Tag: health and safety

Beating burnout

Linda

via GIPHY

Have you returned to work after the holiday period and feel a bit like this kid?  You’ve had a break yet you don’t feel rested and rejuvenated?  You certainly haven’t relished going back to work.  It feels like you’re on a merry-go-round you can’t get off.  It’s possible you could be at risk of burnout.

In a recent interview psychoanalyst Dr Josh Cohen explained “…that with burnout, the body collapses, so it is an involuntary rest…You feel you can’t move or do anything anymore but actually it’s accompanied by … a kind of overstimulation of the nervous system.”

Concerningly, the International SOS Risk Outlook Report 2024 published at the end of last year noted that “80% of surveyed global senior risk professionals predict burnout will have a significant impact on businesses in the next year. But only 41% of them feel that their organisations are equipped to deal with it.”

In the first few days of the new year media reported on a case where the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in favour of an employee who claimed work-induced burnout.  The employer, a large retail chain, was ordered to compensate the employee over $30,000.

Burnout, its causes and consequences have been covered in previous blogs.  You can read them and access the resources collated within them through these links:

Burnout, unfortunately, remains an ongoing workplace issue.  It has significant costs to a business as well as to individuals and society.  So as another year begins we have collated some updated library resources for you.

Whether you are self-employed, an employer or an employee there’s something below to help you balance work and life, and build resilience to ongoing work/life stresses.  Read on…


via GIPHY

Your Burnout Is Trying to Tell You Something
Kandi Wiens, HBR Online, January 16, 2024
Research has established that burnout is primarily the result of psychologically hazardous factors that occur at your workplace. Not being given the resources or time you need to manage your workload, for example, or working in an environment where you have insufficient control and autonomy, are known burnout triggers. No two experiences of burnout are exactly alike, and recovery requires that you pinpoint the unique workplace conditions that are contributing to your stress. One way to do this is to use your self-awareness skills to tune in and discover what your experience of burnout is trying to tell you — indeed, what it’s been trying to tell you all along. Here are some of the vital and lesser-known messages that burnout can reveal, and what to do about them.

From LinkedIn
(Access to full courses are available with library registration)

Managing Burnout
Hope in the face of burnout
For many professionals, remaining constantly connected and on task can feel like a requirement for success. Long hours and chronic exhaustion are normalized—if not celebrated—in many workplaces. A lack of boundaries between work and life can cause workers who previously felt fulfilled to feel resentful and unhappy. In this course, Melody Wilding teaches you how to spot the signs of burnout, complete an inventory to determine if you are burned out, and how to recognize the distinction between internal and external causes of burnout. Melody explains ways you can address behaviors, conditions, and mindsets that lead to burnout—including overworking, unproductive responses to stress, and negative thought patterns. Finally, she shows you how to craft a strategy to prevent burnout, focusing on creating more sustainable goals, setting boundaries, finding support, and understanding what self-care is and is not.

How to Beat Burnout, Exhaustion, and Stress
Burnout is often assumed to be the consequence of overwork. But this is only partially true—exhaustion is merely one facet of burnout. In this audio-only course, learn about the factors that cause these overwhelming feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency; how you can prevent burnout from happening; and what you can do to recover from it. Dr. Jacinta M. Jiménez breaks down the key mismatches that usually cause burnout, as well as how to use the PULSE framework to guide your recovery. She also shares a few easy habits to help you build resilience, how helping others can help you heal your mind, and how to beat negative thinking with curiosity.

Burnout / Selhub, Eva M
“Chronic, unmanaged stress–at work, at home, or in other areas of life–can lead to burnout. Burnout For Dummies shows you the way toward understanding and overcoming this all-to-common condition of modern life. Many of us find ourselves living in a state of constant resignation, which sucks the joy out of life and can be detrimental to our physical health. The tips and exercises in this book can help you minimize stress, become more resilient and create a happier, healthier, and more satisfying life. Mindfulness and resilience guru Dr. Eva Selhub offers a science-based plan that you can use to destress, build inner resources and coping skills, and start enjoying life (and work) again.” (Catalogue)

