Welcome back to another episode of Frustrated and Exhausted, hosted by Ruth Wood! If your out-of-office is on, but your mind is juggling meetings, to-do lists, and family responsibilities, this episode is for you.

[00:01:33] – Personal Story & Invisible Load

• Ruth discusses her difficulties in slowing down, the constant mental “tabs” open in her mind, and shares personal anecdotes of balancing work, parenting, and preparing for holidays.

[00:04:03] – The Emotional & Invisible Labor

• She touches on the often invisible emotional labor women carry, both at home and at work, particularly around holiday times.

[00:05:53] – Normalizing Guilt & Redefining Rest

• Ruth highlights the guilt many women feel about stepping back and resting, and encourages reframing rest as an active process, not a state of doing nothing.

[00:07:19] – Practical Tips for Rest

• Offers practical examples of what rest can look like—slowing down, saying no to extra commitments, turning off the phone, leaving less-than-perfect responses.

[00:08:43] – The Challenge of Immediate Responses

• Ruth reflects on the pressure for immediacy in modern life and encourages listeners to protect their downtime.

If something from this episode resonated with you, I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or stories. Reach out on LinkedIn or learn more at ResumeNateLeadership.co.uk.

If you’re struggling to slow down, you’re not alone—and your nervous system deserves care too. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is… simply not hit “reply.”

Until next time: Take care of you.

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