Balancing Personal Development with Work Goals

Focusing on hours is outdated. The future of work rests on results... There’s been a lot of talk, over the past week, around working long hours, with a few leaders suggesting working 70-90 hours a week. While dedication and hard work are undeniably important,  if we don’t shift our focus from the quantity of time to the quality of results, Organizations will lose their best talent. Given my work supporting women leaders over the last decade,  here are a few points I want to highlight - ✔️ 𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 It's not about how many hours you put in;  it’s about the impact you create within the time you have. When people are guided by a clear and inspiring vision, and rewarded for well-defined outcomes, they feel more energized in creating a bigger impact. ✔️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅 The longer you work, the more fatigue and burnout you experience, which is ultimately counter-productive. An HBR study found with each hour spent working over 50 hours,  there is a decline in productivity. On the flip side, people with flexible work hours report feeling  more engaged, take fewer sick days, and stay with the company longer. ✔️ 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝘂𝘅𝘂𝗿𝘆 A results-driven culture allows people to thrive at work and home. I’ve seen this is especially true for women, who don’t want to sacrifice one or the other. They want to spend their work-week doing their best work, and use their weekends for  • spending quality time with family • pursuing passions outside of work • or simply resting! And the wonderful thing is, when you respect personal time and well-being, you see even higher productivity, innovation, and loyalty from teams. ✔️ 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 When leaders trust their teams to deliver results,  and give them the space and ownership to make it happen,  people are more driven to do their best. I’ve seen when women have the psychological safety and flexibility to do their best work, they work longer and harder than anyone to step up and meet the bar set for them. 🧠 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀. A flexible and inclusive work culture are 2 out of the 3 biggest factors women look for in an employer (along with opportunities for growth and advancement) globally. Let’s move away from the grind culture, and 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀:    ✨Where we measure success by what we achieve and not by the number of hours we clock in. ✨Where we give people the respect, autonomy and the psychological safety to be able to do their best work ✨Where a focus on results is balanced with a focus on the well-being of people Tell me, do you value a results-driven approach over hours? ♻ Repost this to help spread kindness in the workplace. 🔔 Follow me, Bhavna Toor (She/Her), for more insights on Conscious Leadership.

As we navigate the future of work amidst rapid technological advancements and evolving work environments, I see both immense challenges and exciting opportunities for women. Flexibility is Essential: The rise of remote working and flexible schedules has empowered women to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively. However, it's not enough for these policies to simply exist. Organisations need to actively support them and create environments where women can achieve long-term success across all industries. We need the right skills: In a world that’s changing faster than ever, women must equip themselves with the skills the future demands. From my own experience, mastering numeracy, business acumen, and technology—alongside empathy and collaboration—are vital. These critical skills will ensure women stay at the forefront in an increasingly tech-driven landscape. Tech Proficiency is Crucial: With AI and emerging technologies reshaping every industry, having strong tech skills is no longer optional. Women must be ready to lead in this space. Lifelong learning and continual upskilling are essential, and organisations that champion gender balance in tech education and leadership will be the ones to create a more inclusive and prosperous future. Inclusive Cultures Foster Success: Building a workplace where women feel safe, valued, and heard is both a moral and business imperative. Companies that celebrate diversity in thought and experience will be better positioned to innovate and succeed. We need to move beyond token gestures and towards genuine inclusion, ensuring every woman has the opportunity to thrive at the highest levels. The Future is Bright, But Action is Key: While the future of work holds incredible promise, it’s on all of us to ensure it’s an inclusive one. By embracing flexibility, acquiring the necessary skills, and fostering inclusive workplaces, we can create an environment where women not only succeed but lead. What do you think the future holds for women in the workplace? Let’s keep this conversation going and work together to build a more equitable future.

This week, I had the privilege of sharing insights from my career—lessons learned, moments of growth and reflections on what I might have done differently. My biggest takeaways? Dare to say yes. Take chances when they feel right. And when it comes to life, it’s okay to lean on support. None of us can (or should) do it all alone. Today, we have the opportunity to shape a workplace where more women can step into leadership roles. At Carlsberg, that means working toward our goal of 40% women in top leadership. But achieving this requires a shift in mindset—not just about women in leadership, but also about how we view caregiving and work-life balance – for all. Success isn’t about doing everything at once; it’s about making the right choices at the right time for ourselves and our loved ones. That applies to everyone—regardless of gender or family structure. We need to recognize that caregiving and work-life balance are shared responsibilities, not tied to any one’s gender or traditional role. By fostering an environment that supports all kinds of families, we create a workplace where everyone can thrive—both professionally and personally. And perhaps the biggest learning to me has been that prioritization, not perfection, is the key. There were many things along the way that were far from perfect. Learning to accept that and still moving on hasn’t been easy but was required. Let’s keep moving forward. 💪 #IWD #DiversityAndInclusion #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #Carlsberg

