Keeping Balance At Hand

For most of us, the idea of making a major pivot in life or career can seem impossible - even reckless.

Our social conditioning or lack of self-belief often points us to the idea that we should prioritise being responsible, or stay where we are due to sunk costs. But is there another way to look at making a big change?

My guest today is challenging the status quo and offering her incredible insights on shaking things up, pursuing your true purpose and designing the life you really want.

Ellen Hooper is an accomplished executive coach, leadership development business owner and co-host of the podcast I’ll Ask My Sister. Starting out as a lawyer, transitioning into HR and eventually finding her way to coaching, Ellen knows firsthand what it is to feel the ‘push’ towards the safe and expected path early on in life. She takes us through her journey of experiencing the ‘pull’ of her real purpose, finding the courage to pursue her dreams and the mindset change that helped get her there.

We talk about charting the path to change by adopting an expansive mindset, and how asking for what we really need in our personal lives and careers is vital when making big decisions. With productivity being one of Ellen’s favourite topics, she shares her helpful insights on the significance of routine, understanding personal productivity peaks and the often-overlooked value of rest.

She also shares her philosophy on leadership, where revolving it around integrity, communication and empathy can transform not just professional environments but personal lives as well.

This is a beautiful and inspiring conversation on finding a new lease in life, leadership and personal fulfilment. Let’s take Ellen’s lead and allow ourselves to think bigger, knowing that this life is truly what you make it!

LINKS:

Connect with Ellen:

Website: https://www.ellenhooper.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenjhooper 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellen.hooper.consulting/

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

Today I want to walk you through a concept that's a cornerstone of productivity: the eat your frogs technique.

For those unfamiliar, the idea is based on a Mark Twain quote: "If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that it is probably the worst thing that will happen to you all day long."

In our world of work, the "live frog" translates to those daunting tasks we keep putting off. You know the ones – annoying, time-consuming, or just plain scary to start.

Now, I don't literally recommend chowing down on amphibians, but in today’s episode I break down how I use this technique to tackle my to-do list, which I prefer to call a punch list (feels more action-oriented, don't you think?).

I'd love to hear how eating your frogs boosts your productivity. If you're struggling or have any questions, feel free to reach out. 

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to neglect our own health while focusing on the needs of others. However, prioritising our well-being is crucial for a healthy and fulfilling life.

Today, I’m joined by the amazing Ros Lindsey as we focus on personal preparedness through health. Ros is a registered nurse with a Master's of public health and over 30 years experience in the health sector, including nursing leadership, clinical education and ICT project management.

After years of looking after others, she recognised that she had been neglecting herself.  Through deep knowledge and personal experience, Ros now seeks to help others implement small steps to improve their health and cause ripple effects that will transform lives. Ros joins us today to share insights, knowledge and strategies to help you decide, commit to, and progress your own health and wellness.

We dive into: 

• Taking stock of our daily habits
• Implementing small changes
• The power of mindset and self-love
• Building a supportive team
• Seeking professional help

Ros talks about finding her purpose in helping others to make informed decisions to improve their lives, and how she aims to instil hope that people can change.

If you’re looking to progress your own health journey but aren’t sure where to start, this conversation is full of valuable tips, actionable steps and a whole of inspiration for you to take and implement into your every day.

So, here’s to finding more self-love, better health and a balanced, happy life!

LINKS:

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by clutter and looking for a fresh start? Well, today you’re in luck, because decluttering is one of my favourite things to talk about!

I love the opportunity to declutter and organise. It grounds me as a person, clears my head and resets my focus. I feel lighter when my space is clear, clean and full of things that add value to my life.

My goal is to help everyone feel like this and develop their own practice for clearing the chaos out of not only their physical spaces, but their minds.

In this episode, we’ll go through the different aspects of decluttering your home, and I’ll give you practical tips on how to approach each one:

• Decluttering before you organise
• Sorting and categorising
• Keep, sell, donate or dispose
• Organising and repurposing
• Dealing with sentimental items 

I know the idea of decluttering your home can be overwhelming. But remember, it’s okay to start small. Take it one space at a time before moving on to the next.

So, let's embark on this decluttering journey together and create a space that truly reflects our best and most balanced lives!

LINKS:

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

Back in 2022, I had the absolute pleasure of attending an evening with Dr. Jane Goodall, broadcast by Museums Victoria. Dr. Goodall is an ethologist known for her detailed research on chimpanzees in Tanzania and has founded the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation.

For me, the biggest takeaway from this amazing session was this: every action matters. When we live with this in mind, we have the opportunity to lead with hope. In Dr Goodall’s words, “Hope is about action and not wishful thinking…You must roll up your sleeves and start crawling and climbing… Every one of us makes an impact on the planet every day.”  

