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Full Timers Club
Full Timers Club
Author: Ellie Brocklehurst and Pen Langenfeld
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© Ellie Brocklehurst and Pen Langenfeld
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Full-time mum. Full-time employee. Full-time partner. Full-time friend. When you’re a full-time everything, you need allies that support you, a community that champions you and resources that help you. That’s what The Full Timers Club is here for.
34 Episodes
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We’re back with Dr Biffin and breaking down the must-do medical tests for every stage of life - what matters, what doesn’t, and what you might be missing.Please know this episode touches on post-natal depression.
New countries, young kids, and evolving passions, because building a life rarely follows a straight line.In the very first episode of Full Time, Her Way, we speak with Tracey Roose about navigating career transitions, evolving passions, and motherhood through several international relocations. It’s an open and thoughtful conversation that reflects the beautifully imperfect reality of building both a career and a family.
Dr Biff is back and this episode is a cracker!We’re joined by Dr Laura Biffin from River Valley Doctors for a refreshingly honest, no-awkward-questions-off-limits chat about contraception.Whether you’re choosing contraception before babies, re-thinking it after babies, feeling confused about what’s changed since you were last on the pill, or even starting to think ahead for your teenage daughters - this conversation is for you.This is the contraception episode we wish we had years ago.Dr Laura Biffin’s clinic is River Valley Doctors and you can visit her website to understand more about her services, her doctors or book an appointment. Click link below:https://rivervalleydoctors.com.sg/
Going back to work after maternity leave can feel big with one child… let alone three.In this week’s episode, Ellie shares the very real emotions she’s sitting with as she prepares to return to full-time work next month with a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old and a baby not yet six months old.It’s a classic “two things can be true” season - excitement and anxiety, guilt and gratitude, ambition and overwhelm. We talk honestly about the mental load, the anticipation of the juggle, and what it means to step back into work while still holding so much at home.If you’re in this season or remember it clearly, this one will feel familiar. 💛P.S. Here is the link to a podcast Ellie found that she references in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/60I0hfetL9FXK19mlZmvoU?si=7hlXXY82SbSL-w0_qCtYJQ
We are back in the studio for the first time in 2026, and we're bloody excited for what we have planned this year. Celebrating everything that makes up a Full Timer. For today's episode, we chat about why 2026 feels like a step up - for our kids and for us. Whether it’s increased school demands, more structured learning, or the pressure to send perfectly balanced lunchboxes every day, it can feel like a lot.If you’ve already felt the pressure creeping in, this one will make you feel seen & understood.P.S Shout out to Luca at Boob to Food for her amazing new e-book, The School of Lunchboxes.* You can download a copy here: https://boobtofood.com/product/the-school-of-lunchboxes-ebook/*Not a paid ad; just love her stuff!
We’re wrapping up the year with our final episode of 2025. In this reflective end-of-year chat, we talk through the highs and lows, how we’re preparing for Christmas, and share a simple Christmas hack to make the festive season a little easier. We also look ahead to what we want to prioritise next year, both personally and professionally.Thank you for being part of our community and supporting FTC throughout the year. We’re signing off to spend time with our families over the break, but we’ll be back in 2026 with fresh conversations, exciting guests, and plenty more to come.From ours to yours — Merry Christmas, and wishing you a healthy and happy New Year.
Ellie has welcomed her third baby, Phoebe, into the world — but this time, the journey was nothing like her first two.What should have been a joyful, familiar transition into newborn life quickly became overwhelming. The birth itself was challenging, but the real heartbreak came after, when Ellie and her family were delivered devastating news: Phoebe was unwell.Navigating life with a newborn is hard enough — doing it while caring for a sick baby pushed Ellie to places she never expected to go.But this story isn’t only about the hard parts. Ten weeks on, the clouds are beginning to lift. Phoebe is stronger. Ellie is finding her footing again. There is hope, healing, and a quiet resilience growing day by day — for both mumma and baby.
Welcome to today’s episode! Ellie is currently 37 weeks into her pregnancy with her third child. Just a few weeks ago, at 34 weeks, Ellie woke up to a bleed; a terrifying situation that put the realities and dangers of pregnancy right in front of her. This took her from the hospital right to her couch, where she’s been on doctor-ordered bedrest for the rest of her pregnancy. Having experienced two natural births, Ellie was looking forward to doing it a third time. However, as with many things in life, it doesn’t always go as planned. And she is scheduled for a cesarean in a week. For someone who thrives on planning and control, you would think she would be excited about a routine c section, but it has brought on quite a bit of anxiety.As if that weren't enough, Ellie is also in the midst of wrapping up work commitments, leaving her feeling like everything has veered off course. But as we all know, that’s just part of the rollercoaster ride of parenting! Join us as Ellie shares her story, the uncertainty she faces, and the resilience it takes to navigate these surprise twists in the path to motherhood.
