Work Life by Design

This season of Work Life by Design is deeply personal. Inspired by Brené Brown’s reflections on "what’s on my heart and mind," I’m bringing you honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, insights, and lessons that have shaped both me and the work we’re doing at COMUNiTI over the past year. Over the last 12 months, I’ve faced my own health challenges—burnout, adrenal fatigue, and gut issues that left me completely exhausted. This experience has reshaped how I approach 2025, and this season is all about sharing that journey with you. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s exactly what’s on my heart and mind. In this seventh season of the podcast you can expect thought-provoking discussions on: ✨ Body burnout—what causes it and how to truly heal ✨ Neurodiversity in the workplace—creating inclusive spaces that embrace our brain-based differences ✨ The power of community—what we can learn by looking back, embracing rituals, and reclaiming rites of passage ✨ Lesson in business—what I’ve learned about building a successful business ✨ …and so much more! I can’t wait to dive into these conversations with you. I hope they inspire, challenge, and support you as much as they have for me. But in today’s episode we’re going to dive into how I came to my word for the year – MASTERY. For the past 10 years, I’ve started each year with an intentional planning session—a ritual that’s helped me realign, refine, and design a life I love. What once felt like a complete reset is now about softening into more of what I love and making small, meaningful tweaks. This January, I also guided a group of ambitious businesswomen through this process at my Business Planning Day, helping them get clear on what they want from life so they can build a business that truly supports it. I focus on intentions over goals—because intentions shape who you want to become, not just another task on your to-do list. From this, my word for 2025 emerged: MASTERY—not about perfection, but about continuous growth, refinement, and deepening my craft in both life and business. So I invite you to reflect on your intention for the year?   📩 Want to go deeper? Join me at the Exhale Retreat Learn More HERE —a space to pause, reset, and realign with what matters most.   Want to join us at the next Planning Day? Jump on the Waitlist HERE   #WorkLifeByDesign #Podcast #BurnoutRecovery #IntentionalLiving #Neurodiversity #Rituals #Mastery #SustainableSuccess

I am taking a quick break for a couple of weeks and I wanted to share with you some of the listener favourites from the back catalogue. If you haven't had a chance to listen to this one previously, or you're new here, I hope you enjoy this one! I will be back with fresh new episodes in a couple of weeks! Our environments have a HUGE impact on how we feel. This is the whole business that I’m in, designing and delivering workplaces that enable the strategic goals, vision and operational performance of a business.  But it’s not just limited to our corporate workplaces. When you apply that same philosophy to any environment around you, consider what it is enabling?  How does your environment make you feel?  Different spaces invoke different feelings and shift our ability to concentrate, collaborate or be creative.  But it’s not just our physical environment that we need to be conscious of….  In today’s episode I’m sharing with you 5 ways that our environment influences us and our sense of Calm and what you can do to use your space to regain your sense of Calm each day.   We explore; How your physical space influences your energy, your ability to focus and to be creative and how to choose wisely The impact of getting outside into nature and how as little as 40 secs can make a difference The additional mental load that a messy space has on your cognitive load and how to clear it How to use ALL our senses to instil calm in our environment How our internal environment is just as important as our external     This episode is a little insight into the recent 5 Days from Chaos to Calm challenge, I hosted, where over 5 days I share with you daily microhabits to integrate into your daily life to regain your calm.    If you enjoyed this episode and want to experience the whole 5 days of Calm, head over to the website, where you can still join the Challenge.  https://www.melissamarsden.com.au/calm 