All the gold stars : reimagining ambition and the ways we strive / Stauffer, Rainesford
“All the Gold Stars looks at how the cultural, personal, and societal expectations around ambition are driving the burnout epidemic by funnelling our worth into productivity, limiting our imaginations, and pushing us further apart. Through the devastating personal narrative of her own ambition crisis, Stauffer discovers the common factors driving us all, peeling back layers of family expectations, capitalism, and self-esteem that dangerously tie up our worth in our output”– Provided by publisher” (Catalogue)  Also available as EAudiobook Libby

Slow Productivity : The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout / Newport, Cal
“… Long before the arrival of pinging inboxes and clogged schedules, history’s most creative and impactful philosophers, scientists, artists, and writers mastered the art of producing valuable work with staying power. In this timely and provocative book, Cal Newport harnesses the wisdom of these traditional knowledge workers to radically transform our modern jobs. Drawing from deep research on the habits and mindsets of a varied cast of storied thinkers … Newport lays out the key principles of “slow productivity,” a more sustainable alternative to the aimless overwhelm that defines our current moment. Combining cultural criticism with systematic pragmatism, Newport deconstructs the absurdities inherent in standard notions of productivity, and then provides step-by-step advice for cultivating a slower, more humane alternative. From the aggressive rethinking of workload management, to introducing seasonal variation, to shifting your performance toward long-term quality, Slow Productivity provides a roadmap for escaping overload and arriving instead at a more timeless approach to pursuing meaningful accomplishment. The world of work is due for a new revolution. Slow productivity is exactly what we need.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The book of burnout : what it is, why it happens, who gets it, and how to stop it before it stops you / Aisbett, Bev
“Australia’s bestselling anxiety and mental health author, Bev Aisbett, tackles a growing mental health emergency: burnout. Burnout happens when we take on too much, when we think we can do the impossible, at the cost of our wellbeing, our health and even our quality of life. Although the term is often casually tossed about, burnout is no joke – it can impact every area of your life and leave you depleted in every way. After two years of the pandemic and lockdowns, working from home, homeschooling, widespread stress and being on our computers and devices 24/7 and constantly available, the danger of burnout for so many of us is all too real. It can happen to anyone. Using humour, straightforward language and her signature illustrations, Bev clearly explains what burnout is, who is at risk, how to recognise the danger signs and, finally, how to step back from the brink, providing insight and techniques to ease burnout and stop yourself going up in smoke”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)  Also available as EAudiobook Borrowbox, EBook Borrowbox, EBook Libby

Dear work : something has to change / Ross, Sara
“… Do you find yourself striving for big goals but running on fumes? Are you ever stuck in the frustrating cycle of overworking and under-living? Do you love the work you do–or at least used to–but feel overwhelmed by it?
When it comes to work and our relationship with it, something has to change. This doesn’t mean you need to bound out of bed every day in love with your work, nor do you need to settle for dragging yourself out of bed surviving your way through it, but you can feel a greater sense of aliveness engaging in it. Dear Work transforms traditional advice by using the power of brain science to show you how to boost your Work Vitality Quotient so you stand out, bringing your best, most energized self–without burning out.
Sara Ross, chief vitality officer and leadership expert, will show you how to: Identify the four “success traps” that limit your potential by luring you into thinking you’re doing what it takes when really what you’re doing is taking from you. Adopt a “yes, and” mindset to work better with stress and feel fueled and fulfilled in the process. Expand your approach to self-care to strategically identify when slowing down is needed and when accelerating in a different direction is even better.
In a world that refuses to let up, reigniting your take-on-the-day vitality will be your competitive advantage at work and your path to pursuing a fully lived life outside of it as well.”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Balance your life and work : how to get the best from your job and still have a life
“There’s so much pressure to succeed at work that sometimes ‘real life’ tends to take a back seat. With the rise in flexible working and increased options to work from home, the boundaries have become even more blurred, and your relationships with friends, family, and children can all suffer as you try to cram everything into a ‘normal’ day. Whether you want to re-evaluate and improve your current situation, or opt for a complete change of scene with a career break, this book helps you figure out your own priorities and take positive action to make your life easier. It features:
Step-by-step guidance and actions plans;
Common mistakes and advice on how to avoid them;
Advice on how to identify flexible options in your life;
Ways to avoid stress and burnout;
Top tips and ideas to bear in mind for the future”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