About a year ago, I was coaching a senior leader—brilliant, consistent, and highly respected in her organisation. But she came into our sessions feeling like she was constantly underperforming. Why? Because she couldn’t sustain the “ideal routine” everyone around her seemed to swear by: 5am wake-up, gym, journaling, focused deep work by 8. She’d try, crash midweek, and blame herself. In the corporate world, we’ve romanticised a very narrow, often masculine-coded version of productivity. It assumes linear energy, uninterrupted schedules, and a support system that frees you up for singular focus. But that’s not the reality for many women leaders. Their days begin with school drop-offs, mental checklists for ageing parents, or managing invisible emotional labour before the first email is even opened. Add to that the cyclical nature of hormonal energy—and the model begins to crack. In our coaching work, she didn’t need a mindset shift—she needed permission to lead differently. To work in cycles, not straight lines. To rest without guilt. To stop viewing self-care as a soft skill. Her performance didn’t drop—her sustainability rose. Organisations often invest in leadership development but forget to question the success archetypes we’re pushing women into. When we make space for personalised, gender-intelligent rhythms of work, we don’t just prevent burnout—we unlock longevity. Because real performance isn’t about rigid routines. It’s about building systems that actually fit the people we hire.

This McKinsey & Company article insightfully explores the complex balancing acts and personal strategies women leaders employ to succeed at the highest levels. While the piece offers powerful perspectives on individual resilience and adaptability – the inner game, as they call it – it prompts a critical question for me: What if focusing primarily on the individual game distracts us from the outer game? What if the fundamental systems, cultures, and structures within our organizations are inadvertently setting talented women up for a struggle they shouldn't have to face on their own? Women across all professional levels, not just CEOs, confront systemic hurdles. They're told to lean in, prove themselves constantly, and somehow perfectly balance demanding careers with personal lives within often inflexible environments. When organizations expect individual women to overcome these systemic barriers through sheer personal strategy, they aren't truly supporting them; they are, in effect, undermining their potential and the organization's own success. As a leader passionate about helping ambitious women genuinely thrive, I see a clear and urgent connection between this systemic disconnect and tangible business outcomes. The cost of not actively transforming your workplace to truly support women is evident, and it's likely impacting your business right now: ·       Disengaged women directly translate to a drag on productivity and a slowdown in innovation. ·       Unequal opportunities create a leaky leadership pipeline, causing you to lose valuable talent and the investment made in them. ·       A lack of genuine support and mentorship leads to increased turnover, sending experienced professionals to competitors who offer a more inclusive and empowering environment. These are concrete obstacles directly impacting your company's growth and profitability. The flip side of this challenge is an immense opportunity. When businesses make the authentic investment in the well-being, development, and systemic empowerment of their women employees, the return is significant. Engaged, thriving individuals become powerful drivers – they are more productive, more innovative, more resilient, and deeply committed to propelling the business forward. So, here’s the critical question: Given the undeniable business impact, if you know your current systems aren't fully engaging and retaining your talented women, what are you truly willing to do differently – at a systemic level – to bridge that gap? I'm curious... https://lnkd.in/e7uTdy5q

What does 'saying yes to you' mean? It's women's health week. And it doesn't mean we can just "lean in" to self-care. The modern world wasn’t built with sustainable wellbeing in mind—it’s a system that often prioritises productivity over people. For women and underserved groups, navigating these structures can feel like swimming against the tide, making self-care and balance even harder to achieve. In last night's weekly Yoga class I have the privilege of teaching for Donnybrook multicultural women's group, we brought forth conversations on wellbeing, navigating life's challenges, balancing responsibilities as well as look after aspects of our wellbeing. Between time pressures and societal expectations, prioritising wellbeing can feel like an uphill battle. Here are some common barriers for women's wellbeing: 🧠 Mental Load Burden: Invisible emotional labour continues to disproportionately impact women. Women typically manage more household responsibilities. Often expected to be primary caregivers for children and aging parents. Consistently prioritise others' needs before their own. Societal conditioning that self-sacrifice equals virtue. Emotional management across multiple roles (professional, personal, familial). 🗣️ Societal Expectations and Gender Norms Systemic expectations that undermine women's self-worth: Persistent messaging that women must be "doing it all". Guilt associated with setting boundaries. Social pressure to appear continuously available and agreeable. Internalised beliefs that self-care is selfish or indulgent. Professional environments that penalise women for prioritising personal needs. 🥅 Limited Access to Health Resources Women may encounter barriers in accessing healthcare and wellness resources, including gender-specific health services, due to factors like non-inclusive wellness spaces, financial constraints, lack of access to culturally safe treatment, or social stigmas. 🛑 Workplace Inequities Discrimination and bias in the workplace, such as unequal pay, lack of advancement opportunities, and inadequate support for flexible work, parents and family leave, can contribute to stress and hinder overall wellbeing. 🌚 Mental Health Stigma Women often face stigma when addressing mental health concerns, which can deter them from seeking help and support, exacerbating issues like anxiety, depression, and burnout. This stigma is frequently masked by dismissive attitudes and gaslighting, where legitimate concerns are trivialised with oversimplified solutions like "just do Yoga," undermining the severity of their experiences and the need for professional support. So yes, Yoga is great, but can we start to pay attention to what we might *really* need, to improve women's health & overall wellbeing? Let this be a gentle reminder to do something to look after yourself this weekend ✨ #WomensHealthWeek #SayYesToYou Riham Elhadari IndianCare Inc Allied Collective #InclusiveWellbeing #InclusiveFacilitation

