My Pocket Psych

In this special celebratory 200th episode, we turn the tables: Richard is in the hot seat and interviewed by friend of the show, Ross McIntosh. 

Ross asks Richard about the origins of the show, what he learnt over 199 episodes, how he's changed and what lessons he'd share with others. We look at popular episodes, why psychics don't get invited on, and answer a series of questions from listeners. 

The show wouldn't exist without its listeners. So a massive thank you to everyone who's ever given the show a chance. Huge thanks to everyone who has ev...

Richard is once again joined by fellow psychologist Ross McIntosh to discuss the importance of coping with difficulties and setbacks - especially when it comes to leadership roles. 

They outline the inevitability of challenges and the importances of using healthy and sustainable coping strategies in response. They look at why some of the more unhealthy and unhelpful strategies are so attractive and present some simple and accessible alternatives. 

Thanks for listening!

And we hope you'll join us for the livestream of our 200th episode on Monday 8th December at 4pm UK time. Join ou...

In this episode, Richard is joined by colleague and fellow psychologist Ross McIntosh for a discussion about the importance of self-care for leaders.

Given the tough roles leaders occupy, maintaining a focus on their wellbeing is key. Richard and Ross look at common misunderstandings about self-care and why it's not all glasses of wine in luxurious bubble baths!

They also explain its relevance of leadership effectiveness, why it's so hard to consider our future selves, and how self-care is different to coping. Join us for our next episode, when we'll build on these concepts and...

This episode focuses on the important role that good quality coaching can play as part of structured leadership development. As part of a leadership programme, coaching allows the participants to explore new concepts and practice bringing them to life, to work on barriers to behavioural change, and any other important personal development topics not covered in the programmes core curriculum. 

This episode is made up of a recording of a recent webinar on the topic, co-facilitated by Dr. Richard MacKinnon and Dr. Rachael Skews. They also explore what to look for in a prospective leadership coach and t...

Following on from the last episode, where I discussed how to get the most from your experience on a development programme, this time I ask: once the programme is over, how do you keep focused on your development? 

How do you avoid letting your new knowledge and skills wither on the vine? How do you prevent your new perspectives and concepts staying in notebooks and folders, rather than being brought to life in your decisions and day to day behaviour?

I share ten tips that will help ensure your development remains an ongoing are aof f...

And we're back! After a break to enjoy my summer holiday in Japan, My Pocket Psych is back with a focus on how to get the most from your involvement in a leadership development programme. 

We look at the importance of four key factors: mindset, engagement, reflection and application. These include your own thoughts and beliefs about development, the extent to which you get 'stuck in' to the programme, how you reflect on your development journey and how you put what you've learnt into practice.

This epsiode is part of our Sustainable Leadership series and y...

After quite a few weeks focusing on self-care and coping - as topics for leaders - I realised I was at risk of neglecting my own self-care and planned holiday. So this short episode constitutes a bit of a reflection of sorts, as I consider how I can best disconnect from work while in Japan. 

Resources for this episode

To find out more about 'Sustainable Leadership', you can visit the resources page at worklifepsych.com/sustainableleadership.

You can find out more about self-care and coping by watching our recent webinar on the topic: ht...

In this episode, I take a look at some of the ways leaders' wellbeing is challenged. Stressors from the role of leadership, the culture of the organisation and from within the leader him/herself can combine to make the job much more difficult than it needs to be. 

I look at some of the sources of these difficulties and explore one in particular: the various ways that business travel can erode leaders' wellbeing. 

This is part of our series on 'Sustainable Leadership' and you can find all the resources that support it on our website at...

This is the second part of Richard's two-part interview with Dr. Richard Duggins, all about his work in treating burnout. You can find the first part of this interview here. 

In this episode, Dr. Richard Duggins explains the role of the workplace and workplace culture in employees' experiene of burnout. Why 'keeping calm and carrying on' is precisely what not to do in the face of overwhelming demands. And busts some common myths about burnout. 

We also look at the role of leadership and its demands when it comes to burnout, the dangerous and unsustainable co...

In this episode of our 'Sustainable Leadership' series, we explore the antithesis of sustainable work: professional burnout. 

Richard is joined by Dr. Richard Duggins, consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist, who is known as the 'Doctor's Doctor' due to his work with physicians experiencing burnout in the NHS. His recent book 'Burnout-free working' explores the topic in detail, demystifying burnout and explaining how recovery is possible. 