The Upstander Movement : why now? – by guest author Jessica Hickman

Linda

Today’s blog is written by Jessica Hickman and republished with permission of the author.
Jessica is an Australian leadership coach, speaker, educator, and author with a core focus on empowering others to own their ability with authentic confidence driving change and innovation. As the founder of Bullyology, Jessica leads the Upstander Movement creating cultural change in workplaces and communities. 
Jessica recently published The Upstander Leader : How to develop a speak-up culture 

Bullying is a serious epidemic that has left so many millions across the globe traumatised. It is behaviour that is encountered as early on in life as childhood– in childcare centres, in kindergarten, in prep school, and so on.

But bullying isn’t behaviour that’s only confined to school yard. It isn’t only seen in deliberately tripping the new kid as they walk past with their lunch tray, and it often isn’t as blatantly obvious as a bunch of school thugs emptying out the victim’s bag to look for lunch money.

Bullying doesn’t just end in school.

As children grow and enter the workforce, they continue to encounter bullies who will use subtler but no less humiliating tactics to destroy their targets. Workplace bullying can look like constant targeted belittlement, escalating to threats and intimidation. It can lead the victim to experience stress, anxiety, panic attacks, disrupted sleeping patterns, high blood pressure, ulcers, and a plethora of other health problems. The victim is plagued with self-doubt, their productivity suffers, their passion for their job is replaced with the fear and disgust they associate with their workplace bully.

Sadly, this is an issue that is extremely prevalent in Australia, which has been ranked 6th in workplace bullying, when compared to 34 other European countries.

Workplace bullying isn’t just a personal problem, though; it isn’t something that only affects the bully and his victim. It also costs companies in terms of time, resources, revenue, and productivity. In fact, it has been estimated that workplace bullying costs the Australian economy between $6 billion to $36 billion dollars, every year.

While bullying statistics do showcase the extent of bullying, I’ve come to understand that there’s more to the whole bullying epidemic than just numbers and percentages; behind every statistic is a real person, and respect.

Behind every statistic is a story that needs rectifying, and it needs to be rectified now.


That’s why the Upstander Movement matters.

It aims at helping us all grow into the part of ourselves that will call out injustice and abuse, the part of ourselves that rejects passivity and embraces purpose-driven change making.

That’s why the Upstander Movement is the Now.

Who is an Upstander, and Why Should You Be One?
An upstander, as the word suggests, is someone who stands up for something, against something they feel is morally wrong. An upstander is someone whose impact makes a positive difference.

Upstanders are in all of the great heroes we read about and remember. From Nelson Mandela, to Malala Yousafzai, an upstander is someone with the steely determination to always do what they believe is right, regardless of any extraneous factors standing in their way.

In the context of workplace bullying, an upstander is someone who stands up for the target of the bullying. An upstander is someone who notices the situation, speaks up against it, and is gracious in doing so.

The Upstander Effect means everyone comes to work and goes home safe. It leaves everyone feeling like they can do their best work, like they’re supported, seen, heard, and valued in the Workplace. It is a workplace where, ultimately, everyone can thrive.

It is all the more important to be an upstander now– when everyone is still silently battling the after-effects of a pandemic that has caused increased levels of isolation, loneliness, anxiety, suffering, and depression. It is all the more important to be the Upstander who can be the catalyst for collective support in the workplace, to eliminate bullying, discrimination, injustice and racism.


The Bystander Effect
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

A bystander is essentially the opposite of an Upstander.

A Bystander is someone who will see an injustice happening, and look the other way. The Bystander Effect is when people will content themselves with just standing by and diffuse responsibility, because they “don’t want to get involved”.

As someone who experienced severe workplace bullying, I know the difference it might have made to me and my situation, had the business leaders chosen to be an Upstander and speak up against my perpetrator. Instead, they chose to be bystanders to my situation.

To be a passive bystander to bullying, is to be complicit in the bullying itself. This is why it is important to take action, to take initiative, to speak up.

As long as there is a single upstander, there will be a difference. As long as we have people who are willing to take that one step to make the difference, as long as we have people who are not afraid to “get involved”, workplace bullying can be fought.

