfect-imbalance-podcast/id1381364085?mt=2">iTunes</a> or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Andrea Goodridge, entrepreneur and owner of a business called Ad Florem and she's on a mission to help people understand more about 'energy in versus energy out'. On work-life balance Andrea says; "If you can find out what gives you energy and where you can add energy; that's where I get work-life balance. I make my own definition of work-life balance; I don't compare mine with anyone else's." Andrea has a background of working within learning and development and has spent the last 20 years in this space. In other words; she challenges leaders to challenge themselves. This includes thought processes, mind-set, how they're feeling, behaviour and the impact that they're having on other people. Whilst others will be talking and focusing on resilience and burn out, Andrea is seeing something else with her work. Leaders need to look inwards so that they can start to challenge themselves. There's a general feeling of leaders being overwhelmed. Andrea is seeing them literally 'falling off the table'. They don't have any energy left and they are losing sight of who they are. Where no support is being offered (internally within organisations), leaders are looking outside and self funding development and opportunity to have time away from the chaos. "I see my purpose as getting leaders to take time away from the chaos and focus on themselves." This is what gets Andrea up in the morning because she knows that she's able to get leaders to take time away and focus on themselves. In Andrea's line of work she sees that many leaders' focus is in on targets, systems or processes. They might be dedicating time to culture, teams, services or customers but what's missing is the 'them' bit. Final take-away: "You can't be a great leader if you can't be a great YOU." If you enjoyed the interview with Andrea then please do start a conversation with her on; Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook You can also find more details on their website If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

37. PI #37: Andrea Goodridge - energy in versus energy out

On this episode I interview Tim Roberts; speaker, thought provoker and business owner on a mission to ignite your enthusiasm. On work-life balance Tim says; "It's a fascinating topic as I think it's very individual. I prefer the term 'life-work balance' because that's the way around it should be. Our priorities change with age." Tim has a background of working within learning and development for a number of organisations. 2018 has been a defining year for him as he struggled and came to terms with his own mental health. Emotional intelligence and being able to draw on this has enabled him to find the strength and the courage to be able to start to talk about this. As 2018 came to a close, Tim set up Enthuse Coaching. He's now ready to embark on a different journey in 2019 and help others find ignite (or re-ignite) their enthusiasm for life and for work. "I'd really encourage organisations to look at people as human beings and individuals and not be afraid of saying; 'this person needs something different right now'." A previous boss was very good at recognising this when Tim was going through challenges in relation to his own mental health. On the other hand his employer did nothing. Tim doesn't think they knew what to do and as result did't want to put any additional pressure on him. The message here is: ask your employees what they want (and not through a survey where they have to choose from 5 options). "I see my purpose as making people think." My work involves working with organisations to enable them to recognise what they are in control of and ignite or re-ignite their enthusiasm for their work. Leaders play a key part in this and Tim asks the people he works with; what do you stand for? Tim provokes many thoughts during our interview and talks passionately about not waiting. He says; put the music on that you love, where the clothes you want to and spend the time with the people who mean the most to you. Final take-away: "Emotional Intelligence will get you further in life than anything else." If you enjoyed the interview with Tim then please do start a conversation with him on; <a href="https://twitter.com/TimRoberts78">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/timrobertsenthuse/">LinkedIn</a>  You can also find more details on their<a href="https://enthusecoaching.com/about-us"> website </a> If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/perfect-imbalance-podcast/id1381364085?mt=2">iTunes</a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Tim Roberts; speaker, thought provoker and business owner on a mission to ignite your enthusiasm. On work-life balance Tim says; "It's a fascinating topic as I think it's very individual. I prefer the term 'life-work balance' because that's the way around it should be. Our priorities change with age." Tim has a background of working within learning and development for a number of organisations. 2018 has been a defining year for him as he struggled and came to terms with his own mental health. Emotional intelligence and being able to draw on this has enabled him to find the strength and the courage to be able to start to talk about this. As 2018 came to a close, Tim set up Enthuse Coaching. He's now ready to embark on a different journey in 2019 and help others find ignite (or re-ignite) their enthusiasm for life and for work. "I'd really encourage organisations to look at people as human beings and individuals and not be afraid of saying; 'this person needs something different right now'." A previous boss was very good at recognising this when Tim was going through challenges in relation to his own mental health. On the other hand his employer did nothing. Tim doesn't think they knew what to do and as result did't want to put any additional pressure on him. The message here is: ask your employees what they want (and not through a survey where they have to choose from 5 options). "I see my purpose as making people think." My work involves working with organisations to enable them to recognise what they are in control of and ignite or re-ignite their enthusiasm for their work. Leaders play a key part in this and Tim asks the people he works with; what do you stand for? Tim provokes many thoughts during our interview and talks passionately about not waiting. He says; put the music on that you love, where the clothes you want to and spend the time with the people who mean the most to you. Final take-away: "Emotional Intelligence will get you further in life than anything else." If you enjoyed the interview with Tim then please do start a conversation with him on; Twitter LinkedIn  You can also find more details on their website If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