Welcome to a new season of the Full Timers Club, now featuring Pen on the podcast!Ellie and Pen have been friends for over 20 years, sharing plenty of memories and stories along the way. In this episode, they explore what it’s like to live life as Full Timers and dive into Pen’s personal journey.This season will unpack insights and experiences as they navigate this way of life together. So enjoy this first episode of season 3!
We're super excited to have Sera from The Reoutfitter on the podcast this week. Bec and Ellie have never been shy about how much they've struggled with what to wear as they've transitioned through the various changes in their life, from their 20's to married life and then inevitably, the biggest change they've both experienced - motherhood. In our chat with Sera, we explore the role clothes play in our lives. From shaping how we feel to influencing how others perceive us. Sera shares why style isn’t about following rules, but about tuning into your preferences, using clothes to amplify emotions, and finding joy in dressing for every version of yourself. We also dive into the realities of motherhood and style: how bodies, priorities, and perspectives shift after kids, why so many mums feel disconnected from their wardrobes, and why waiting to “lose the baby weight” before shopping only fuels frustration. With practical tips on building a personal style you’ll actually love, creating a functional wardrobe, and giving yourself permission to wear what fits your life now, this conversation is a refreshing reminder that clothes don’t define us - but they can help us feel more like ourselves.https://www.thereoutfitter.com/https://www.instagram.com/thereoutfitter
Hey Full Timers, we've got something special for you this week. You know how Ellie's always talking about her dad? Well, we finally got him on the mic. Ross MacDiarmid, Ellie's personal cheerleader and voice of reason, sat down with her while visiting Singapore for a conversation that's both heartwarming and eye-opening.Ever wonder how much workplaces have really changed over the decades? Ross offers some fascinating perspectives on women's evolving roles in the professional world, calling it not just a revolution but a "necessary evolution" (gotta love dad wisdom).They also get into the stuff that keeps parents up at night: raising kids in today's world. As a father-daughter duo, they chat openly about the challenges of raising boys who are both kind and strong, emotionally intelligent but still confidently masculine. It's that tricky balance we're all trying to figure out these days.Ross might be our first man on the show, but he brings it. There's something really special about eavesdropping on this father-daughter conversation.So grab a coffee, get comfy, and join us for what feels less like a podcast and more like being invited to a really good catch-up between two people who just get each other.
When Bec’s mum was in town, we couldn’t help but think what a beautiful opportunity to sit down and have a chat with her - mother to daughter. From what it takes to keep the passion alive at 71 and 43 years into marriage, to reminiscing about her 18% mortgage repayments on her first flat, to the day your daughter tells you she's leaving for another country. Bec and Rhonda have a deep, poignant and heartfelt conversation that’s sure to make you want to call your mum, or better yet, wrap your babies up and never let them leave you.
This week on the show, we're so excited to welcome Amy Bell - mum to two beautiful girls, wife to a wildly successful franchise owner, and a formidable entrepreneur in her own right. Amy is the founder of The Meat Club, Singapore’s first online meat trade business, and her journey is nothing short of remarkable.In this heartfelt and deeply honest conversation with Ellie, Amy shares how being made redundant while six months pregnant became a turning point that led her away from a legal career and into the world of startups. From launching a pioneering business to navigating the chaos of entrepreneurship alongside her husband - just as they were starting a family- Amy opens up about the highs, the lows, and everything in between.With over a decade of experience running her business and raising her daughters, Amy brings a wealth of wisdom, grit, and grace. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a working parent, or just love a good story of resilience and reinvention, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.Tune in now - we promise you’ll leave inspired.
Making the decision to have a baby is already a big life decision. But what happens when it’s not as easy as it seems? When it comes with miscarriages, fertility issues, and years of struggling to get pregnant?It’s a common reality yet prior to thinking about babies, it’s not something we’re aware of nor do we have honest conversations about it. In this episode, we talk to high performing career woman, Charlotte, who spent years on the fertility and IVF journey. She gives an honest and open point of view that’s got the benefit of hindsight - now that she’s got one and two twins on the way. And we’ll have that critically important conversation - when’s the right time to start trying and when’s the time to say, we’re done? Enjoy the authentic, real, raw, honest conversation between two pregnant ladies and one who’s still sitting firmly on the fence.