Changing the world doesn’t have to be done in leaps and bounds, or from pedestals and podiums; sometimes, all it takes is speaking out against an unkind word to a colleague.

Why now?

As Charles Dickens wrote in the opening lines to what became one of his most celebrated works, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

Although Mr Dickens was describing the last quarter of the 18th century, this statement holds true still for the times we live now.

We live in times where injustice is widespread. There are a plethora of issues we hear about in the news on the daily, from racism, to discrimination, to murder, to harassment. But as much as we hear about all these unethical and illegal activities, biases, and incidents, we also hear—and experience—revolutions that are organised to counter them. From the Black Lives Matter movement to the MeToo movement, people everywhere are coming together to share their experiences and stories, and to push back against archaic stereotypes and biases.

With all the technology that is available at out fingertips, with all the connections that are only one click away, we are being challenged every day to learn something new in someone else’s perspective; we are in the middle of an ideas revolution.

We are living in a day and age when perpetrators are finding it harder to hide their injustices, when perpetrators are called out and people are willing to rally around the victim to help make a difference. We are living in a day and age when upstanders are more in the making than ever before.   

So, the question is “If not now, then when?”

Because there has never been a better time than right now. 

The upstander leader : how to develop a speak-up culture / Hickman, Jessica
“An inspiring and informative guide for a new generation of leaders who are ready to speak up against toxic behaviour and bullying in the workplace. We’ve all heard of the Bystander Effect, where people see bad behaviour and they walk on by. Bystanders have been called out by the #MeToo Movement, Black Lives Matter and March4Justice, to name just three. It’s not OK to ignore bad behaviour and it never has been. In the workplace (even in the highest levels of Government) bullying and bad behaviour take place, causing toxic cultures and awful places to work. But with 35% of the workforce now from the Millennial generation, it is essential that workplaces change. The Millennials are the Upstander generation – and they are the ones who are driving the future of business – you need them on your team. It’s time to empower our leaders to be Upstander Leaders to attract the best talent and make their working lives safe and enjoyable places where they can thrive. This practical book offers a 5-step model to help them do just that. Award-winning thought leader Jessica Hickman was a victim of workplace bullying over a three-year period when she saw first-hand the Bystander Effect. It motivated her to write The Upstander Leader to encourage leaders to develop a speak-up culture in their organisations. The strategies explained in this book have been road-tested in a number of organisations where bullying is not tolerated, and it’s not just OK to call it out – it is encouraged”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
 
Worksafe’s Bullying pages offers Tools and resources for businesses and workers to help guide you in preventing bullying in the workplace.

Other material on workplace bullying may be found in the Wellington City Library collection and includes :

Workplace bullying : a costly business phenomenon / Needham, Andrea W
“In this revitalised edition of Workplace Bullying by ground-breaking New Zealand human resource expert Andrea W. Needham, we take a hard look at a very dubious workplace practice. Corporate abuse. Mobbing. Workplace bullying. Call it what you will, the outcome is still the same – staff who become demoralised, and lose trust and confidence in your organisation; staff who leave.” (Catalogue)
 
 

Bullying in the workplace : causes, symptoms, and remedies
“Bullying in the workplace is a phenomenon that has recently intrigued researchers studying management and organizational issues, leading to such questions as why it occurs and what causes such harassment.” (Catalogue)

 
 
 
 

Bully blocking at work : a self-help guide for employees and managers / Field, Evelyn M
“No one goes to work to be humiliated, abused, ostracised, subjected to rumours, or assaulted. Yet this is the reality of a working day for more than one in six workers. Bullying causes billions of dollars in lost productivity, expensive mistakes, employee replacement costs, and health and welfare rehabilitation expenses. Most workplaces currently have few resources and systems to deal with the problem, leaving the victims to sink or swim, and the bullies to remain professionally incompetent. Few understand that bullying is not tough management or an aggressive personality trait to be suffered. Severe and unremitting bullying catapults the victim into such a damaging emotional state that it can lead to the breakdown of their very survival mechanisms. Bully Blocking at Work reveals for the first time the true evil nature of workplace bullying, helping the reader to understand its toxic, destructive impact on all employees – whether they are targets, bullies or onlookers – and provides advice for coping and confronting bullying, from both a personal and organisational perspective. The author has worked as a psychologist for over thirty years and has spent many hours listening to clients, conducting interviews, reading, speaking and writing about workplace bullying. Sprinkled liberally throughout the pages are quotes from the many sufferers of bullying that the author has personally worked with over many years.” (Catalogue)