36. PI #36: Tim Roberts - ignite your enthusiasm

On this episode I interview Di Murray, entrepreneur and the energy behind Coming up 4 air and creating space to breathe. On work-life balance Di says; "It's quite an over-used term. I've become sensitised to the term work-life balance; the holy grail of what we're trying to achieve. I wonder if it's less about having a perfect balance and more about what happens when we don't have choice in either of those arenas. Di works with individuals and organisations to (in her words) hold the space for people to explore, ponder and be more curious. Noticing and doing some deep listening was ultimately the essence of how Coming Up 4 Air came about. Allowing others the space to breathe, in a place free of agenda Di sees herself more as a guide and a facilitator. As opposed to being the expert who has all the answers. People attending Di's retreats and workshops can expect an element of dis-comfort and intrigue which in turn builds trust through autonomy. Di sees her approach as a bit of an anti-dote to the craziness of the world. Purpose One of the things about purpose is it shifts. People would describe me as a passionate disrupter. I set out to disrupt people's thinking based on what they know when they arrive on a workshop or retreat. I invite people to take risks in the space that I create. Final take-away: "Lighten up, laugh at yourself. Straighten up, stand tall when you come into a room. Speak up,use your voice for good." If you enjoyed the interview with Di then please do start a conversation with her on; <a href="https://twitter.com/CU4Air">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/coming-up-4-air/">LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cu4air/">Facebook</a> You can also find more details on their<a href="https://www.comingup4air.com/"> website </a> If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Di Murray, entrepreneur and the energy behind Coming up 4 air and creating space to breathe. On work-life balance Di says; "It's quite an over-used term. I've become sensitised to the term work-life balance; the holy grail of what we're trying to achieve. I wonder if it's less about having a perfect balance and more about what happens when we don't have choice in either of those arenas. Di works with individuals and organisations to (in her words) hold the space for people to explore, ponder and be more curious. Noticing and doing some deep listening was ultimately the essence of how Coming Up 4 Air came about. Allowing others the space to breathe, in a place free of agenda Di sees herself more as a guide and a facilitator. As opposed to being the expert who has all the answers. People attending Di's retreats and workshops can expect an element of dis-comfort and intrigue which in turn builds trust through autonomy. Di sees her approach as a bit of an anti-dote to the craziness of the world. Purpose One of the things about purpose is it shifts. People would describe me as a passionate disrupter. I set out to disrupt people's thinking based on what they know when they arrive on a workshop or retreat. I invite people to take risks in the space that I create. Final take-away: "Lighten up, laugh at yourself. Straighten up, stand tall when you come into a room. Speak up,use your voice for good." If you enjoyed the interview with Di then please do start a conversation with her on; Twitter LinkedIn Facebook You can also find more details on their website If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