In this first part of a two-part interview, we establish what burnout actually is, explore the 'burnout cliff' concept, learn about the role of 'radiators' and 'drains' the key impact of or...

This episode of the podcast is based on a webinar we recently ran on the topic of emotional literacy.

In this session, Dr. Richard MacKinnon and Ross McIntosh explain what sustainable leadership is, the role of emotional literacy in leadership, the risks of neglecting it and some simple ways to develop it. 

This is part of our 'Sustainable Leadership' series and you can find out more and access our free white paper on the topic, by clicking the link below.

Resources for this episode

Welcome to another episode of My Pocket Psych, which is part of our ongoing 'Sustainable Leadership' series.

In this episode, Richard is joined by clinical and coaching psychologist Dr. Petra Gwilliam, to discuss the importance of mental health when it comes to leadership.

We've previously looked at some of the challenges leaders can face at work, and the benefits of cultivating psychological flexibility (Episode 186). In this episode, Richard and Petra discuss some of the many challenges to leaders' mental health specifically, how dips in mental health can show up in leaders' emotions, attitudes and behaviour...

Continuing our theme of the importance of Sustainable Leadership, this episode is a little bit different. 

This episode is the first in a new series where we'll unpack all aspects of leadership, leadership development and the wellbeing and performance of leaders. 

In this episode, Richard is joined by Dr. Wayne Mullen, an experienced leadership development expert, to set the scene, outline our rationale for focusing on leadership, and explore some of the ways leadership can go wrong. 

In the coming episodes, we're going to look at topics like the role of coaching in leadership development, the importance of leaders' mental health at work, and why resilience just isn't enough. 

We...

In this episode, we wrap up our 'Thriving at Work' focus on wellbeing by asking a simple question: when it comes to improving your health and wellbeing, have you considered actually doing less? 

So much of the advice we get about our wellbeing implies the need to do more of something: new foods, new diets, new exercises, new methods and approaches. But if we look at the root causes of so much of our pain and ill health, it stems from over-consumption, over-exertion and overwhelm. 

If you're clear on what matters, focus on moving in th...

In episode 181, I explained how getting clear on what matters - our values - can be a great place to start when we want to improve our wellbeing. 

This time round, I look at the benefits of putting these values into action and being more intentional about our actions. Instead of framing our attempts at change as 'pass' or 'fail', we can frame our options as either moving towards what matters to us, or away from some form of psychological discomfort. This can take the pressure of perfection or completion off the table and intead allows us t...

I recently spoke at the Health and Wellbeing at Work conference in Birmingham on supporting employees to overcome challenges and setbacks. On the back of lots of positive feedback, I decided to record an episode outlining the main points I shared with delegates on the day, to share with a wider audience. And hopefully improve on my delivery!

In this episode, I explain what Psychological Flexibility is, how psychological rigidity shows up, why flexibility helps us deal with the everyday challenges and setbacks we can expect to encounter at work, and how the skills that comprise the...

In this episode, we look at why it's so important to be clear on our values when making changes to improve our wellbeing. 

Values help us make authentic changes, help us persist when we don't feel like it, and give us an opportunity to take values-based action on a daily basis. Values remind us of the person we want to be, an incredibly useful touchstone as we progress on our change journey. 

Don't forget you can get in touch with your questions and comments by emailing 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com'. 

Thanks for lis...

Change is at the very heart of the work that I do with my clients. Changing behaviour, changing attitudes. Changing in response to changes in the environment.

In this episode, I take a look at some of the different levels at which change can take place - from daily habits all the way through to identity. This enables us to get nice and specific about what it is we actually want to change, and do so in an authentic and realistic way. 

Do get in touch with your questions and comments. You can always email t...

And now for something completely different! Richard is joined by coach and actor, Lena Kaur for a discussion about coaching actors. 

We try to keep our definition of work and the workplace as broad as possible and in this episode, Richard and Lena explore the particular challenges faced by actors and how increasing their psychological flexibility can make all the difference. 

Lena explains how being can actor can help when coaching other actors, but also when it can get in the way. And we take a look at the wellbeing challenges that actors frequently face. 

In another of our 'Thriving at Work' episodes, Richard is joined by fellow workplace psychologist  Jane Stewart. They look at some of the challenges with addressing workplace wellbeing and the common traps organisations can fall into. 

