Category: Wellbeing, resilience & Stress
Workload, recovery, burnout and the conditions that make work sustainable. Written for managers as much as individuals, because most of what determines whether someone copes is designed into the job rather than fixed by resilience training.
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You Should Talk to Strangers. Science Says So.
Research by Nick Epley and Juliana Schroeder demonstrates that people systematically underestimate both how willing strangers are to talk and how much they themselves benefit from those conversations. We are crap at predicting how it feels to talk to strangers We nearly all typically predict that talking to strangers will be awkward […]
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You Can Only Have So Many Real Friends. Here’s Why That Matters.
Robin Dunbar’s research established that human beings have a cognitive limit of approximately 150 stable social relationships, arranged in concentric circles of intimacy: roughly 5 intimates, 15 close friends, 50 friends, and 150 acquaintances. Relationships are not static — they decay without investment, and maintaining a close friendship requires approximately monthly in-person […]
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Sources of Stress at Work: Understanding What Really Causes Workplace Stress
Workplace stress is not a character flaw; it is a product of how work is designed, managed, and experienced. There are many models and frameworks that explore sources of stress at work, we explore several of them here. Your stress and resilience programmes might just be wrong If your stress management strategy […]
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Making Friends After 30 Is Harder Than It Should Be. Here’s the Science of Why — and How.
Friendship formation depends on three structural conditions identified by researchers: proximity, repeated unplanned interaction, and a setting that encourages candour. Adult life systematically dismantles all three of these conditions, but this can be overcome. Making friends in adulthood is harder than it should be. The reasons that making friends becomes harder are […]
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A 90-Minute Walk in Nature Measurably Changes the Brain Region Associated With Depression
Rumination (repetitive, self-focused negative thought) is one of the strongest psychological risk factors for depression and anxiety. A single 90-minute walk in nature significantly reduced both self-reported rumination and neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, the brain region associated with depressive thought patterns. Urban walkers showed no such change. The effect […]
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We Are the Most Connected Generation in History. We Are Also the Loneliest.
We live in the most connected era in human history, yet loneliness is rising, not falling. Technology has created a paradox: we are always connected but more profoundly alone, because digital contact allows us to control our exposure, manage our self-presentation, and avoid the vulnerability that genuine connection requires. The most connected, […]
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Gratitude: The Psychology Behind Appreciation at Work
Gratitude is a multifaceted psychological construct involving both cognitive and affective dimensions, distinct from mere thankfulness or politeness. Research consistently links gratitude to improved wellbeing, prosocial behaviour, and stronger relationships, but its effects depend heavily on whether it arises authentically or is institutionally mandated. Gratitude is not what most people think it […]
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Predictive Coding and the Predictive Brain: A Deep Dive
Predictive coding proposes that the brain is not a passive receiver of sensory information but an active prediction machine, constantly generating top-down expectations about what it will encounter and updating those expectations only when prediction errors demand it. Predictive Coding: How we experience the world Drawing on the work of Karl Friston, […]
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Introduction for the Workplace
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave cognitive behavioural therapy developed by Steven Hayes. It’s organised around six core processes. Unlike traditional CBT, ACT does not attempt to change or eliminate difficult thoughts and feelings; instead, it aims to develop psychological flexibility, the ability to be present, open up to experience, […]
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The Predictive Brain: A Powerful Reframe for Leadership and Self-Awareness
The brain is a prediction machine: it constantly anticipates the world and updates based on what it perceives. Embracing this model can reframe how leaders understand stress, emotions, and interpersonal friction. Leaders can develop more adaptive and compassionate responses by recognising their brain’s predictive nature. Emotional intelligence and mindfulness can help recalibrate […]