I am taking a quick break for a couple of weeks and I wanted to share with you some of the listener favourites from the back catalogue. If you haven't had a chance to listen to this one previously, or you're new here, I hope you enjoy this one! I will be back with fresh new episodes in a couple of weeks! ------   A new year awaits us, and it’s how we purposefully and intentionally step into that year to achieve what we want that matters.      Every year I spend a couple of days planning out the year ahead; what I want to achieve and where I want to focus my precious energy. Last year was the year I began to walk my own path and shrugged off notions of success of others that I had been carrying around and trying to live up to.  But I’ll be honest; at the end of 2021, I was drained and completely exhausted.  So, this year I have mapped out my activities and intentions but designed a way to achieve my goals without completely depleting all my energy.       In this episode, I cover;      My process for establishing focus and intentions for the year ahead.       How I was able to look forward by looking back      Understanding self-care, protection and boundaries      Why I fell out of love with goal setting      Doing more with less      My ‘word’ for 2022 and why it resonates      Unpacking intentions and my 5 intentions for the year ahead.              I hope you enjoy this episode and find motivation to step into the new year with purpose and intention, as well as a focus for looking after your energy and wellbeing as we continue to live in difficult environments.      Don't forget to sign up for the Work Life Lounge because in the next Masterclass, I’ll be taking you through my whole process for planning and goal setting, along with all the strategies and resources you’ll need to set yourself up and stick to it.  Join me on February 10 at 10am AEST to set your intentions and map out your 2022!       www.melissamarsden.com.au/worklifelounge 

I am taking a quick break for a couple of weeks and I wanted to share with you some of the listener favourites from the back catalogue. If you haven't had a chance to listen to this one previously, or you're new here, I hope you enjoy this one! I will be back with fresh new episodes in a couple of weeks!   ----- There has been a lot of conversation in the media of late about organisations handing out wellbeing days and rolling out new initiatives to combat The Great Resignation. However as you’ll hear in today’s chat, it’s not as simple as adding a few extra days of leave to the calendar; it takes careful, long-term planning and material change at an organisational level.  Jessica Sharpe is the Chief People Office for Entain Australia, a FTSE 100 company that is one of the world’s largest sports betting and gaming groups operating in the online and retail sector. You may be familiar with them as the local home of Ladbrokes and Neds.  Jess has spent her career establishing and enhancing the HR functions into numerous businesses across multiple industries and as she reflects in this episode, whilst it has at times been a challenging path, it is one that has equipped her well in running lean and effective teams and learning how to influence and educate stakeholders on the value of investing in their people.  When Jess isn’t at work, influencing and optimising human behaviour, she’s at home attempting to do the same with her three boys!    Myself and the team here at COMUNiTI have had the great pleasure of working alongside Jess and her leadership team over the past 12mths, supporting their workplace transformation as they navigated the challenges of operating in a COVID world. We have been very privileged to have been able to witness first-hand the practices that have been implemented to see Entain leading the way in workplace flexibility, health & wellbeing and leadership that has enabled them to roll out Entain Day.  In this chat, we also cover;   Jess’s career journey to date and how she came to be the Chief People Officer at Entain How the organisation has evolved in response to the global pandemic Entains mission to drive diversity & inclusion, not just in the technology sector but globally And Jess’s own personal practices to support her living her own work life by design  Jess is a warm, engaging and thoughtful leader and the opportunity to glean her insights in how she has supported Entain to move forward with such a bold workplace initiative is truly inspiring.  Work Life Lounge – sign up for free thanks to COMUNiTI! www.melissamarsden.com.au/worklifelounge  Jessica Sharpe  LinkedIn  Melissa Marsden  Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Taking a future focused approach is a central part of the work that I do in guiding organisations in reimagining their next workplace.  Observing the current state, understanding the businesses strategic objectives, and then overlaying their brand and culture, we develop the blueprint for their workplace that will enable them to achieve their goals.   And where does this all start?  Typically, with the question “What do we do?” So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing with you my Workplace Predictions for 2023, based on the conversations that I’ve been having with my clients, my observations of what’s happening in the market and the outcomes that created from the process.  And these three predictions are; Exploration of the questions “What do we do?!?!” - What does my workplace need to do? What does it look like? How much space do I need?” Consolidation & right sizing of Workplaces Our workplaces are becoming “Creative Coworking” environments  As we take a look at each of these three predictions, we’ll look at; What are some of the questions that you need to start exploring in your business The impact of your workspace on relationships, communication, and the energy of your people The value of consolidation and the impact on the energy of your business Why all collaboration is not equal, and the variety of spaces required to support your teams Why our workplaces need quiet spaces, even when we can WFH The pursuit of the “holy grail” of tech  If your organisation is navigating any of these challenges or beginning to start this conversation, this is an episode, you’ll want to tune into.  It will get you thinking and arm you with some points to start the conversations in your organisation.   Thank you so much for re-joining me here on the podcast after my break!  Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!  See you in 2023! And… don’t forget if you LOVED this episode, please share with just ONE person so that we can continue to elevate our whole experience of work!    LINKS Get your copy of Mel’s new Book “The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential”   Book a Discovery Call Workplace Dynamics Blueprint   Connect with Mel Email | Insta |
 LinkedIn | Website | Website