While it's so easy to get caught up with new wellbeing fads and fashions, these are often disruptive and fail to deliver results. Simiarly, even evidence-based approaches may not be right for your organisation right now. So, a more thoughtful and deliberate approach is what's required. 

We love to hear from listeners, so please do get in touch with you...

In this episode in our 'Thriving at Work' series, Richard is joined by Hazel Anderson-Turner for a discussion all about burnout.

Hazel describes what prompted her to write a book on the topic, as well as her significant experience coaching and training professionals on how to avoid burnout in the UK's National Health Service (NHS).

Richard and Hazel discuss the benefits of using Acceptance and Commitment Coaching methods, the futility of self-blame when it comes to burnout, the key role that organisational context plays and what Hazel hopes readers will take away from her book.<...

What does it mean to be evidence-based when it comes to wellbeing at work? How do we know what works when it comes to wellbeing interventions? And does doing 'something' always beat doing nothing?

In this episode, Richard is joined by James Carrier for a chat about the benefits of being more evidence-based when it comes to wellbeing and the importance of asking difficult questions. 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/176 

Thanks for listening! 

We continue our 'Thriving at Work' series with a look at leadership and leaders. Richard is joined by Leadership Development expert and executive coach, Dr. Wayne Mullen.

They have a look at what it means to be a leader, why it's beneficial to challenge leadership stereotypes and explore some of the many challenges contemporary organisational leaders face.

You can find full show notes for this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/175

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, another in the Thriving at Work series, we take a look at how sleep contibutes to our wellbeing and performance at work and ask: can you really thrive when you haven't had enough sleep? 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/174 

Thanks for listening!

After a few 'heavy' episodes, it's time to turn to the lighter side of the workplace. Richard is joined by Dr. Mike Rucker for a discussion all about how to have more fun, inside and outside of work. Mike discusses his book about fun, the relationship between run, wellbeing and performance, the downsides of putting too much emphasis on 'future happiness'. 

You can find the full show notes for this episode at worklifeposych.com/podcast/173

Thanks for listening!

In this latest episode of our 'Thriving at Work' series, Richard takes a fresh look at the concept of self-care. While it may conjure up images of bubble baths and cups or tea, there's a lot more to it than that. Richard outlines some quality markers to bear in mind when selecting self-care activities and flags some common pitfalls to avoid. 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at worklifepsych.com/podcast/172 

Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, which is part of our Thriving at Work series, Richard is joined by two experts in ostracism at work, to discuss what it is, how it impacts employees and what we can do about it.

Dr. Ian Tyndall and Dr. Daniel Waldeck discuss their research and why they got involved in this specific topic. Unlike the loneliness experience we discussed back in Ep 135 with Dr. Sarah Wright, where people aren't feeling enough connection with others, ostracism centres of feelings and beliefs about being shut out from a team, group or community and involves uncertainty...

In this episode, Richard is joined once again by Ross McIntosh for a discussion about how increasing our psychological flexibility can improve our wellbeing. 

This episode is part of our 'Thriving at Work' series, which focuses on wellbeing at work and what individuals and organisations can do to improve it. Richard and Ross look at what we mean by wellbeing, and explore how increasing psychological flexibility can make a positive contribution to our physical, psychological and social wellbeing. 

As ever, you can get in touch with us about any aspect of this episode or the co...

In this episode, part of our Thriving at Work initiative, Richard is joined by Dr. Rachael Skews for a discussion about employees with chronic health conditions.

They look at what constitutes a chronic health condition, while employees may be reticent to speak up about their condition or ask for assistance, and the ways that organisations can unintentionally exclude people from the workplace due to inflexibility about how work is organised.

They then explore how we can look at the experience of these employees through the lens of Psychological Flexibility. This includes the role of acceptance...

In this episode of the podcast, the first in our new 'Thriving at Work series, Richard is joined by menopause researcher Kara Daly for a discussion about how menopause impacts women at work. 

It's a big topic, affecting so many people in the workforce, yet very often neglected. From myths and misconceptions, to the impact menopause has on women's identity and careers, through to the simple things organisations and managers can do to make the experience easier for women.

FIND OUT MORE

Our 'Thriving at Work' campaign: https://www.worklifepsych.com/thrivingatwork

In this episode, Richard is joined by Antonina Pereira, Professor of Neuropsychology and Neuroscience at the University of Chichester.

