Becoming a parent involves significant personal and professional change, but a little planning can go a long way.   Becoming a parent and taking time out of the workplace involves a significant, complex professional and personal transition, and often comes during a crucial time in your career trajectory. Take a moment to think about it. The psychological reorganisation required for healthy adaptation to parenthood is enormous – we have to learn to adapt to the physical, psychological, emotional and relationship changes that occur. It is one of the most challenging transitions that can occur in our lives. From a career perspective, employees in Ireland are lucky to have access to generous maternity leave with many women opting to take upwards of nine months’ leave. Increasingly, partners are also able to avail of a number of months’ leave. This is fantastic for adapting, and bonding with your new baby, but it involves the added transition of stepping away from work and back into it after a period of extended leave. If you have a baby on the way, the chances are that right now you are spending the vast majority of your week going to your place of work and hopefully doing a job you enjoy. This is about to change, suddenly and quite significantly. So much will happen in your life while you are away that the transition back to work will be a big one, despite what it might feel like now. Let us look at what you can do to make life easier on yourself and thrive through the changes ahead. Before leave Once baby is on the way, it can be so easy to be pulled into the craziness of preparing your home for a baby and gathering the baby ‘essentials’. It can often be a bit of a rush to get everything finished up in work, but it is well worth taking the time to put a plan in place for looking after yourself, helping your employer to help you, and managing your career in the run-up to your maternity or paternity leave. Make a plan with your manager Many employers can be reticent about getting in touch while you are on family leave. This is often well-intended but can leave you feeling a bit lost. The best way to counter this is to sit down with your manager before you go on leave and agree a communication plan. This can be as basic as agreeing that you will text them when baby comes, that you want to be notified of any major changes in your absence, and planning to meet for a coffee a few months before your return – whatever feels right and works for you both. Get in touch with human resources On a similar note, if you want to be kept in the loop about company goings-on, internal vacancies and so forth, get in touch with human resources (HR). Although some companies are fantastic at this, others can tend to forget about you altogether! So, make a point of contacting them (or raising the same points with your manager if your company has no dedicated HR function) and asking them to stay in touch.  Work and performance summary I highly recommend pulling together a brief summary of what you have been working on and your achievements in the run-up to your leave. You absolutely will forget! This can be very useful in getting your head back into the game when you return and act as a little confidence boost when looking back at your achievements. Invest in your well-being Make a commitment to prioritise your own well-being, as well as that of your family. Be kind to yourself and remember that there will be many changes ahead; and if things don’t go to plan, tomorrow is a new day. Ask your company to invest in your attendance at a workshop for planning your return to work or for some personalised one-to-one coaching. This is extremely beneficial in helping you get into a positive head-space and assisting with planning when the time comes. And of course, if you are back on top form quickly on your return, this will benefit your employer so it is a ‘win-win’ scenario. Planning your return Link in with work before you return  Keeping in touch with key contacts in work can be very beneficial while you are on leave. In the weeks before you return, arrange a coffee or call with your boss, work friends or network to get the lay of the land and reassure yourself that the landscape has not changed as drastically as you might imagine. Consider what supports would be helpful for you as you return and discuss these with your manager. Know your worth As you start to plan your return, take time to reflect on your worth. List the skills and experience you have gained through your career and also, during your time away from work. If you have trouble doing this, or feel you are losing your confidence, enlist someone who can help you. If you are taking an extended career break, it is important that you maintain professional development through volunteering, reading, attending relevant events and keeping up with industry developments. Make a plan with your partner to manage the household The chances are that you will be doing most of the household ‘stuff’ while on leave. While this makes sense when one partner is at home, this isn’t sustainable when both partners are working. Don’t expect your partner to just know this; it is hard to know what needs to be done when you are not the person doing it. Take time to sit down in advance and agree how you are going to manage the various tasks and downsize or outsource what needs to be done. Plan to get up and out in the morning This depends on your work and childcare circumstances (for example, if you all need to leave together in the morning, if your baby needs breakfast before you leave etc.) Take time to plan everything that needs to happen to get you out of the house, and find a system that works best for you. Most parents I have worked with find it beneficial to get as much done the night before as possible. As you settle back in Things will invariably change for you in the months and years ahead. Your priorities may change, perhaps temporarily and perhaps for the long-term. The sleepless nights don’t go away just because you are back at work and little ones often get sick at the worst possible time. Parenting through the early years can be tough, but they are fleeting in the grand scheme of things. Keep open lines of communication at work and note these wise words from Alan Sroufe: “The best thing parents can do is guard against their own stress levels”. TOP TIPS FOR MANAGING THE TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD The prospect of parenthood beings with it many competing demands which, when taken as a whole, can be overwhelming. To avoid the common but counterproductive practice of retreating into panic mode, follow Claire’s four simple steps below... Plan, plan, plan Before leave, think about what will make you feel confident and supported as you return to work. Think about what will help you when you have a new-born baby at home and what will make your life as easy as possible. Communication is key If you don’t tell people at work and at home what is going on for you and what support you need, they will not be able to help you. It is so important to do this, even if this means pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Prioritise your well-being Ensuring that you are healthy and well, both physically and mentally, is what will ultimately help you weather any tough times and manage the changes ahead. Know your worth Take stock of your skills, experience and achievements before your leave and as you plan your return. And yes, anticipating the ever-changing needs of your new mini-stakeholder is a skill! Claire Flannery is a business psychologist and executive coach at Strength Within, and mum to two small boys.