“We know that our workplace isn’t working, but we don’t know what to do to change it…”   This is one of the most common statements I’m hearing now when it comes to organisations starting their journey to rethinking how their workplace… works.   Organisations are wanting to understand how they can create a better experience of work for their people using their space. How they can create a place that people want to be, and one that enables them to perform.   Unfortunately, there is no quick or easy answer to this question. It is nuanced and very specific to each business, but what I can tell you is that the answer lies in your employee experience. And when it comes to the design our workplaces, there are three layers to designing your workplace experience, and it’s important that each of these are addressed equally.   It’s an employee’s experience working with your company It’s an employee’s experience of the physical workplace environment It’s an employee’s experience of change   In today’s episode we’re going to explore these three layers with a view to understanding how you can begin your journey.   Why defining your employee experience is the foundation How to infuse your employee experience into the physical environment How the alignment of the heart, body and mind of your workplace enables your workplace to perform Why guiding change in your workplace is the key to success   This is a BIG conversation, and with numerous contributing elements that need careful consideration. This episode will help you to uncover your starting point, so that you too can begin to design the experience that you want for your employees.   LINKS Get your copy of Mel’s new Book “The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential”   Book a Discovery Call Seqwater Onboarding Video Gallups Employee Experience Framework   Connect with Mel Email | Insta |
 LinkedIn | Website | Website

Maintaining connection in a hybrid world of work is no small task. Following periods of extended separation due to lockdowns during the pandemic, we are now navigating a new world of work where, with our increased flexibility of where we work, we are facing new challenges in staying connected and fuelling our sense of belonging.   My guest today is Tegan Davies, the General Manager and Head of Wellbeing at The Oranges Toolkit. An award winning social enterprise that builds positive wellbeing, mental and emotional agility in workforces and communities, returning profits to Camp Quality to support kids facing cancer in Australia.   Tegan is an experienced and passionate wellbeing designer and facilitator. She is also a former Board Member at Action for Happiness Australia, a business coach and qualified yoga teacher.   Through her work with Oranges Toolkit Teagan is building the wellbeing literacy of corporations across Australia, by supporting their employees in navigating these intense periods of change, with a view to improving their wellbeing.   Today’s conversation is a deep dive into how we can build connection in our workplaces, a foundational requirement in creating psychological safety. We discuss; The foundational principles of building wellness literacy in our organisations The simplest, yet most often overlooked way to build connection The impact of regular deposits into our colleagues “feel good” bank The ripple effect of our emotions and how we show up The early insights into The Oranges Toolkit survey on what it takes to create connection   As a fellow science nerd, I love this conversation with Tegan as she shares the data and science of our emotions and the impact on us and those around us, and why awareness is only the first step.   Join The Oranges Toolkit mailing list to receive the Connection Whitepaper when it's released!   LINKS Get your copy of Mel’s new Book “The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential”   Connect with Tegan & The Oranges Toolkit Website | LinkedIn | Connection Whitepaper   Connect with Mel Email | Insta |
 LinkedIn | Website | Website   Books mentioned; Atomic Habits – James Clear Effortless – Greg McKeown