35. PI #35: Di Murray - space to breathe

On this episode I interview Dave Algeo who talks amongst other things about being stressed out and the damage of the 'shut the f*ck up type of attitude' when it comes to mental health. On work-life balance Dave says; "I like the perfect imbalance idea. I remember when work-life balance became a thing. I get it but the world of life is far more complex." Dave spent a number of years working in the police force before setting up his own business in 2006 in the world of learning and development. His focus tends to be in the space of resilience and mental health and helping those feeling stressed out. Host of Man Sprouts the podcast, Dave can often be seen and heard talking about vegetables! For those that remember Crackerjack, the losing contestants would often be saddled with cabbages! Having gone through his own stress and fallen into arrears with his mortgage at Northern Rock; he's some how been able to use his own experience to positive effect. He loves to learn and loves to turn this into learning and teaching for others; making a difference in the long term not just in the moment. If you enjoyed the interview with Dave then please do start a conversation with him on; <a href="https://twitter.com/stressedguru">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stressedguru/">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidalgeo/">LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thestressedguru">Facebook </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLIDbtKvOyJINV6pkf36JjA">YouTube </a> You can also find more details on their<a href="https://www.stressedguru.com/"> website </a> If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Dave Algeo who talks amongst other things about being stressed out and the damage of the 'shut the f*ck up type of attitude' when it comes to mental health. On work-life balance Dave says; "I like the perfect imbalance idea. I remember when work-life balance became a thing. I get it but the world of life is far more complex." Dave spent a number of years working in the police force before setting up his own business in 2006 in the world of learning and development. His focus tends to be in the space of resilience and mental health and helping those feeling stressed out. Host of Man Sprouts the podcast, Dave can often be seen and heard talking about vegetables! For those that remember Crackerjack, the losing contestants would often be saddled with cabbages! Having gone through his own stress and fallen into arrears with his mortgage at Northern Rock; he's some how been able to use his own experience to positive effect. He loves to learn and loves to turn this into learning and teaching for others; making a difference in the long term not just in the moment. If you enjoyed the interview with Dave then please do start a conversation with him on; Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Facebook YouTube You can also find more details on their website If you liked this episode then please do leave the show a rating and review on iTunes or the platform that you use to listen to podcasts.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

34. PI #34: Dave Algeo - stressed out

On this episode Dr Emma Foden and myself wish you the listeners and all our guests a happy new year. The majority of podcasts don't get past 7 episodes and today we have finished the year with 33 episodes.  The purpose of the podcast was to provoke new thoughts around well-being and challenge the myth of work-life balance in particular. So many lessons from season 1 & season 2.  Listen back to all of the episodes if you've missed any. Tune in next time to hear me interviewing <a href="https://www.stressedguru.com/">Dave Algeo</a> the Stress(ed) Guru on the first show of season 3. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode Dr Emma Foden and myself wish you the listeners and all our guests a happy new year. The majority of podcasts don't get past 7 episodes and today we have finished the year with 33 episodes.  The purpose of the podcast was to provoke new thoughts around well-being and challenge the myth of work-life balance in particular. So many lessons from season 1 & season 2.  Listen back to all of the episodes if you've missed any. Tune in next time to hear me interviewing Dave Algeo the Stress(ed) Guru on the first show of season 3. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

33. PI #33: Bonus episode - what lies ahead

On this 'advent special' episode I look back over series 2 with Dr Emma Foden. In advent calendar style, Emma & I take it in turns to select a number. Behind each number is a guest from the series. We then share our own thoughts on the episode, the guest and the messages that they left us with. Thank you for joining us on the advent special episode. We will be back on New Year's Eve with a special show; looking back over 2018 and giving you a flavour of what to expect in 2019! As always you can catch up on any episodes you've missed on Anchor, Spotify, iTunes or the platform you use. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