Orla McGahan writes: 1. Join a network “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” There are 1,730 Chartered firms in practice in Ireland. Of that, around 950 are sole practitioners; and yet, there are only 40 listed networks. Even with an average of ten members per network, there are a lot of people out there going it alone. Don’t isolate yourself. The benefits of being part of a network are copious: A case study group – for those times when a case needs to be talked out.  A forum to benchmark – to benchmark fees, charge out rates, overheads, staff salaries, and so on, can be invaluable. Consider joining a network outside your geographical or competitive area if necessary.  Knowledge sharing – share experiences on dealing with Revenue, CRO and other areas. For that moment when you are just having a blank, being able to run it by a trusted colleague. Referrals – often within a network various members specialise in varying fields, industries or disciplines. This can lead to additional work through referrals. CPD and training – organising training by network offers more flexibility to custom make the course, attendees, and location, while gaining cost reductions. 2. Don’t underestimate the value of your work I was lucky enough to be shown early in my practice life (by a client!) that the value of your work is not the time it took to put together the relevant documents and submit them to the appropriate authority. But rather, and more importantly, your fee should reflect the time, effort, knowledge and experience you have gained over the years which gives you the technical and practical knowhow. For a lot of practitioners, our work revolves around solving problems or doing work our clients do not have the time, knowledge, skill or experience to do. Make sure the price you put on your work adequately reflects value to both you and your client. 3. Stock control - record your time How often do we criticize clients for inadequate stock control and yet how many of us, particularly partners, do not record our time? We sell time. Fact. And yet quite often we have no control over it. There are many good CRM packages available to practitioners offering time recording systems with simple reporting facilities. Invest in one and use it. It will pay for itself, and then some. Find the discipline to record your time, every day. 4. Organise your time and stick to it! As the saying goes – “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” If I were to pick one thing that will make a difference, it’s time management. This is crucial to creating and maintaining an easy (easier) practice life. Plan, systemise where possible, and stay on top of The annual return and compliance review - do this when it comes in or as it falls due; Anti-money laundering compliance; Engagement letters; Practice housekeeping – A Chartered Accountant I know, who runs a very successful practice, has developed the habit of spending the first hour of his day, every day, without fail, to practice housekeeping. And his success is testament that it works; CPD and your CPD record; Staff mentoring records. 5. Embrace technology and update your software regularly Efficiencies leading to higher profitability and better cash-flow can be achieved with regular investment in software and technology. Incorporate this cost as an ongoing overhead. 6. Value your staff I’m sure this is not the first time you have been told this, but your staff are your most valuable asset. “We are only ever as good as the people around us”. Invest in your staff. The cost of losing an experienced staff member goes far beyond the financial cost. Added to that, a new staff member will take at least six months to become comfortable and familiar with the position. The cost of this should never be underestimated. Invest in training, talk to your staff openly and regularly (maybe over a nice lunch) about the things that make a difference to their enjoyment of the position, and it’s not always about salary. Particularly in the current environment, taking care of your staff should be a high priority. 7. Self-care In the words of Stephen Covey (The 7 habits of highly effective people) – “sharpen the saw”. Take care of yourself, your health, your mental health and your private life. As a practitioner, the pressure to develop, to stay up to date technically, meet deadlines, manage staff, and still live your life can sometimes be overwhelming, not to mention managing the expectations of clients. We carry a huge responsibility. So take time out regularly and routinely to take care of yourself. 8. Get involved in your Institute For some members “The Institute” may seem like an anonymous entity from which they can feel somewhat disconnected. But the Institute has many more facets than members realise and offers many valuable services. In addition to the staff, many member volunteers are lobbying and working away for the interests of its members. Volunteers are always required in many areas. The benefit of involvement and having an active role is that you can help shape and change the world in which you work, influence policy and changes in legislation, education, membership and many other areas. And as an added bonus, involvement gives you a sense of belonging to the Institute of which you are a member. 9. Agree fees upfront and in writing When you make this routine a habit, it is second only to time recording in revolutionising your practice, your fee recovery and your cash flow. It focuses your mind in identifying exactly what service is required, what the client is willing to pay for that service, and the timing of when you will get paid. It opens the doors for a discussion on what work the client wants done, and identify any work they are willing to do themselves. Make a list of the steps involved in the work and use this as a template to assist in the conversation. The benefit is that it saves a lot of stress and bad feeling when you think you’ve done a great job only to find that the client does not appreciate it and is unwilling to pay for it. Orla McGahan is the principal of McGahan and Co, and is a member of the Members in Practice Committee of Chartered Accountants Ireland.  