Guiding your people through change successfully can be one of the most difficult things an organisation can do. I’ve seen how change can be done poorly, and often because of simply not knowing that engaging people through the process and onboarding them into a new space or to a new system, was needed to ensure its success.   People are creatures of habit and what we see happen is that old habits, routines, and rituals get transferred to the new state, where they no longer work or go against the new way of working or operating.    So, I wanted to get the back story on why change is so important to get right in an organisation and some of the things we should be considering when embarking on a change process, and when we need to bring in the professionals to support us.    Today’s guest is Dr Kate Byrne.  With a PhD in Communication and 20+ years in the field, Kate is an experienced strategist, change leader and communication practitioner who supports senior leaders through organisational change and on how to design and bring to life, strategic narratives.    She is the host of The New Way podcast, as well as the managing director of EVER Change & Communication - a dynamic consultancy that helps public sector leaders drive and deliver organisational transformation, behavioural change, to improve organisational performance and help their people adopt new ways of working.   We chat about; The greatest area that organisations are looking for support when it comes to change The impact of storytelling and how to use a strategic narrative The tipping point for engaging external support for implementing successful change Why change follows a framework but requires to be unique to your business Why communication is the core of a successful change strategy and why we need to focus on the “moments” vs the “events” The one area that all businesses should be focused on to elevate our experience of work   Plus, we kick it off with a common values alignment… our No Dickheads policy!  And end with our shared passion for continual evolution and why change is good!   Links Get your copy of Mel’s new Book “The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential” Connect with Kate Website | LinkedIn | Podcast Connect with Mel Email | Insta |
 LinkedIn | Website | Website

Running a business with a newborn is no small task!  So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing with you the intimate details of how I prepared my business, my team, my clients and myself, for this time ensuring we were set up for success.   With a new baby, you really are at their beck and call so being highly intentional with the finite amount of time that you do have, is so important to ensure that you are investing it wisely.  It also means that there are likely to be a few things that either get put on the back burner or are pushed out.   Putting this plan in place enabled me to be present with my new baby, and with my clients where it mattered most.   There were three things that I needed to make this time work for me, my business, my clients and my family: Assess the existing workload. With a pipeline of work needing to be delivered, I had no capacity to accept any more, so closing the books was the first step Assess the tasks and activities – what could be successfully outsourced? With a guaranteed period of absence, who could I get to step in and cover me for a short period of time? What parts of the project could I completely handover to reduce my load and free me up to do only what I can do? Needed a plan I needed a plan that captured key dates, project milestones, communication channels, when and how I could be contacted and what to do incase of an emergency.  This plan was our road map to the prep required before bub and the first 8 weeks after bub was born, ensuring that everything was managed as planned. So, how did it all go… you’ll have to tune in to find out!   Links Get your copy of Mel’s new Book “The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential”   Connect with Mel Email | Insta |
 LinkedIn | Website | Website    

With organisations working hard to lure employees back into the workplace, this is the ideal time for us to take a fresh perspective on what it takes to elevate our workplace experience; by creating an environment that people choose to come to.     The role of the office has shifted from a place we needed to “go to work”; to a place that facilitates connection, collaboration, communication, and learning, promoting a new level of productivity, health & well-being.     With this perspective, now is the time to take a wider view and look outside the typical workplace to be inspired by how other industries create places where people choose to return to, again and again. Industries, such as hospitality.    Today’s guest is Brad Krauskopf the founder and CEO of Hub Australia. A market-leading premium workspace-as-a-service platform renowned for its customer service and company culture.  Hub delivers hospitality-driven solutions that create workspace experiences that people love,  And that is something that myself and the COMUNiTI crew can vouch for as tenants of their Anzac Square space.   Hub is also a BCorp, they are certified Carbon neutral, are WELL Health & Safety accredited, and has been ranked 4 years running as one of Australia’s best employers by the Great Places To Work program.  Brad is also the founding Co-chair of Flexible Workspace Australia, the peak industry body for flexible and coworking space in Australia.         As both a tenant and a big fan of coworking this was a great opportunity for me to sit down with Brad and learn more about the hospitality-led approach that the HUB are renowned for.     We chat about:   • Why HUB have made it a priority to obtain the credentials they have and the impact on their business   • How we are “unshackling work from place” as a result of the pandemic, the role that coworking spaces play, and the future of “work near home” options   • Brad’s observation of the real estate market and if “the office is dead”   • How our workplaces can incorporate a hospitality-led approach and the value it adds to our people and place     • Why landlords are welcoming co-working operators into their buildings and the opportunities they provide for all tenants     Whether you are looking to elevate the experience of work for your people, considering shifting to a flexible space model with coworking, or planning ahead for your next lease renewal, this episode will give you food for thought on how you can create a workplace that delights your people!    Links Get your copy of Mel’s new Book “The Next Workplace; Designing Dynamic Environments that Inspire Human Potential”   Connect with Brad Website | LinkedIn | Liberated Work Whitepaper Connect with Mel Email | Insta |
 LinkedIn | Website | Website