They explore Antonina's research into prospective memory - our ability to remember to do things in future - and how it relates to our wellbeing, our productivity and effectiveness at work, and discuss some simple ways to improve our ability to 'remember to remember'. 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/167 

Thanks for listening!

I'm recording this episode just before I turn on my 'out of office' and head to Spain for my annual review. In this solo episode, I outline my reasons for taking an annual retreat each year, why you don't need to leave the country to do this, but why regular reflection is a great idea. 

Find the show notes for this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/166

Thanks for listening!

In this final episode of our series on Psychological Flexibility, Richard and Ross reflect on what it was like to create the episodes, share listener feedback and answer some more of your questions. 

You can find all the resources for this series at https://www.worklifepsych.com/PsychologicalFlexibility and some more detailed show notes at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/165 

Thanks for listening! 

In this, the latest episode in our series on Psychological Flexibility, Richard is one again joined by fellow psychologist Ross McIntosh. They explore the importance of noticing the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves - which we collectively call our self-concept - and holding these stories lightly. 

Full shownotes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/164

Thanks for listening!

Richard is joined by fellow psychologist Sarah McLellan for a discussion about the role of organisational culture and the importance of shaping it intentionally. 

For full show notes for this episode, visit our website at worklifepsych.com/podcast/163

Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, Richard is joined by friend of the podcast Dr. Rachael Skews. They discuss a recent coaching psychology conference they both presented at, the nature of coaching research, the importance of evidence-based practice and ask the killer question: will your coach be replaced by a bot? 

Full show notes for this episode can be found on our website at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/162 

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard and Ross take a look at another important skill for increasing our psychological flexibility: acceptance.

This doesn't mean a passive acceptance of the status quo, or simply pushing through difficulties with gritted teeth. It means authentically accepting the discomfort and other stuff we don't like in situations, while taking helpful action to get through it. Once we make room for it, we don't have to struggle with it, or delay action until the discomfort has gone.

We explore the various ways we raise this topic with our clients in coaching contexts...

In this episode of 'My Pocket Psych', Richard and Ross turn to the next skill in our psychological flexibility toolkit: committed action.

This is all about taking our values and putting them into action. Doing more of the stuff that matters, not because it's easy or fun, but because it's important.

You can find all the resources we mention in this episode on our dedicated series page at https://www.worklifepsych.com/psychologicalflexibility 

In this video, we continue our series focused on the skills that boost our Psychological Flexibility.

This time round, Richard and Ross discuss the benefits of being clear on what really matter to us in life - our values. We look at what values are (and importantly, what they're not!), ways that we use values in our coaching practices with clients, and some simple ways to bring additional clarity to your own values.

Remember, you can find all the resources for this series in one place, including all previous episodes, on the WorkLifePsych website:

This is the third part in our series exploring Psychological Flexibility. Richard and Ross look at the skill called 'Cognititve Defusion', where we learn to see our thoughts in a different light. 

You can find show notes and all the resources we mention at our dedicated online resource page:

worklifepsych.com/psychologicalflexibility 

Thanks for listening!

In this second part of our series on how to develop your psychological flexibility, we look at the importance of being in the present moment, and minimising 'mental time-travel'.

Richard and Ross look at some of the unhelpful ways our attention and focus are pulled from the here and now, along with some simple ways you can start to develop your capacity to just notice.

We make the distinction between day-dreaming and all the benefits this can bring, and unwanted mental time-travel, where we can get taken to worrying imagined futures. It's the unwanted mental...

This is the first of a new series of the podcast where we focus on the skills that develop our psychological flexibility. Richard is joined by fellow psychologist Ross McIntosh, the host of the excellent People Soup podcast. 

In this episode, they discuss what psychological flexibility is, what it feels like to experience psychological inflexibility, and what you can expect from the remainder of this series. 

You can find the full show notes for this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/156 and discover more about psychological flexibility at https://www.worklifepsych.com/psychologicalflexibility 

T...

In this episode, Richard is joined by fellow coaching psychologist Lucie Ilbury for a look at the common pitfalls to avoid when it comes to our values. 

Shownotes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/155 

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we take a look at deadlines and how to handle them effectively. Whether it's a deadline we've been given, or one we've decided upon ourselves, they can either be a motivating target or a mark in the calendar that fills us with dread. So we look at some of the ways we can make our deadlines actually work for us. 