32. PI #32: Bonus episode - series 2 advent special

On this episode I interview Kate Richardson-Walsh; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Captain and most capped female hockey player in her country's history. We talk about transitioning out of elite sport, obsession and making things happen. On work-life balance “I think it is individual and it will change. Be curious about it and make the best decision for you.” As an elite athlete, sport can become obsessive yet Kate has always tried to find ways to switch off. Working in 4 year cycles (as all Olympic sports do), Kate and several team mates believed after London 2012 that they could go better in Rio 2016. This was a straight line; they failed hugely as a team after London 2012 before turning things around in the 18 months leading up to Rio 2016. Transitioning away from hockey In the lead up to Rio, Kate was made captain of the team and part of her role involved doing more speaking engagements. Following the Rio games Kate and her wife Helen decided to set up their own business, combining speaking with going into schools and businesses and providing training. Something Kate describes as longer lasting; allowing others to thrive. Being able to do something that you enjoy is important to Kate and she loves the nervous energy that she gets when speaking. The nerves remind her of her days as a hockey player and competing. Strengths For a long time when she was growing up, Kate didn't really know what she wanted to be. Her first thoughts were around teaching and she openly admits to 'bumbling down the road' in her earlier days. However, she was able to see opportunities (like getting involved with hockey) and making the most of them. Hard work and making things happen were the drivers behind how Kate approached things. 'Emotional yet consistent' is how Kate goes on to describe herself and this has helped throughout her life.  She never felt she was good enough and this has allowed her to try harder. Openly critical of herself, Kate has been able to use this positively to drive her onward. Feedback Having come from a place where you are always receiving feedback; both Kate and Helen in their capacity as speakers are always seeking feedback on how they can improve. Feedback is so important and whilst Kate views it as a gift, in the world outside of elite sport people aren't as forthcoming. Whilst she's had moments of failure or challenging moments, Kate is not one for having regrets. The GB Hockey Team had a vision for Rio 2016 which Kate has taken forward into her purpose and passion today; “Be the difference, create history, inspire the future.” A quote to leave you with from Kate; “It's not about what you want, it's what you need.” Start a conversation with her on; <a href="https://twitter.com/katewalsh11">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katewalsh11/?ppe=1">LinkedIn </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katewalsh11gb/?hl=en">Instagram</a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Kate Richardson-Walsh; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Captain and most capped female hockey player in her country's history. We talk about transitioning out of elite sport, obsession and making things happen. On work-life balance “I think it is individual and it will change. Be curious about it and make the best decision for you.” As an elite athlete, sport can become obsessive yet Kate has always tried to find ways to switch off. Working in 4 year cycles (as all Olympic sports do), Kate and several team mates believed after London 2012 that they could go better in Rio 2016. This was a straight line; they failed hugely as a team after London 2012 before turning things around in the 18 months leading up to Rio 2016. Transitioning away from hockey In the lead up to Rio, Kate was made captain of the team and part of her role involved doing more speaking engagements. Following the Rio games Kate and her wife Helen decided to set up their own business, combining speaking with going into schools and businesses and providing training. Something Kate describes as longer lasting; allowing others to thrive. Being able to do something that you enjoy is important to Kate and she loves the nervous energy that she gets when speaking. The nerves remind her of her days as a hockey player and competing. Strengths For a long time when she was growing up, Kate didn't really know what she wanted to be. Her first thoughts were around teaching and she openly admits to 'bumbling down the road' in her earlier days. However, she was able to see opportunities (like getting involved with hockey) and making the most of them. Hard work and making things happen were the drivers behind how Kate approached things. 'Emotional yet consistent' is how Kate goes on to describe herself and this has helped throughout her life.  She never felt she was good enough and this has allowed her to try harder. Openly critical of herself, Kate has been able to use this positively to drive her onward. Feedback Having come from a place where you are always receiving feedback; both Kate and Helen in their capacity as speakers are always seeking feedback on how they can improve. Feedback is so important and whilst Kate views it as a gift, in the world outside of elite sport people aren't as forthcoming. Whilst she's had moments of failure or challenging moments, Kate is not one for having regrets. The GB Hockey Team had a vision for Rio 2016 which Kate has taken forward into her purpose and passion today; “Be the difference, create history, inspire the future.” A quote to leave you with from Kate; “It's not about what you want, it's what you need.” Start a conversation with her on; Twitter LinkedIn Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