With only 2 weeks before we welcome our newest addition to the family, this isn’t quite the podcast episode that I had planned to be sharing with you back in January when I was mapping out this season’s episodes! I had planned to share with you how I’d snagged myself a Unicorn GM enabling me to sail off into babyland with my business baby in the best of hands, however that dream didn’t come to reality, despite the best of intentions…  When I found out I was pregnant, I jumped into action mode, tuning into podcasts to hear how others before me had restructured their business’s to accommodate a 2IC, the planning and training to feel like they could “let go” and enjoy those precious early months with their baby and I wanted that!  But alas, this episode is to give you a behind the scenes look into another scenario that can and did play out for me in my business, because I’m all about sharing the highs and the lows of business and what can and does happen.  To round out Season 4 of the podcast, as I take a break to enjoy those newborn cuddles, I want to leave with you a real account of preparing a business for a baby. We cover: The planning, recruitment, and promotion in the search of our Unicorn, including the challenges of finding “the right person” How remaining aligned to my intentions for this year and for this addition to our family set me on a different course to the one I would “normally” have embarked on How a shift in my own mindset created a gap in the business and shifted the goal posts How despite what we hear in the media, not everyone wants to step into that gap The opportunity that comes with change and vulnerable, honest conversations can lead to a new and improved business model The importance of taking a step back to reflect rather than diving into “fix it” mode The plan moving forward… This episode is a reminder that whilst not everything is always rainbows and unicorns, sometimes a situation, that on face value isn’t living up to the expectations you set, can turn out to be far more aligned with your bigger vision than you realised. Insta |
 LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Work Life Lounge

Attending #IRL events again has to have been a highlight for me in the past month and the Thriving Workplace event did not disappoint! This event is unlike any other conference and was a deep 2 days of sharing ideas, experiences, and the opportunities to make our working lives more fulfilling for everyone.  Not only did I get to walk away from these two days with an overflowing cup, from the conversations, connections, and inspiration from those I shared it with, but I also expanded my personal perspective on what it takes to create a Thriving Workplace.  In today’s episode I’m sharing with you the three key themes that emerged for me from this gathering, the learnings that I am taking away to share with my clients and colleagues and the impact that these, sometimes small, shifts have made within the organisations that shared their stories.   One thing is for certain, creating a thriving workplace is a holistic endeavour that requires our organisations to share the responsibility and approach from a range of viewpoints to maximise the potential before us.   It requires conversation, policy change, shifts in language and mindset, openness to new possibilities, new routines, new rituals, and new behaviours.   This is just the start of a much broader conversation, that in many ways has been enabled by the pandemic.  The opportunity to re-examine what was, in order to create what could be.   I’d love to know what your organisation is already embracing and what opportunity you could take back into your workplace from these three key themes to see your workplace transform from the inside out. Melissa Marsden LinkedIn | Insta |
 Website | Work Life Lounge