Workplace bullying and harassment : a toolbox for managers and supervisors / Olsen, Hadyn
“Workplace bullying, harassment and occupational violence are not simple issues to deal with. If ignored or dealt with poorly, they can create a toxic workplace where high staff turnover, complaints and ongoing conflict are the norm. The second edition of this popular book provides information, advice, step-by-step processes and practical tips for managers and supervisors dealing with workplace bullying and harassment problems.” (Catalogue)

The well-spoken woman speaks out : how to use your voice to drive change / Jahnke, Christine K.
“Practical and inspiring, this book is a valuable asset for women seeking to drive change with #MeToo, March for our Lives, Time’s Up, Black Women Lead, Climate Action, She Should Run, Power to the Polls, and women’s marches. In her successful book The Well-Spoken Woman, top speech coach Christine K. Jahnke shared techniques to help women present their ideas effectively in any setting. This new follow-up is for women who are persisting, resisting, advocating, or running for office–and gives them the tools to be effective, persuasive, and powerful communicators. The Well-Spoken Woman Speaks Out will guide any woman who wants to state her case in the most compelling way, ensure that she is truly heard and understood, and seeks to impact and inspire others. It takes Jahnke’s direct experience working with women like Michelle Obama and the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton and pairs it with the recent surge of women nationwide who are speaking up to drive social and political change. Jahnke, who has spent twenty-five years helping women leaders, provides guidance and best practices so you can: rally support for a cause, make a persuasive pitch, campaign for public office, be a successful advocate, and motivate people to make positive change. She applies her expertise to many facets of communicating publicly, including using your voice in social media; participating in panels, meetings, and discussions; giving presentations; and speaking to the media”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Permission to speak : how to change what power sounds like, starting with you / Bay, Samara
“Find your voice and use it to lead us to a better future, with this game-changing blueprint for redefining what power and authority sound like–from a Hollywood communication expert. Anyone who has ever been told “You should speak up!” during a meeting at the office, a group project at school, or even a conversation among friends can attest to the misunderstanding at the heart of that demand. For those of us–including women, people of color, immigrants, and queer folks–who find it hard to speak up, the issue is not just about willpower. Many of us have internalized the same messages since birth: that because of the pitch of our voice, the accent we possess, or the slang we use, we will not be taken seriously. Power, we’re told, sounds like the mostly white, straight, wealthy men who wield it. Samara Bay–one of the most in-demand speech and dialect coaches in Hollywood–has made it her mission to change that, and with Permission to Speak she presents a fun and practical road map for making big cultural change while embracing our natural strengths. Drawing on her experience plus the latest research in public speaking, linguistics, and social science, she identifies tools for unlocking the potential in each of our voices–whether you’re an entrepreneur, a new political candidate, a creative type with a bold vision, or a mom going back to work. Giving yourself permission means more than landing your message–it’s about showing up when you show up and finding joy in speaking to your public. With simple tools, big ideas, and a whole lot of heart, Permission to Speak offers a revolutionary take on public speaking and a new definition of what power sounds like. Namely, you”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Jerks at work : toxic coworkers and what to do about them / West, Tessa V.
Ever watched a coworker charm the pants off management while showing a competitive, Machiavellian side to the lower ranks? West profiles classic workplace archetypes, and gives advice to anyone who has ever cried in a bathroom stall at the office. Digging into the inner workings of each bad apple, she explores their motivations and insecurities, and offers clever strategies for stopping each type of jerk in their tracks. This is the playbook that you wish you didn’t need! — adapted from publisher info” (Adapted from Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Stages of burnout, triggers and warning signs by guest author Jess Stuart

Linda

Since 2020 workplaces have seen a rapid rise in burnt out managers, business owners and employees and the warnings are there is more to follow. 