31. PI #31: Kate Richardson-Walsh - making things happen

On this episode I interview Angela Cox; Mindset Mentor, Motivational Speaker & No 1 Best-selling Author, who helps others on their journey to 'being their best self'. Passionate and driven on by her own earlier experiences in life, Angela is also on a journey herself. From being abused as a child to spending all of her adult life on a diet and being fat, Angela is very honest and open during our interview. A secret binge eater alongside being a high powered *successful) executive; she went on yet another diet in 2016 only this time things were different. What changed? Well it turned that this latest diet was a healthy eating diet with incorporated exercise, and at the same time Angela started reading a book called Positive Thinking. The book talked about affirmations and she started doing them every day without fail. Everything combined together allowed Angela to lose over 8 stones in weight! At the same time the inner critic's voice inside of her started to become more positive. As part of her own journey she's realised that happiness doesn't come from stuff. The book 'Enough' is a compelling account of self determination and survival written with absolute honesty and passion. Part memoir, part manual full of tips, tricks and rituals to integrate into your life to be the best you, you can be. Here's some wise words of wisdom from Angela; "Stop the comparison thing because it sucks the life out of people." Check out what Angela is up to <a href="https://angela-cox.co.uk/">here</a> Order your copy of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Enough-Angela-Cox/dp/0244982244/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541596345&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=enough&dpPl=1&dpID=51v1OsFUI5L&ref=plSrch">here</a> Start a conversation with her on; <a href="https://twitter.com/coxange78?lang=en">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coxange78/?hl=en">Instagram</a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Angela Cox; Mindset Mentor, Motivational Speaker & No 1 Best-selling Author, who helps others on their journey to 'being their best self'. Passionate and driven on by her own earlier experiences in life, Angela is also on a journey herself. From being abused as a child to spending all of her adult life on a diet and being fat, Angela is very honest and open during our interview. A secret binge eater alongside being a high powered *successful) executive; she went on yet another diet in 2016 only this time things were different. What changed? Well it turned that this latest diet was a healthy eating diet with incorporated exercise, and at the same time Angela started reading a book called Positive Thinking. The book talked about affirmations and she started doing them every day without fail. Everything combined together allowed Angela to lose over 8 stones in weight! At the same time the inner critic's voice inside of her started to become more positive. As part of her own journey she's realised that happiness doesn't come from stuff. The book 'Enough' is a compelling account of self determination and survival written with absolute honesty and passion. Part memoir, part manual full of tips, tricks and rituals to integrate into your life to be the best you, you can be. Here's some wise words of wisdom from Angela; "Stop the comparison thing because it sucks the life out of people." Check out what Angela is up to here Order your copy of the book here Start a conversation with her on; Twitter Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

30. PI #30: Angela Cox - being your best self

On this episode I interview Nick Littlehales, Elite Sleep Coach and author of Sleep; the myth of 8 hours, the power of naps and the new plan to recharge your body and mind. Very soon into our conversation, Nick talks about the need for downtime and recovery. He goes on to share his journey so far and the paradigm shift that he's starting to see in relation to how people view sleep and recovery. Nick talks about there being no budget for sleep in a lot of sports and businesses that he's gone into. Sleep and recovery are relatively new concepts compared to diet and exercise. It's fascinating to hear Nick explain chronotypes and the impact that this has and can have on our sleep and recovery. For those not familiar with chronotypes, essentially we are talking about whether you are an 'am'er or a pm'er'! In simple terms; are you a morning person or not! The book In Nick's book are a number of steps including; - Circadian rhythms - Chronotypes - Cycles not hours - Pre & post sleep routines - Activity and recovery harmony Sleep doesn't have to be a challenge or issue for you anymore. Here's some wise words of wisdom from Nick; "Get back to some basics and get your awareness up. Put into practice some of the things we've been talking about and you'll be happily amazed." Check out what Nick is up to <a href="https://www.sportsleepcoach.com/">here</a> Start a conversation with him on; <a href="https://twitter.com/sportsleepcoach">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sportsleepcoachuk/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_sportsleepcoach/">Instagram</a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Nick Littlehales, Elite Sleep Coach and author of Sleep; the myth of 8 hours, the power of naps and the new plan to recharge your body and mind. Very soon into our conversation, Nick talks about the need for downtime and recovery. He goes on to share his journey so far and the paradigm shift that he's starting to see in relation to how people view sleep and recovery. Nick talks about there being no budget for sleep in a lot of sports and businesses that he's gone into. Sleep and recovery are relatively new concepts compared to diet and exercise. It's fascinating to hear Nick explain chronotypes and the impact that this has and can have on our sleep and recovery. For those not familiar with chronotypes, essentially we are talking about whether you are an 'am'er or a pm'er'! In simple terms; are you a morning person or not! The book In Nick's book are a number of steps including; - Circadian rhythms - Chronotypes - Cycles not hours - Pre & post sleep routines - Activity and recovery harmony Sleep doesn't have to be a challenge or issue for you anymore. Here's some wise words of wisdom from Nick; "Get back to some basics and get your awareness up. Put into practice some of the things we've been talking about and you'll be happily amazed." Check out what Nick is up to here Start a conversation with him on; Twitter Facebook Instagram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