Creating organisational change at a grass roots level requires a lot of different skills, which is why I enjoy working alongside my friend and colleague Dr Meg Hooper to support the businesses and leaders that we work with.  Together, we do this from not just a physical perspective but also a psychological one.  With a shared passion for the impact and influence of space and place, Meg and I work in tandem to enable organisations to make positive shifts in their workplaces to enable high performance.  Today’s episode is a treat, to be able to share with you some of the conversations that we have about how our world of work is changing and the opportunity that this brings with it.  We cover everything from why change management needs to start early and the impact of a 1hr workshop on shifting mindsets, through to the science behind energy management and motivational theory, through to how this is contributing to the Great Resignation.  Meg is the Director & lead Psychologist of Carousel Consulting, specialists in Change Management and Organisational Transformation, she brings a science-based perspective to our conversations that I find enlightening and always walk away better for.  Meg and I can and do chat for hours, so we thought we’d share with you some of our conversations! And if you want more, pop back to Eps 44, where Meg and I explore the concept of designing work in a “choose your own adventure style”. Dr Meg Hooper  LinkedIn | Website  Melissa Marsden LinkedIn | Insta |
 Website | Work Life Lounge

The demand for workplaces that respond to the health and wellbeing of its occupants has exponentially increased off the back of the global pandemic, driving a need for organisations and landlords alike to deliver on a more holistic approach to building design and construction.  Whilst in the past the adoption of healthy building practices may have been more aligned to market positioning and differentiation, potentially viewed as more tokenistic approaches to wellbeing, today we can attribute the investment in these avenues to substantial uplifts in employee performance and productivity, delivering ROI to businesses. And this is where my guest today has seen a huge shift in the way we approach the design of our buildings and spaces through his involvement with the Well Building Institute.   Ken-Yi Fong is one of the leading healthy building design and acoustic experts in Australia.  Ken has an impressive list of accreditations and affiliations that have seen him become a WELL Accredited Professional and then appointed to the WELL Global Advisory Board and member of the WELL Faculty.  Ken is all about amplifying the impact of people and organisations using Health, Wellbeing and Wellness as their secret weapon! He leads the Healthy Buildings & Communities work in Arup Melbourne, where he supports the Property sector to achieve greater commercial outcomes (faster leasing, higher premiums on saleable assets, stronger organisational engagement, etc) by leveraging the Healthy Buildings Frameworks Ken has a deep passion in helping families and individuals amplify their impact in all spheres of life. He achieves this by coaching and education in the fields of healthy buildings/spaces, habit formation, productivity, and holistic health coaching. He is also an amateur bio-hacker and crypto enthusiast.  This is a fascinating conversation that explores what the WELL Building Institute & WELL Building Standards are, but more importantly the impact that the concepts and frameworks that form this standard have on our people and the direct impact of that on our businesses.   For many of the organisations that I work with there is a genuine interest in developing solid health & wellbeing initiatives for their employees, however applying this to the built environment can sometimes seem rather ethereal and not directly applicable.  This conversation will change your perspective on this and provide you with some tangible stats that will enable a more robust conversation around the boardroom table, to elevate the need to adopt a healthier approach to the design and fit out of your next workplace.   Ken also leaves us with an insight into how he has designed his own work life, that truly resonated with my own views.  So, lets jump on in!  Links Ken-Yi Fong LinkedIn | Website Stok Paper Leesman Index Melissa Marsden Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Work Life Lounge

Data provides knowledge, and with knowledge comes insight and wisdom.   But... you need to know what to do with it…  The conversation about returning to the workplace continues and what you may not know is that all the data that you need to leverage your environment and create an experience that employees WANT to return for lies within your very 4 walls!  The challenge is working out how to unlock it and what to do with it! In today’s episode we’ll recap on the 5 pillars that underpin the workplace dynamics in your organisation and how these pillars form the foundation for creating your employee experience at work.  When unlocked, these pillars enable your workplace to become a beacon for your employees, one that draws them in, connecting to their hearts and minds, to build the social capital in your business.   This social capital is built on a platform that comes from our human need for connection, our need to belong and to establish community, much of which requires us to be within physical proximity [I’ll share some neuroscience that backs this up!]. But transformation doesn’t come without struggle, So, I’ll also share with you ways that you can guide your employees through this change, addressing their concerns, meeting them where they are at, and bringing them on the journey to create a workplace that delivers an “experience”, from which everyone will THRIVE! LINKS Workplace Dynamics Blueprint Work Life Lounge Website Insta 