Full show notes can be found at: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/154

Thanks for listening! 

In our last episode. Richard and Rachael explored some of the reasons goals and goal-setting can work against us and make behaviour change even more difficult. 

This time round, Richard outlines some of the common reasons we can find it hard to stick to new habits. Full show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/153 

And if you'd like to watch this episode as a video, you can find it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/RiRhu1hrC48 

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard is joined by Dr. Rachael Skews for a conversation about goals, goal-setting and the downside of focusing too much on goals. 

You can find the full show notes for this episode by visiting our website: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/152

Thanks for listening! 

A quick reminder of our upcoming webinar all about coaching.

On Jan 25th, I'll be facilitating a free session to demystify coaching, explain what's involved and how it can contribute positively to your goal attainment, wellbeing, productivity and career clarity. 

To find out more and reserve your free place, simply visit https://www.worklifepsych.com/ConsideringCoaching 

Thanks for listening - and I look forward to seeing you there! 

In this episode, Richard is joined by fellow podcaster and expert in ACT, Ross McIntosh, for a discussion about leadership at work.

Ross is the host of the excellent 'People Soup' podcast, and regularly trains professionals int he ACT skills that support psychological flexibility. 

Richard and Ross walk through a model of Authentic Leadership, exploring the skills and personal qualities that contribute to quality leadership performance. Looking at leadership through the ACT 'lens', Ross then explains how he's bringing these concepts to life for his leadership clients. 

We actually the recorded the video of...

We hit the 150 episode mark and take a look back at what we've learned along the way. We also look at the benefits of reviewing your year before making plans for the new year ahead. 

Full show notes for this episode are available at worklifepsych.com/podcast/150 

Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, Richard and Pilar discuss some of the most common mistakes to avoid when introducing coaching to your organisation. 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at worklifepsych.com/podcast/149 

Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, we look at the concept of 'use of self' and authenticity in coaching. How would you answer the question: do you practice what you preach?

You can find full show notes for this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/148. 

We take a look at another common coaching question: how does coaching differ from therapy? It's not as clear a line between the two as you might imagine. 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at worklifepsych.com/podcast/147

Richard here, to remind you of an upcoming free event that may interest you. If you're considering coaching for yourself, or thinking about introducing it to your organisation this year, then our Considering Coaching webinar might be just what you need. 

On October 26th at 10am UK time, I'll be facilitating a webinar all about coaching and the benefits it can bring. 

In this webinar, I'll go through the basics of what coaching is, what it's not and how to get the most from the experience. I'll explain the benefits of working with coaching psychologists li...

In this episode, Richard and Pilar answer one of the most common questions when it comes to coaching: what to do in between the coaching sessions. 

Show notes for this episode can be found at worklifepsych.com/podcast/146

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard explores what a coaching psycholoigist is and some of the differences between this and other specialisms within the profession. Full shownotes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/145

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Pilar interviews Richard about his recent personal retreat in Spain and they discuss how to get the most from a retreat - even if it's in a local park or coffee shop.

You can find full show notes for this episode at worklifepsych.com/podcast/144 

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard explores how to get the most from your calendar. A valuable tool when it comes to planning and productivity, but if mis-used, a source of overwhelm and stress. 

You can find full show notes for this episode at worklifepsych.com/podcast/143

Following on from our last episode, where we took a fresh look at the roots of procrastination, this time we look at some simple ways you can replace your procrastination with proactivity.

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/142 

Thanks for listening!

Richard explores some of the stories we tell ourselves when we decide to procrastinate. The unhelpful, irrational stories that help us avoid some form of discomfort. In the next episode, we'll look at some simple things you can do to beat the procrastination habit. 

Full show notes for this episode are available at WorkLifePsych.com/podcast/141

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we continue our focus on self-awareness and look at the power of journalling.

Richard is joined by fellow psychologist Dr. Amy Redmond, author of 'The Aha Journal'. 

Full show notes are available at WorkLifePsych.com/podcast/140 

Thanks for listening!

This time round, Richard and Pilar discuss some of the simplest approaches to learning more about what makes us who we are, and how we can adjust our responses to the world around us.

You can find show notes for this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/139

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard and Pilar take a look at the concept of self-awareness. What do we mean when we use this phrase? Why is it so important for our experience of the workplace? And why can it be so difficult to develop? 