Ellie & Bec are back in the studio for the first time together in 2 months, with A LOT to catch up on! It has been a busy two months for the Full Timers, with Ellie navigating her first trimester whilst travelling quite a bit for work. And Bec has started an exciting new job, just now four weeks in. The girls are experiencing quite a multitude of emotions - Ellie worried about how she is going to do it all with three kids, and Bec feeling the hangover effect of her Meta redundancy that looms over her as she begins her new role. But as they always do, they hash it out together and end up both feeling excited and positive about what lies ahead.
Menopause.Something that happens in your 50s and 60s, right?Not exactly. While menopause itself marks the official end of our periods, the lead-up—perimenopause— starts much earlier in our 40s, and sometimes even in our 30s. It’s not that menopause is happening younger; we’re just becoming more aware of the changes our bodies go through in the years before it.So if you’re dealing with irregular periods, sudden bursts of rage at your perfectly innocent partner, insomnia, or mood swings that make no sense—perimenopause could be the culprit. Or, of course, it might just mean you are a full-timer in dire need of a holiday.In this second episode, Dr. Biff joins us again to talk about how to recognise perimenopause, the myths and misconceptions surrounding it, the impact it can have on women, and—most importantly—what we can actually do about it. And good news: managing it might be simpler than you think.
We are so excited to announce a new segment on Full Timers club with our new resident doctor, titled Riff with Dr Biff. Dr Laura Biffin (MBBS, GDFM, B.Pharm, SCHP) is the definition of a Full Timer. Mother to 3 beautiful children, doting wife, daughter and friend, Laura has embarked on the terrifying but very rewarding journey of starting something of her own. Late last month, Laura opened her first GP practice in Singapore, River Valley Doctors. Our segments with Laura will cover everything you can possibly think of, but today, we discuss why she started her own practice and what are the issues and challenges many modern day women face today. This includes fatigue, weight gain, irritability and lack of focus. You are not going to want to miss this one! Enjoy!Ellie & Bec xFor more info on Dr Laura Biffin's GP practice, please click here: https://rivervalleydoctors.com.sg/
We’re back for part two of our first interview with Beata Justkowiak, ex-athlete, Psychologist and Life Coach. If you tuned into the first episode, we left on Ellie getting a little emotional with some confronting conversations. This episode you’ll hear what struck a chord and what has triggered her feelings, including the impact COVID had on family, work and personal lives. Beata also covers her experience with men and therapy - including why they come and see her and what motivates them to seek help, which she attributes to a strong relationship with their partners. All in all, this episode is all about how to develop the right strategies to work on you, that work for you, and help you navigate the madness, delight and reality of being a Full Timer in a demanding, uncertain and constantly changing world.
We're really excited to introduce our first episode with Full Timer Beata Justkowiak, Ex-athlete, Psychologist and Life Coach. As a mental wellness advocate, she takes life with its ups and downs, and mixes psychology with life coaching, making it practical for her clients to improve their daily lives.We had the pleasure of sitting down with Beata from Energising Goals to chat about the difference between life coaching, therapy, counselling, psychology and everything that sits between. Both of us have had experiences with therapy which is why we know you are going to love this episode. She had us nodding along when she said Full Timers were grappling with purpose during COVID, post-COVID we’re busy and anxious and barely coping, and she foresees an attention-deficit-like pandemic hitting us soon. For some, all three of these are hitting us at once.She gave so many practical tips that we can all start to implement from today, ways to increase our “coping mechanisms”, building a bank of tools and resources to build our resilience, and giving us permission to be kinder and more tolerant to ourselves.It was such a big episode, we ended up pausing halfway to gather our own thoughts and feelings. But not to worry, we’ll be launching Part 2 of our chat with Beata very soon. We hope you enjoy! And if you want to reach out to Beata for a free 15-min consultation, click here: https://www.energisinggoals.com/
Gym memberships, pilates, trainers, facials, bio hacking, 7-step skincare regimes - we’re constantly finding ways to optimise our physical health and appearance, yet we seldom give the same amount of investment and time to our mental health. We wait until we’re in the midst of a storm, or struggling, before we seek out therapy or coaching. But what if we took a more proactive approach to our mental health, building up our repertoire of coping tools so that we are more resilient and better equipped to deal with situations when they arise? We’ll explore our own experiences with therapy, and where it’s had the most impact for us.