Today’s episode is a bit of a sneak peek behind the curtains of my own work life… today I am going to be introducing you to three amazing and very different women who I’ve got in my corner.  Over the past 12 years, I have worked with coaches in various capacities to support my continued learning, professional and personal development.  These coaches have ranged in style from pure business coaches to NLP and life coaches, through to mindset coaches and the more holistic and what I would describe as spiritual coaches.   Each has supported me at a different phase and season of my life to navigate a challenge, uplevel my skills or help me focus on bringing my A Game in the area of my work or life that I’ve needed at that time.  Let’s face it, the past two years have been a total shit show and if I’m honest, so has been my mindset and the state of my business at times, which is why in the past 2 years I have been working with not 1, but 3 coaches to support me in the various aspects of my life and work.  And today, I’m going to introduce you to these amazing women who have got my back! Tina Tower, Michelle Broadbent & Amber Hawken.  In today’s conversation, we are covering everything from  Why you would want a coach How coaches have supported them to get to where they are today What to look for when hiring a coach The various models of coaching and how to decide what’s right for you Plus, they answer the question “Do coaches have coaches?” I’m hoping that after this episode that if you are feeling like it’s time to level up in your business or career, that you’re feeling a little stagnant and are looking for your next challenge or that you just need someone to keep you accountable, that this will be the little kick in the backside that you needed, to go seek out your own coach and prepare to take great leaps forward!  BIOs Tina Tower started her first business at age 20, a small tutoring centre and educational toy store that over 5 years she transformed into a franchise of 35 Begin Bright centres employing 120 staff.   After the franchise was acquired in 2016, she started coaching other service-based business owners only to find herself constantly repeating herself, which led her to the world of online coaching.   Today Tina has run several online programs, however, her game-changer has been Her Empire Builder, which I am fortunate to be part of!  Her Empire Builder is a membership program supporting female entrepreneurs to establish and grow their online businesses.  She is on a mission to help 100 women build a $1million a year business by 2025. Tina has been instrumental in helping me navigate the online business world, which I can tell you is a massive shift from the world of bricks and mortar businesses!  Michelle Broadbent is a business strategist with a 20-year career as a trusted advisor to female entrepreneurs across a vast array of industries.  I have observed Michelle from afar for a few years before finding myself with direct access to her through Tina’s HEB program, where I promptly jumped on her services with a desperate plea for help as I navigated my way out of the downturn resulting from COVID.   Michelle has been a realistic voice of reason, offering practical solutions and operational support to cut through the overwhelm and help me stay focused on what really matters! Amber Hawken, you may be familiar with as one of my very first guests on the podcast back in Episode 4, Transforming Leadership with a Calm Mind, which was actually how I met Amber!  It was after this episode that I said, “I need to work with you!” and here we are today! I affectionately refer to Amber as my “woo woo” coach as her teachings, perspectives and lessons go far deeper into the fibres of our being. As Amber describes, she has been working with humans for more than a decade and reverences our natural ability to emotionally and mentally self-heal and spiritually actualise.   Starting out her career as a radiation therapist, she transitioned away from the industry in 2012 and has since explored ancient cultures, different dimensions and bridged east and west. With a pragmatic mind and a country girl spirit, she has a unique blend of practical and down to earth approaches to the arena of therapy, embodied healing, integration, energy, and consciousness.   LINKS  Tina Tower https://www.tinatower.com  Instagram @tina_tower Michelle Broadbent  https://www.michellebroadbent.com.au  Instagram @michbroadbent Amber Hawken https://amberhawken.com  Instagram @amber_hawken Mel Marsden  Insta
 LinkedIn Facebook  Website  Work Life Lounge