29. PI #29: Nick Littlehales - sleep; the myth of 8 hours

On this episode I interview Dr Steve Marshall; the man behind seeing differently, working on purpose. On work-life balance Steve says; "On the face of it, it's a good idea but I've never achieved it. I think my most successful moments have been when I've not been in balance." Background Steve started out with a career in photography before deciding to apply for a role in the military. Having spent 22 years as a fighter pilot which he describes as an excellent career, he lost 26 of his friends in accidents. As he came towards the end of his 'flying job' he pondered what he might be able to do about the future accidents, as the current loss rate seemed to be deemed ok. Working with others he was able to influence some change to the organisational culture. Helping others Steve left the military in the hope that he could help people change the way that they think. In his work as a change consultant, Steve worked with groups of people to help them learn in ways that they achieve a collective personal transformation. He talks about values in organisations; "Often we go through life wearing somebody else's clothes; somebody else's face." Whilst Steve continues to work with doctoral students, he's just stepped away from the academic management role to pursue his love of image, vision, connection and ’seeing differently’ as we offer witness to each other - so in his words; following his deeper, truer purpose! In some ways Steve's returned to what he loves most; having first expressed an interest in doing photo journalism at school only to be sent off to do work experience in the local Foundry! Find out more If you enjoyed the interview with Dr Steve Marshall then please do start a conversation with him on; <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSteveMarshall">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drstevemarshall/">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-marshall-0837551/">LinkedIn</a> You can also find more details on his <a href="http://drstevemarshall.com/">website </a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Dr Steve Marshall; the man behind seeing differently, working on purpose. On work-life balance Steve says; "On the face of it, it's a good idea but I've never achieved it. I think my most successful moments have been when I've not been in balance." Background Steve started out with a career in photography before deciding to apply for a role in the military. Having spent 22 years as a fighter pilot which he describes as an excellent career, he lost 26 of his friends in accidents. As he came towards the end of his 'flying job' he pondered what he might be able to do about the future accidents, as the current loss rate seemed to be deemed ok. Working with others he was able to influence some change to the organisational culture. Helping others Steve left the military in the hope that he could help people change the way that they think. In his work as a change consultant, Steve worked with groups of people to help them learn in ways that they achieve a collective personal transformation. He talks about values in organisations; "Often we go through life wearing somebody else's clothes; somebody else's face." Whilst Steve continues to work with doctoral students, he's just stepped away from the academic management role to pursue his love of image, vision, connection and ’seeing differently’ as we offer witness to each other - so in his words; following his deeper, truer purpose! In some ways Steve's returned to what he loves most; having first expressed an interest in doing photo journalism at school only to be sent off to do work experience in the local Foundry! Find out more If you enjoyed the interview with Dr Steve Marshall then please do start a conversation with him on; Twitter Instagram LinkedIn You can also find more details on his website --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

