In the first half of 2015, I was trying to return to work after my breakdown. I didn’t know at the time, but I was still in the midst of it as I started to drag myself into work for a half day here... Read more
We don’t know what really happens behind closed doors; what it is like inside someone else’s heads; to truly walk in a stranger’s shoes. This is true in all aspects of life – no matter... Read more
I know that I love routine. I am a creature of habit. Repetition is my friend. I take comfort and reassurance from the routines that I have established in my life. They allow me to exert some control... Read more
Everyone is an expert. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a view. Some are well-informed, borne from personal experience, including of close family and friends. Some are based on prejudice, fear... Read more
Despite being someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, I consider myself to be fairly robust and resilient. Since my breakdown, I am more aware of my vulnerabilities and am less likely to... Read more
I know the signs. I pick the skin around my thumbs with my index fingers – occasionally biting the newly created scab or hard skin. Sometimes until they bleed when the digging has gone pretty... Read more
Like many people, I have a number of mini-obsessions. Routines. Things that are important to me to do each day – things that you might call little superstitions. One of them relates to my... Read more
At the start of this month I started a diary. A daily account of my mental health. The good. The bad. The indifferent. The highs and lows. The moments of self doubt. The days with a spring in my... Read more
For someone who suffers with depression, life is full of awkward or painful juxtapositions. Times when you are sat in the dark whilst others feel bathed in light. Times when you need an umbrella to... Read more
Please click on the link below to view the slides and hear the audio from my work life balance session at the Liverpool John Moores Professional Services Conference, 27 June 2019.... Read more
No matter how great your employer or boss is – and I am lucky to work for a great organisation and a brilliantly understanding, flexible and progressive manager – your work-life balance... Read more
To all the dads and grandads out there; happy Father’s Day. Like many people who are reflecting on their paternal relationships today, I am incredibly grateful for the role my dad has played... Read more
It’s always a dilemma. To sit or to stand. To lean on a table or look for a lectern to grab. To walk or stand still. Giving a presentation is one of the things that people label as highly... Read more
Fourteen years ago I had just returned from the trip of a lifetime. Seeing something I thought was impossible. Following in the footsteps of giants. Living a dream. History being made. I was... Read more
In the second half of 2015 I was on top of the world. I was flying high at PwC – on track to become a partner (a goal I had set myself a year before). I was living in a lovely house in Surrey... Read more
I haven’t read Fifty Shades of Grey. Or Lady Chatterley’s lover. Or any of Jilly Cooper’s raunchy romps. But I understand from those who have that they must be read in a covert fashion. Hidden... Read more
Principle 5 Be a planner You don’t go far wrong when quoting Benjamin Franklin. His sage advice, commanderied down the years by boy scouts and football managers alike sets the tone for this post:... Read more
I wrote last week about falling down to earth after feeling like I was making good progress with my mental health; my depression and my anxiety. It has now been a week since my fall – since... Read more
I love horse racing. I love the spectacle. I love the culture of the sport – much of which is deep in the Irish bloodstream. I love the setting and the scenery. I love the characters involved... Read more
If you believe a generation of northern comics, a weekend with your mother-in- law is the stuff of nightmares. It is bound, they say, to induce a bout of depression even in those who don’t have a... Read more