I've been thinking a lot about this recently and how the mantra “every action matters” is highly useful for us to use when reflecting on the three P's: Purpose, Productivity and Preparedness. 

So today we’re talking about taking actionable steps to move towards our purpose and establish our goals - and how this can be done by making purposeful choices in all that we do.

We’ll explore:

• Making every action meaningful
• Getting organised to boost productivity
• Examining our lives with curiosity

Whether it's prioritising our health, staying organised or examining ourselves with curiosity, each choice we make contributes to experiencing life at its best and most balanced. 

So, join me today and get inspired to find the most meaning - and balance -  in your daily life and actions!

LINKS:

Resources mentioned: Balance at Hand Checklist

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

I love a good holiday - in fact, it’s one of my favourite things to do in life. However, at some point over the years juggling work and home life, holidays became too few and far between.  I lost sight of the criticality of rest and the extreme value of experiencing different cultures and  places.  Not only is it incredibly good for our bodies, but it's immensely beneficial to our minds to rest, recharge and find inspiration for our next adventure.

Planning your rest is a critical element of health, within our focus area of preparedness.  And as I always say, you can't argue with science. And science has proven the importance of regular breaks during the day, the week and especially annually, so you have that time to really reset. 

There are two types of rest I want you to consider today: big breaks and mini breaks. I talk through the benefits of each one and give you tips on how to best plan for them. 

We’ll also explore how to beat the back-to-work blues, where I share the fun ritual my family and I have to select our next adventure and give us something to look forward to. 

Whether you're yearning for a tropical getaway or seeking inspiration for your next trip, I hope this episode is a helpful roadmap to planning your successful next adventure. May it also inspire you to seek the much-needed rest and recharge we all need for a joyful, more balanced life!

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

Resources mentioned: Travel Planner Checklist

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

There are many of us who have started our life or career in a certain direction, only to realise down the track that it’s not actually where we want to be. We’re not truly following our dreams, and are perhaps struggling to discover what our life’s purpose is. 

If this is you too, it may be time to ask yourself: if you had all the time, resources and skills to do anything you wanted, what would you actually choose to do - or be?

Today, we’re joined by special guest Kristina Karlsson, whose inspiring journey from losing it all in business to creating her dream life is empowering others to do the same. Founder of Kikki K and Dream Life, and author of Your Dream Life Starts Here, Kristina’s dream is to inspire 101 million people to transform their lives and in turn, transform the world around them.

We talk about the many aspects involved in chasing our dreams, including:

• Actionable steps you can take to find your purpose 
• How to overcome the challenges of life and use them for good
• Balancing work, life and the pursuit of our dreams
• Persevering in the face of adversity

Kristina is a wealth of knowledge on how to adopt the mindset, daily rituals and tenacity it takes to make dreams a reality. So join us today and learn how you can develop the confidence to back yourself, achieve your goals and create your very own dream life. 

In the words of Kristina herself: it’s time to take a big bite and chew like hell! 

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

Connect with Kristina: 

Website: https://www.yourdreamlifestartshere.com/ 

Instagram: @kristinadreamlife

Thank you for joining me for the very first episode of Keeping Balance at Hand. Sharing my journey and lessons learnt in living a balanced life is truly a dream come true, and I look forward to supporting you to live your best, most balanced life. 

Today, I’m providing you with an insight into the Balance at Hand blueprint, which is based on the three P’s I live by: 

1. Purpose

2. Productivity

3. Preparedness

I believe that to achieve balance at hand, you need all three areas to be working in harmony. And once you get there, that’s where you find the sweet spot to truly thrive. 

While determining your own unique purpose, productivity and preparedness sounds complex, it really is a great reference to keep coming back to if you get stuck on where to focus next. So let's investigate the fundamentals of the three P’s together and begin the journey to creating your own special balance at hand. 

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand

Welcome to Keeping Balance at Hand. I’m so excited to bring you this podcast, where every week we’ll explore the three essential areas that can transform your everyday existence into a fulfilling and harmonious journey. 

There are so many of us asking what the purpose of our lives is, frustrated by days that just seem to be on repeat. We find ourselves burdened with a heavy mental load and overwhelmed by the clutter in our spaces that should be our sanctuaries.

The good news? Through trials and more than a few errors, I have discovered the key areas that, when kept in balance, allow me to feel the joy in the everyday - and I want to share that with you.

In each episode, we’ll unravel the mysteries of these crucial areas that have so much impact on the quality of our lives:

1.  Purpose

2. Productivity

3. Preparedness

Note: they’re much more fun than they sound! 

Whether you're struggling to define your long-term goals, seeking to elevate your daily productivity or aiming to be prepared for unforeseen challenges, this podcast is for you. 

So join me and together, we’ll navigate the path to living our best and most balanced lives.

Connect with Me: 

Website: www.balanceathand.com 

Instagram:  @balance_at_hand