Did you know that the Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 workday was established by Henry Ford in the 1920’s? Seems to me that a lot has changed since the days we stood over factory lines, yet we still subscribe to the same working rituals. Many of us, prior to the Pandemic, never even stopped to consider why it is that we work the way that we do or that there was even another option to be considered.   There has been a silver lining that has shone through the pandemic, one that has awoken us to the outdated work rhythms and structures that no longer work for us. We have been exposed to our conditioned thinking, our acceptance of “this is how it’s always been done,” and forced to recognise that there are other ways, and they can work.  In today’s episode, I’m taking you on a short history lesson of “work”, how the 9 to 5 came to be and why it no longer works for us on so many levels.  We’ll discuss the two main things that I believe have arisen out of this “awakening” and we dive deeper into the aspect of individualisation and designing our work lives to work for US and our families.  We explore chronotypes, the rise of the gig economy, the elusive pursuit of work life balance, asynchronous working, plus the sea change/tree change that many have embraced with “work from anywhere” policies.   This episode invites you to take this opportunity to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and identify where your current work ritual and routine may not be supporting you and your productivity and reimagine a new way forward.   Melissa Marsden Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Work Life Lounge

Imagine this… You’re on a business retreat and as part of the “surprise & delight” culture, you’re being driven to an undisclosed location for your next activity. You arrive at a local swimming pool where you are taken into a classroom and you begin to learn about the physiology and biology of breathing, the impact that is has on the performance and function of our physical body.  You’re shown how different breathing methods influence the amount of oxygen in your blood, how many breaths you can take and how simply changing the way you breath using different techniques can change the way you feel in your body.  The next thing we are in the pool, practicing various breathing techniques as we swim from one side to the other with a single breath, elevating our heart rates and then doing it again experiencing that feeling in your chest, of the pressure building, of so desperately wanting to take a breath but pushing through…. I continue to progressively push myself physically out of my comfort zone over the course of a few hours – to the point that if I was a surfer, I could survive a wipe out. What was happening right there in that pool, was that I was being shown how with the use of my breathe, my mindset and practiced techniques, I could continue to push myself beyond what I would have previously considered my physical limits, and to demonstrate to myself that I am capable of more than I thought, with the right tools.   This whole experience was led by today’s guest, Nam Baldwin. I was fascinated by this session and the work that Nam does, and how he has translated his experience of working with elite athletes to working with some our top business executives.   Nam has an impressive client list that includes, Mick Fanning, Steph Gilmore, Pat Rafter, AFL’s Richmond Tigers, NRL’s Sydney Roosters plus Olympic Athletes and World Champions. And he’s also the best kept secret of some of our top 1% business leaders…  Nam has a gift for simplifying the complicated science behind brain and body performance, & delivering it in life-changing, digestible sessions, creating proven successes and powerful outcomes across all scenarios. In today’s episode we get into: How the techniques that he taught us in the pool translate into the boardroom The power of the breath and why such a simple thing can be so powerful His definition of performance and why it’s not about going harder for longer Why a foundation of personal wellbeing is so important for our own performance Managing good stress and bad stress As well as How our own sense of identity and purpose contributes to our overall wellbeing, resilience, and prioritisation of what’s important Nam has a way of explaining things in a way that make sense and you can take away and implement into your daily life.  NAM Baldwin  Website Melissa Marsden Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Work Life Lounge

Our environments have a HUGE impact on how we feel. This is the whole business that I’m in, designing and delivering workplaces that enable the strategic goals, vision and operational performance of a business.  But it’s not just limited to our corporate workplaces. When you apply that same philosophy to any environment around you, consider what it is enabling?  How does your environment make you feel? Different spaces invoke different feelings and shift our ability to concentrate, collaborate or be creative. But it’s not just our physical environment that we need to be conscious of….  In today’s episode I’m sharing with you 5 ways that our environment influences us and our sense of Calm and what you can do to use your space to regain your sense of Calm each day.   We explore; How your physical space influences your energy, your ability to focus and to be creative and how to choose wisely The impact of getting outside into nature and how as little as 40 secs can make a difference The additional mental load that a messy space has on your cognitive load and how to clear it How to use ALL our senses to instil calm in our environment How our internal environment is just as important as our external  This episode is a little insight into the recent 5 Days from Chaos to Calm challenge, I hosted, where over 5 days I share with you daily microhabits to integrate into your daily life to regain your calm.   If you enjoyed this episode and want to experience the whole 5 days of Calm, head over to the website, where you can still join the Challenge. https://www.melissamarsden.com.au/calm  Melissa Marsden Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website