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/138

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard and Pilar take look at what makes some conversations at work 'difficult', and what we can do to overcome this. 

Full show notes for this episode are available at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/137 

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard explores the important differences between our values and our goals, but also how we can use them together to achieve what's really important to us. 

Full show notes for this episode can be found at worklifepsych.com/podcast/136

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard is joined by Dr. Sarah Wright, for a discussion about workplace loneliness. Sarah is an expert in workplace loneliness and interpersonal connection and together, they look at how loneliness impacts us - and those around us - and explore some simple steps anyone can take to beat the experience. They also announce the publication of our new free guide to beating loneliness 'Connect and Thrive'. 

You can find full show notes for this episode at worklifepsych.com/podcast/135

In this episode, Richard explores some of the many ways we can contribute to our own sense of overwhelm. We'll all feel overwhelmed with the stuff life throws at us from time to time, but some of our habits and attitudes can make the experience even worse.

Richard walks through some of the root causes of being overwhelmed and indicates those that are more under our control. 

Please get in touch with your questions and comments. You can contact us via email: podcast at worklifepsych dot com. And now you can follow us and get i...

In this episode, Richard and Pilar explore the benefits of treating our routines and habits with flexibility. ideally, they exist to hep us who we want to be - but we also need to pay attention to the context we're in, stepping away from routines and habits when they're no longer helpful or appropriate. 

Show notes for this episode can be found at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/133

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard is joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Matthew Brown. Matt outlines how he brings the principles of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Theory) to life in his work with patients living with cancer. 

You can find the show notes for this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/132

In this episode, Richard and Pilar discuss some very common myths and misconceptions about coaching. 

Coaching is just about goals, right? And it's just a conversation. My coach will give me the advice I need! Just a few of the misconceptions we discuss. 

Get in touch with your own questions about coaching, or even some examples of coaching misconceptions you've come across. We love to hear from our listeners.

Show notes for this episode are available at WorkLifePsych.com/podcast/131

Thanks for listening! 

Welcome to another episode of 'My Pocket Psych', where Richard is joined by Dr. Rachael Skews. Rachael has just joined the WorkLifePsych team and discusses how she brings Acceptance and Commitment Theory (ACT) to life in her coaching practice. 

After discussing Rachael's career journey to date, Rachael and Richard discuss how different aspects within ACT support the coaching process and how it differs from 'traditional' goal-oriented coaching.

They explore the benefits of values clarification, developing the ability to see thoughts for what they are, and taking meaningful action. Finally, they outline the free webinar about i...

In this episode, Richard and Pilar look at how you can get back on track when it comes to your goals for 2023. Learning from the past and being compassionate with yourself is a great start. but you can also ensure your regular routines and habits can reflect the changes you want to make. 

You can find all the resources mentioned in this episode at https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/129

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Richard interviews Lucie Ilbury, an experienced occupational psychologist and member of the WorkLifePsych team. 

They explore the concept of derailment and the role that self-awareness plays in avoiding this very negative workplace outcome. While traditionally viewed as happening to the 'snakes in suits', derailment is much more complex and nunced and can occur due to a combination of personality, behavioural and systemic factors. 

Do get in touch with your follow-up questions: you can email us at: podcast at worklifepsych dot com, or send us a message on any of our social media ac...

in this episode, Richard Pilar take a look at the different kinds of future-oriented thinking we can do. As not all of it is helpful, it's useful to distinguish between our planning, our predicting and our 'playwriting'.

Let us know if you have any follow-up questions or comments Email us at 'podcast at worklifepsych dot com' 

Thanks for listening!

Resources for this episode

Community Plus: worklifepsych.com/communityplus

Blog post: Planning, Predicting or Playwriting?

Podcast: First steps in Mindfulness: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/126/

Podcast: S...

Welcome to episode 126, where Richard is joined by Dr. Sarah Strohmaier, an expert in the science of mindfulness.

In this episode, they look at the practicalities of adopting mindfulness practices and how even very brief mindfulness exercises can be beneficial.

Despite the term being over-hyped in recent times, the evidence for its impact is quite clear. They also discuss the upcoming masterclass Sarah is running for the WorkLifePsych online community.