28. PI #28: Steve Marshall - seeing differently, working on purpose

On this episode I interview Fiona Murden, Occupational Psychologist, Speaker, Blogger and passionate about doing what makes your heart sing. Fiona spends a lot of her time profiling senior leaders of organisations (around the world) and helps them find a good fit within the business. On the back of this she is involved with executive coaching within organisations. Outside of the corporate world, Fiona is also a blogger with a fascination of understanding the brain and helping others make sense of things happening in their worlds. Background Fiona started out reading medicine and openly admits to her own life never being a straight journey. She does admit during the interview that she wanted to be a fighter pilot! Fiona shares; "Even when you're exploring; it gets messy, it's difficult. You have to stick to it and find what makes your heart sing." Making time to think Fiona promotes the action of making time to think; time for thinking ahead. It's easy to get caught up being busy and everything associated with that. Society values busyness over thinking and our brain is geared up to action rather than contemplation. Wanting to make a positive difference to peoples lives, Fiona embarked on the journey of writing a book. Fiona is Author of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Defining-You-profile-yourself-potential/dp/1473668387/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523604686&sr=1-1&keywords=defining+you">Defining You</a>: How to profile yourself and unlock your full potential. Packed with research and psychology, the driver for writing her book was to make the tips and ideas (which she uses within organisations) available to everyone. She is both passionate and on a mission. Fiona has made it her purpose to help others understand their own purpose. It's become 'her itch' and she's determined to pursue this. If you enjoyed the interview with Fiona then please do start a conversation with her on; <a href="https://twitter.com/FionaMurden">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fiona_murden/?hl=en">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionamurden/">LinkedIn</a> You can also find more details on her <a href="https://fionamurden.com/">website </a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Fiona Murden, Occupational Psychologist, Speaker, Blogger and passionate about doing what makes your heart sing. Fiona spends a lot of her time profiling senior leaders of organisations (around the world) and helps them find a good fit within the business. On the back of this she is involved with executive coaching within organisations. Outside of the corporate world, Fiona is also a blogger with a fascination of understanding the brain and helping others make sense of things happening in their worlds. Background Fiona started out reading medicine and openly admits to her own life never being a straight journey. She does admit during the interview that she wanted to be a fighter pilot! Fiona shares; "Even when you're exploring; it gets messy, it's difficult. You have to stick to it and find what makes your heart sing." Making time to think Fiona promotes the action of making time to think; time for thinking ahead. It's easy to get caught up being busy and everything associated with that. Society values busyness over thinking and our brain is geared up to action rather than contemplation. Wanting to make a positive difference to peoples lives, Fiona embarked on the journey of writing a book. Fiona is Author of Defining You: How to profile yourself and unlock your full potential. Packed with research and psychology, the driver for writing her book was to make the tips and ideas (which she uses within organisations) available to everyone. She is both passionate and on a mission. Fiona has made it her purpose to help others understand their own purpose. It's become 'her itch' and she's determined to pursue this. If you enjoyed the interview with Fiona then please do start a conversation with her on; Twitter Instagram LinkedIn You can also find more details on her website --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

27. PI #27: Fiona Murden - doing what makes your heart sing

On this episode I interview Todd Brown; co-founder of Next Action Associates and pioneer of the Getting things done methodology created by David Allen. In a nutshell (Todd's words) they are helping people be as productive as they can be and focused on the right things. Todd says; it's not just about being busy. They want to help people at the same time to lower their stress levels. Background Todd discovered the work of David Allen when he was starting a new job; watching a seminar of his whilst he was waiting for his computer and work-space to be set up. However, whilst it was an epiphany moment, a lot of what David was talking about resonated with Todd. Things like; how do I keep my head clear so I can focus on whatever I choose to focus on. Over the coming months Todd started to implement some of the tools and ideas from the Getting things done methodology before deciding to set up Next Action Associates. At Next Action Associates We have a definition of work; "work is anything in your life that isn't the way you want it to be" Essentially this is the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be. Things are coming at us faster than ever before and we are always available. We all need strategies to be able to deal with what's coming at us each day. The 'commitments' as Todd and initial David Allen refers to them as. It hasn't always been the case in Todd's career but the work he is doing now (and has been doing over the last 10 years) is what considers to be 'important work'. Openness to being a beginner Many of us are afraid of being a beginner. There's a great quote from Sting; "I'm never afraid of being a beginner." We don't all have the luxury of doing what we love all of the time, but as we go through life it's important that we pay attention to whether or not what we are doing is aligned to our deeper purpose. The Getting things done methodology allows you to get into a state of flow and optimise each part of the process; capture, clarify, organise, reflect and engage. Todd's thoughts on work-life balance. "If we felt like we were always in balance, life would probably get a bit dull. A very important part of life is getting out of control, getting out of balance." If you enjoyed the interview with Todd then please do start a conversation with him and Next Action Associates on; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nextaction">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gtdintheuk">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/GettingThingsDoneTV">YouTube</a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