If "having it all" means feeling like you're constantly falling short in every direction, then we need to talk. As a psychologist, I've sat with countless women who are absolutely crushing it on paper—CEO, founder, incredible mother, loving partner—yet are crumbling inside. They describe a relentless tug-of-war, a deep internal conflict between the roles they play. It's not just about time management. It's about identity fragmentation. Here’s the truth I often share: The Myth of the "Balanced" Woman Most women are not struggling to balance their roles; they are struggling to balance their 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 amidst their roles. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥" 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩: For many, the drive to excel in every role comes from an old, unconscious belief: "I must be everything to everyone to be worthy." This isn't ambition. This is a subtle form of self-abandonment. 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤-𝐚-𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐞: You try to be the strategic leader at work, the patient parent at home, the supportive friend, the passionate lover. But each role demands a different emotional posture, a different energy. And when one aspect of you rises, another feels neglected. This isn't a failure of effort; it's a failure of integration. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝: You carry an internal scorecard, meticulously tracking perceived failures and successes in each domain. A late email, a missed school event, a forgotten anniversary—each is a strike against your self-worth, deepening the internal schism. The Path to Integration, Not Just Balance Instead of chasing an elusive "balance," consider focusing on 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬: What truly matters to 𝘺𝘰𝘶? Not what society, family, or your industry dictates. When your actions align with your core values, the internal conflict lessens. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Your "work self" needs to be able to feel frustration. Your "mom self" needs to acknowledge exhaustion. Suppressing emotions in one domain only leads to them erupting elsewhere. Emotional literacy means allowing 𝘢𝘭𝘭 of you to be present, appropriately. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: Stop compartmentalizing so rigidly. Can you bring a part of your strategic brilliance to parenting? Can your compassionate self show up in leadership? The goal isn't to perfectly divide your hours, but to bring your whole, authentic self to whatever you are doing. You are not a collection of separate personas. You are one complex, magnificent woman with diverse capacities. The struggle is real, but the solution isn't to try harder to "balance" an impossible ideal. It's to stop the internal fight and lead with ruthless self-respect. What if your wholeness was the most powerful asset you possess? #WomenInLeadership #MentalHealth #Boundaries #SelfWorth #EmotionalIntelligence

I’ve noticed something interesting about the senior leaders I work with... The more accomplished you are, the harder it becomes to separate excellence from impact. Excellence is comfortable. It’s measurable, familiar, and what got you here. You know how to deliver, exceed expectations, and prove your worth. But excellence can also keep you stuck. When you’re focused on delivering flawlessly, you stay in the "doing". You stay busy proving your value, but at what cost? → Your idea (the ones that could change the game) stay unspoken. → You spend so much time executing that you miss the chance to influence. → You’re seen as reliable, but not as the visionary leader you truly are. And the longer you stay in the “excellence trap,” the harder it becomes to break free. Impact asks for something different. It’s about: - choosing influence over perfection - stepping back from doing it all flawlessly - knowing when your perspective is more valuable than your execution. Too often, talented women leaders are overlooked because they're busy proving their worth instead of owning their impact. It’s not about doing everything right anymore. It’s about doing what matters most. Because at this stage, the goal isn’t to keep proving yourself. It’s to step into your full influence and lead in ways that truly make an impact. #AliciaEmpowering

"I need to make money" vs "I want to pursue my passion" Yesterday's coaching call flipped my entire approach. A woman came to me with the "problem" every entrepreneur wishes they had: • Retiring from a job she loves • Multiple skills she's mastered • No immediate revenue pressure • Too many ideas competing for attention She was stuck between: → Web design (12 years experience) → Helping others write books → Writing her own books → Traveling with her retired husband Most coaches would say "pick one and focus." But here's what we did instead: We combined everything into one elegant solution. The strategy? Learn in public. She'll document her own book-writing journey on social media. Not as an expert teaching from above. But as a human sharing the messy middle. Every struggle with writer's block. Every breakthrough at 2 AM. Every doubt about "is this good enough?" While she writes, she builds an audience of aspiring authors who see themselves in her journey. By the time she's ready to help others (targeting July next year), she won't need to convince anyone she knows what she's doing. They'll have watched her do it. The timeline we mapped: • Sept-Dec: Start documenting the writing process • Jan-May: Continue writing while traveling Southeast Asia • June: Soft launch mentoring for aspiring authors • July: First paying client • End of 2026: Sustainable business funding humanitarian projects The breakthrough moment? When she realized she didn't have to choose between passion and profit. She could start with passion and let profit follow naturally. Here's what I learned from this call: Not everyone needs to monetize on day one. Sometimes the luxury of time is your biggest strategic advantage. Build in public. Share the journey. Let your audience find you. The best businesses aren't built on immediate revenue needs. They're built on genuine passion documented consistently. What passion project are you putting off because you think you need to monetize it immediately? --- ♻️ Share this with someone navigating a career transition ➕ Follow me (Julia Taylor) for more insights on building businesses that actually matter