If you have follow-up questions, you can drop us an email: podcast at worklifepsych dot com

Resources for this episode

In this final episode of 2022, Richard explores how we can reflect on the year gone by to better help us plan for the year coming. 

It doesn't have to mean big, demanding goals, but the reflection can help us be more realistic and practical about what we want to achieve. 

This time round, Richard and Pilar discuss Richard's experiment of working a four-day week. We look at why he decided to trial it, how it worked for him and how he benefitted from this working arrangement. 

The big question is: will he keep going with a four day week now the experiment is over?

There are no one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to flexible or alternate working arrangements, and this is very much a personal reflection. We'd love to hear your thoughts: are you considering a four-day week for your team or organisation? Have you t...

A very special episode! Richard and Pilar discuss the recent launch of the latest initiative from WorkLifePsych: Community Plus. 

It's the premium level membership of our existing WorkLifePsych online community and features a plethora of events to address all aspects of your personal development journey. 

In this episode, we look at why Richard launched it, who it's aimed at, and what you can expect from it. You can find out more by visiting worklifepsych.com/communityplus or, if you're already a member of our online community, just click on the 'Groups' menu and you'll see th...

Welcome to episode 120 where Richard is joined by Dr. Lyn Lanka for a further exploration of the PERMA model for human happiness and flourishing.

Together, they explore the impact of small behaviours, why there's no need to make huge disruptive changes and how you can treat the PERMA model like your very own recipe.

Big thanks to Lyn for her expertise and input into this episode. And don't forget, if you'd like to more about positive psychology and the concept of flourishing, check out episode 113 of the podcast.

Please get in touch with...

In this episode, we return to the vital topic of sleep. Sleep really is the bedrock of our wellbeing, and if we're not getting enough quality sleep, it undermines all the other things we do to stay healthy. 

We look at sleep through the lens of our daily habits and explore some of the ways we might be unintentionally depriving ourselves of the sleep we need. 

Resources for this episode 

'How to have a good day' by Caroline Webb

'Why we sleep' by Matthew Walker

Why your wellbeing initiative need...

In this episode, Richard and Pilar look at the essentials of any productivity toolkit: a place to keep tasks, a place to keep track of commitments and a place to keep notes. 

With so many apps available, we'll look at some of our favourites and explain how they can support your productivity. They go from the totally free through to apps that need some investment. 

We'd love to hear about your productivity app recommendations and why they help you get your important stuff done. You can get in touch on Twitter @MyPocketPsych or send us an...

Welcome to episode 117, where we take a look at the importance of rest - for our productivity, our effectiveness and our wellbeing.

It's easy to take it for granted and 'squeeze' if in where we can. But being intentional about rest and breaks from work can pay dividends. 

Rest isn't optional, it isn't the last thing we should think of. Or only consider when we're too tired to continue or when everything else on our todo list is done. Rest doesn't have to mean sleep, either. We can take a break from work activities and e...

Welcome to episode 116, where Richard and Pilar explore the importance of getting intentional about managing our inbox.

Rather than live in our email inbox, Richard outlines the benefits of another, separate inbox, accessible without delving into your email. Why? Because even in 2022, not all work comes to us via email!

We look at how to get clarity on the tasks that come our way, apply some form of prioritisation to them and the importance of differentiating between individual tasks and projects. All in an attempt to focus on the right things and avoid the habit...

Welcome to episode 115, where we take an introductory look at the concept of Personal Knowledge Management. This concept has evolved in response to the very real contemporary experience of information overload.

When knowledge workers globally are inundated with information from the moment they wake up, how do we decide what to pay attention to? What should we keep for later? And how can we overcome the limitations of our memories, to ensure we can use this knowledge at a later date?

Richard and Pilar take a look at the core ideas of knowledge management, how...

In this episode, Richard and Pilar look at the way anxiety about the working week ahead can ruin our Sundays - the so-called 'Sunday scaries'. We discuss why we can feel this way and some simple approaches to lessen the impact of these thoughts and emotions.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

In this episode, Richard is joined by fellow psychologist Dr. Lyn Lanka, who explains the concept of flourishing. In particular, how we can flourish even though we're experiencing difficulties or in a particularly challenging context. 

As Lyn explains, it's not just about 'positive emotions' but more to do with taking helpful action to move towards what's important to us. 

Big thanks to Lyn for her time and her expertise.