This occupational phenomena was included for the first time in 2019’s 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) which defines Burnout as: 

“… a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”

In today’s blog, our guest author, Jess Stuart, has written of her personal experience with and recovery from, burnout and pulls together her research on the topic.

Of her latest book, Burnout to brilliance, she says:

“This book isn’t really about burnout … it’s more about redefining peak performance and developing a roadmap for getting there”. (p.8)

The blog piece below has been reproduced from the author’s website with her permission.  

Research out of AUT suggests 11 per cent of New Zealand workers might be experiencing burnout: physical or mental problems due to stress or overwork.  That’s more than one in every ten new Zealanders.

 We use the term burnout to describe physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.

The World Health Organisation predicts burnout will be a global pandemic in less than a decade and The  World Economic Forum estimates an annual burnout cost of GBP 225B to the global economy.  We know there’s an organisational cost of burnout too with increased turnover, absenteeism and of course the obvious impact on performance. 

 The most common indicators burnout is at play are; exhaustion, a feeling of lack of control, disengaging, trouble focusing, a sense of dread about work and frequent feelings of cynicism or irritability.

Burnout is not just about quantity but the quality of what we’re doing not just how much of it we’re doing.  According to Psychology today; “Burnout is not simply a result of working long hours or juggling too many tasks, though those both play a role”. 

The cynicism, depression, and lethargy that are characteristic of burnout most often occur when a person is not in control of how a job is carried out, or is asked to complete tasks that conflict with their sense of self.

5 Stage of Burnout with symptoms

 In my experience, it’s not poor performers who burnout, we don’t burn out because we’re not capable, in fact it’s the opposite.  The more capable we are the more likely we are to burnout, it’s the drive of the high achiever that leads us down this path. 

High achievers are given more work because of their competence and track record which puts them at higher risk of overworking , having too much on their plate and ultimately burning out.

And of course we can’t say no, for fear of not been seen as up to the job, for looking weak or like we’re not coping. Our cultures and societal norms around this stuff keep us pushing until we hit a wall, saying yes until we collapse under the weight of all the commitments we’ve just made – then we feel like a failure. 

So how do we avoid burnout? What triggers should we look out for?

Well, if you’re tired all the time, despite getting plenty of sleep; if you’re constantly fighting off coughs and colds – always being on the verge of sickness; if you’re struggling to motivate yourself, and not finding joy in the things you used to love or don’t have the motivation to do these things … you’re on notice burnout is close.

In this state, we become less tolerant of those around us. We reach for the wrong food or increase our alcohol intake as a coping mechanism. When we’re exhausted, we tend to choose TV over exercise, or takeaways over cooking, or we skip meals completely because of a loss of appetite – these are all potential burnout signs.

And, of course, the most obvious sign is when we truly hit burnout, and end up in bed, completely devoid of energy and interest in life. This was certainly my experience – but we’re all different.

Most of us know what it’s like to be at our best; we’ve been there before. Likewise, we know what it’s like when we’re about to hit a wall and get sick: when we’ve overdone it, left it too late or burned the candle at both ends.

I like to think of this in terms of a traffic light. We all have green and red zones, and they look different for us all.

The red light stops us completely; it’s our ground zero. The green light is when we’re all go and at our best. The amber light, in between, is important: it’s our warning system. When we slip from green, before we hit red, the amber light gives us an opportunity to act and pre-empt hitting the wall and slipping into that red zone: burnout.

For me, that amber light is a twitch in the corner of my eye, a sore throat and a constant tiredness. It’s noticing I’m less tolerant and a bit snappy with loved ones. This is my amber light; my warning to back off, take a rest and pre-empt the approaching red zone.

Another way to think about this is in terms of the petrol warning light in the car. When you know your tank is nearing empty, stop and refuel, to avoid being left on the side of the road.

So what do these traffic lights look like for you? What do you notice about yourself when you’re at your best, on green? What about when you’re at your worst and close to burnout, on red? And what about that bit in between: what are the early warning signs you get at the amber light? What rating would you give yourself right now and what can you do about it?