On this episode I interview Todd Brown; co-founder of Next Action Associates and pioneer of the Getting things done methodology created by David Allen. In a nutshell (Todd's words) they are helping people be as productive as they can be and focused on the right things. Todd says; it's not just about being busy. They want to help people at the same time to lower their stress levels. Background Todd discovered the work of David Allen when he was starting a new job; watching a seminar of his whilst he was waiting for his computer and work-space to be set up. However, whilst it was an epiphany moment, a lot of what David was talking about resonated with Todd. Things like; how do I keep my head clear so I can focus on whatever I choose to focus on. Over the coming months Todd started to implement some of the tools and ideas from the Getting things done methodology before deciding to set up Next Action Associates. At Next Action Associates We have a definition of work; "work is anything in your life that isn't the way you want it to be" Essentially this is the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be. Things are coming at us faster than ever before and we are always available. We all need strategies to be able to deal with what's coming at us each day. The 'commitments' as Todd and initial David Allen refers to them as. It hasn't always been the case in Todd's career but the work he is doing now (and has been doing over the last 10 years) is what considers to be 'important work'. Openness to being a beginner Many of us are afraid of being a beginner. There's a great quote from Sting; "I'm never afraid of being a beginner." We don't all have the luxury of doing what we love all of the time, but as we go through life it's important that we pay attention to whether or not what we are doing is aligned to our deeper purpose. The Getting things done methodology allows you to get into a state of flow and optimise each part of the process; capture, clarify, organise, reflect and engage. Todd's thoughts on work-life balance. "If we felt like we were always in balance, life would probably get a bit dull. A very important part of life is getting out of control, getting out of balance." If you enjoyed the interview with Todd then please do start a conversation with him and Next Action Associates on; Facebook Twitter YouTube --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

26. PI #26: Todd Brown - getting things done

Welcome back to the second part of this episode where I interview Katy Murray & Fiona Smith from Catalyst Collective; the co-founders of a global network of world changing women with a focus on changing the dialogue. They came together and founded Catalyst Collective just over 12 months ago and provide a community and resources, including on-line programmes and face to face coaching. Both have 20 years' experience in organisational consulting and leadership development and focus now on sharing that expertise (wisdom) with women leaders, and consulting with organisations that want to make a difference around inclusion. In part 2 Katy & Fiona share their insight and research into the gender pay gap, shifting the focus of discussion and how do we re-define leadership. They truly are two minds working in collaboration; looking to address the balance of leadership. We delve into comparison in the workplace and competition, discussing organisations and experiences where sharing isn't encouraged. They deliberately choose to work with an abundance mindset for themselves at Catalyst Collective; supporting and encouraging one another and creating together. Curiosity and boldness they hold one another's back rather than holding one another back. They've developed a partnership and sense of accountability which drives everything they're doing. Start a conversation with them on; <a href="https://twitter.com/katycatalyst">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/catalystcollective/">LinkedIn </a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catalystcollectivecommunity/">Facebook</a> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

Welcome back to the second part of this episode where I interview Katy Murray & Fiona Smith from Catalyst Collective; the co-founders of a global network of world changing women with a focus on changing the dialogue. They came together and founded Catalyst Collective just over 12 months ago and provide a community and resources, including on-line programmes and face to face coaching. Both have 20 years' experience in organisational consulting and leadership development and focus now on sharing that expertise (wisdom) with women leaders, and consulting with organisations that want to make a difference around inclusion. In part 2 Katy & Fiona share their insight and research into the gender pay gap, shifting the focus of discussion and how do we re-define leadership. They truly are two minds working in collaboration; looking to address the balance of leadership. We delve into comparison in the workplace and competition, discussing organisations and experiences where sharing isn't encouraged. They deliberately choose to work with an abundance mindset for themselves at Catalyst Collective; supporting and encouraging one another and creating together. Curiosity and boldness they hold one another's back rather than holding one another back. They've developed a partnership and sense of accountability which drives everything they're doing. Start a conversation with them on; Twitter LinkedIn  Facebook --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/perfectimbalance4/message

25. PI #25: Katy Murray & Fiona Smith - changing the dialogue part 2

Each week a different guest provides insight into their lives and what it’s like to be out of balance

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Perfect Imbalance Podcast

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