If you have follow-up comments or questions, reach out on Twitter @MyPocketPsych, or send us an email (postcast@worklifepsych.com). I'll share links to th...

Welcome to episode 112. After our very short break, we're back!

Richard is joined by fellow psychologist and coach, Gemma Leigh Roberts. Gemma has just had her first book published, so we take a look at both what she's hoping readers will take from 'Mindset Matters' and what it's like to translate the science of resilience into something readers can put into action.

Do get in touch with your comments and questions - we love to hear from our listeners. 

Thanks for listening!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Welcome to the latest episode, where Richard and Pilar discuss delegation and the obstacles we need to deal with. While we might rationally understand the need for, and benefits of, delegation - lots of things can get in the way.

Whether it's our beliefs about delegation, our workload, the competence of others or fear about it all going wrong - there's a lot we can do to cultivate a delegation habit and start to enjoy its benefits.

If you've enjoyed this episode, let us know! And if you have questions about delegation, get in touch...

Hello and welcome to episode 110 of my pocket psych, the podcast all about the psychology of the workplace.

In this episode, we take a look at the concept of coping. Simply put, this is any of the things that we do in response to challenges, setbacks and adversity. Sometimes we use coping strategies and techniques intentionally. We decide to respond in a particular way. And sometimes the ways we cope with things going wrong are automatic, not really part of our conscious awareness.

It's important to know that not every way that we try to...

In this episode, Richard is joined by Duncan Boake, the Chief Executive of Fifth Sense - a charity dedicated to the support of people experience taste and smell loss. 

Duncan explains what led him to establish the charity, his own person experience of sensory impairment and together, he and Richard explore what this means for people in and out of the workplace. 

Thanks for listening!

Resources mentioned in this episode

Fifth Sense webiste: https://www.fifthsense.org.uk

Fifth Sense on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fifthsenseuk 

Welcome to episode 108 of My Pocket Psych, where we take a look at some of the ways we've tripped ourselves up when it comes to productivity.

Richard and Pilar take a look back at the lessons they've learned about getting stuff done in their careers and how it made a difference.

Public humiliation aside (!!) we want to illustrate that knowing isn't enough - we have to put our knowledge to use and practical application.

We'd love to know what kind of journey you've been on when it comes to your personal development. What...

Welcome to episode 107, where we look at how to deal with the self-limiting beliefs that can get in the way of what we want to do.

We discussed how personality assessment can lead to unintentionally over-simplified views of ourselves back in episode 106. But these aren't the only source of over-simplified views.

Richard and Pilar explore some ways to get a more nuanced and complete view of ourselves so we can see the bigger picture and sidestep limiting thoughts. This touches on seeing our thoughts for what they are, but also gaining an appreciation for the...

Welcome to episode 106, where Richard is joined by Dr. Hayley Lewis, a fellow occupational psychologist and specialist in people development at work.

Hayley describes her career journey, her career decisions and her passion for working with middle managers. She also outlines some of the findings from her recent doctoral research into the experience of female entrepreneurs.

What does it take to 'be your own boss'? Whose advice should we take? Are the messages on social media really helping women who want to work for themselves? Hayley shares all.

As ever, thanks for listening!<...

Welcome to episode 105, where we look at the downside of productivity.

While it's helpful to be mindful about how we invest our time and attention, a focus on productivity as a goal can have some serious downsides. When we set productivity as our goal, it's the same as chasing happiness - both are temporary states and can leave us feeling unfulfilled if we believe we should be that way all the time.

Instead, we present productivity as a lens through we can can examine our life helping us to decide how to prioritise and understand what's possible...

Welcome to episode 104, where we explore the benefits of reviewing our working week - before launching into our weekend.

Identifying learning points, successes and challenges can help us draw a line under the week and enables us to put our learning into practice the following week.

When discussed in the productivity literature, the weekly review can seem like an overwhelming task to complete. So I ease my coaching clients into reviewing their week against five simple questions. They can of course add to this over time once their review habit is established.

You...

Welcome to episode 103, where we take a look at personality - and the double-edged sword that comes with measuring it.

While it's great to build our understanding of our personality, the tool used, the way it's used and the quality of the information shared from it can all combine to make the experience sub-optimal.

There's a big difference between the kind of personality 'quiz' you take online for entertainment and the scientifically rigorous assessment you'll complete at work. But some less rigorous ones do make it into the workplace, and even the best assessments can...