Jess Stuart is a coach, speaker and author of five personal development books specialising in mindset, performance and women in leadership.  A well known expert with a background in Senior Human Resources roles and a decade working in leadership development find out more about Jess via her website www.jessstuart.co.nz  Until recently, she lived in Wellington.

Burnout to brilliance : redefining peak performance / Stuart, Jess
“Learn how to achieve peak performance without burning out in the process. We live in a constant state of overwhelm and exhaustion whilst simultaneously striving for high performance. It’s not sustainable and it’s why burnout has become so prevalent. That was before the global pandemic which exacerbates the level of change and uncertainty leaving peak performance even harder to achieve. Busyness is fashionable, we wear it like a badge of honour but it doesn’t lead to high performance. Quantity does not always mean quality and being busy does not mean we’re productive, in fact the opposite is often true. Understand the difference between busy and productive. Work smarter not harder and master the habits of high performance. Understand the neuroscience behind thinking patterns and how to access a flow state. Learn strategies to cultivate a more focused, clear mind. Be your best without burning out in the process. Overcome overwhelm, reenergise and build resilience. Improve productivity and effectiveness”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

I love Mondays : a guide to finding joy in your work / Stuart, Jess
“Out of the world’s one billion full time workers only 15% are engaged in our work. That means a massive 85% of us are unhappy in our jobs. Is it possible to do work we love and get paid for it? Why do so many of us dislike our job and what’s the impact on our health and happiness? Society models a version of career success that revolves around status, titles and salary not passion, purpose and happiness. This book uncovers the secret to finding work you love and if that’s not your current job, how to find a new one. Including 20 case studies from everyday people who’ve done just that. Master the art of work-life balance and get the job you’ve dreamed of. Discover the joy of finding meaning and purpose in the work that you do, working for a company that aligns with your values, with people you trust, where you get to use your skills and learn. Experience what it feels like to jump out of bed every Monday morning knowing you make a difference and sustain high performance to continue to grow in a career you love.” (Catalogue)

The superwoman survival guide : a book for busy women / Stuart, Jess
“The superwoman survival guide is a guide to surviving your own expectations. Learning to overcome, balance our busy lives, believe in our own abilities and understand how to be amazing, just as you are. This book is not about changing who you are it’s about changing the way you think about who you are. Freeing yourself from the pursuit of a superwoman ideal that’s unrealistic and is making so many of us unhappy. This sense of not measuring up, the need to be more and do more keeps us constantly striving for something that’ll always be out of reach – it exists only in the movies. It’s what I refer to as the superwoman complex”–(Catalogue)

Like a girl : a guide to unlocking your potential / Stuart, Jess
“Do you have a busy, over committed schedule, struggle to find enough hours in the day? Are you busy doing everything in an attempt to please everyone? Longing for a time you can enjoy life, not feel so overwhelmed, to draw breath and contemplate the things that matter? How do we find balance in a world that places so much expectation on us, a life in which we are exhausted yet still busy striving for perfection? How do we navigate the unique challenges we face, overcome fear and self-doubt? Learn how to embrace your authenticity and leverage the strengths we have as women. Discover the empowerment of what being like a girl means. Understand how we build resilience and overcome self-doubt to achieve our goals. With practical advice to help you uncover your brilliance and thrive at life.” (Catalogue)

A rough guide to a smooth life / Stuart, Jess
“Does it feel like you’re always striving but never arriving? What would it be like if life wasn’t so hard, if you had more time and energy? Its the question were all trying to find the answer to; where is happiness and how do we get it? This is a practical self-improvement guide on surviving modern life. Rediscover the art of happiness, find meaning and purpose, and create a life you love. It seems like we live on fast forward. As a result, were living a fast life not a good life, in which we can do more things in less hours of the day but spend less time doing the things that really matter. Over the past few years I have transformed my own life. This involved overcoming challenges, discovering my true self and finding the courage to leave everything I know to walk my own path and make my dreams a reality. I learned a lot about myself and even more about life and happiness along the way. This book doesn’t create happiness for you; its already there inside. It will empower you to realise your potential, improve your life, and achieve your dreams. Jess uncovers the key to creating a happier life and leads by example. Her perspective shines a bright light at a much needed time. Let her guide you, this book will help.” (Catalogue) (E-book format only)