If your nervous system has learned to be “switched on,” you rarely change that by thinking differently or random acts of calming. Coming out of a stress response usually 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 through good habits and recovery. Think of it as giving your...

Open loops. Micro-checks. Notifications. A quick scroll here and there. Switching between tasks and tabs all day, and then again all evening. For many of us, this level of input has become normal. Think of it like having thirty browser tabs open. (I usually do.) Each...

I read a lot about “nervous system safety”, and I think it’s often misinterpreted. Safety can get described as that cosy feeling: at home, comfortable, around “safe” people. Yes, that is one form of safety. But a nuance gets lost because you can feel perfectly safe in...

There is a 30-second check worth building into your working day. No app, no quiet room, no expertise. It covers three areas: jaw, neck, and breath. Start with your jaw. Move your bottom jaw round in a circle. Most people find more tension there than they expected. It...

Weekend recovery is not just about what happens on Saturday and Sunday. It starts on Friday afternoon. Your nervous system does not reset at 5pm. It carries its current state across the transition from work into the weekend, and that state shapes what the next 48...

  Have you ever had a weekend where you did very little, but still did not feel properly restored? Maybe you slowed down, sat on the sofa, read a book, watched television, scrolled. You weren’t working, so it felt like a break. By Sunday evening, though,...

Why moving regularly helps us notice and change patterns of tension, effort and stress When we think about nervous system regulation, attention often turns to breathing, relaxation or techniques intended to make us feel calmer. Movement receives less attention,...

We tend to think of decision-making as a cognitive skill: the ability to gather and synthesise information, weigh up the options and reach the best conclusion. If someone’s decision-making deteriorates, we may attribute it to a loss of sound judgement, insufficient...

Why sustainable performance requires us to think differently about stress, recovery and the design of work We are good at designing and redesigning work. We design for productivity, engagement, inclusivity and collaboration. We have redesigned work around new...