By Dawn Leane In their book The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the men who think like them) Will Rule the Future, John Gerzema and Michael D'Antonio found that, universally, people have grown frustrated by a world dominated by what they identify as traditional masculine thinking and behaviours: control, competition, aggression and black-and-white thinking. They believe these behaviours have contributed to many of the problems we face today.  There is also a business case for greater diversity. The EY Ireland 2018 Diversity & Inclusion Report, Time to change gear, suggests that 98% of respondents believe that an inclusive environment is vital for business performance. So why are businesses failing to make meaningful progress on gender diversity? The same survey identified that almost half the respondents favour regulation as a driver for creating more diverse and inclusive organisations while 79% say they favour regulation to address gender diversity on boards – perhaps suggesting that organisations are at a loss as to how to progress. While businesses struggle to make progress on gender diversity, are there lessons to be learned from how Rwanda reconstructed its society? The women of Rwanda In 1994, Rwanda suffered appalling genocide with over a million people killed, often by neighbours or other family members. In the wake this devastation, it was the women of Rwanda who rebuilt the country. They didn’t set out to create a movement; many had little or no formal education. Nevertheless, they organised and today Rwanda has the highest percentage of female representation in the world, with 61% of seats in the lower house and 39% of seats in the upper house, held by women. If, in the face of such adversity, these women could rebuild a country where every semblance of normality had disappeared, why are affluent, educated, first-world countries unable to engender change? Organisations approach diversity, and specifically gender diversity, intellectually. They try to solve the problem with rules, regulations and interventions designed to deliver quick results. The difficulty with this approach is that while it may change behaviours, it doesn’t change underlying attitudes. Rwandan women made progress in part due to the seismic cultural change they underwent in 1994. All the societal norms and behaviours vanished overnight. In such a landscape, all bets are off and a new culture must be defined. The women of Rwanda have solidified their position in the intervening years. If we consider gender equality as an issue of organisational culture and we accept that every organisation has its own unique culture, it follows that applying universal principles, like regulation, etc. simply won’t work and could even be counter-productive. Cultural change is notoriously difficult to effect. As the saying goes, ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. Cultural change takes years, not months. Meanwhile, over that time, more pressing business issues become a priority and, often in the face of slow or no progress, the initiative loses momentum, and staff lose trust and motivation. Adapting company culture My approach to diversity differs depending from one organisation to another. Change must take account of the company culture – not the culture the company espouses, but employees actual experience on the ground – if it is to have any chance of succeeding. Like Rwandan society, it must involve the very people who are impacted in both identifying the problem and developing the solution. In practical terms, that means doing things like asking the women who work in organisations about their experiences, as opposed to making broad assumptions and involving them in the solutions. I have worked with women employed in progressive organisations with very positive approaches to gender diversity, yet a particular line manager or other circumstances can negatively impact their experience. Successful cultural change requires a systematic approach and, in my experience, it is the sum of small sustainable changes that make the greatest impact on shifting the culture. To create a new paradigm, these changes must be consolidated and embedded in the organisation; it must become part of ‘how we do things around here’.   Dawn Leane is Principal Consultant at LeaneLeaders. 

With the Gender Recognition Act 2015 now in place, boards must ensure that robust, employee-focused policies are developed. Good corporate governance is now widely recognised as being sited in a sound corporate culture which includes, among other things, real respect for all persons. Most companies have a suite of policies on equality and diversity and although the human resources department is normally responsible for managing these policies, boards have an oversight role in ensuring that written policies are genuinely embedded in the practices, behaviours and reward systems of the organisation. This should include policy and procedures to cover situations where employees are gender transitioning. The Gender Recognition Act 2015 A human rights case in 2007, taken by Dr Lydia Foy, found that Ireland had an obligation to adopt a system to recognise the preferred gender of its citizens. It took until 2015 to introduce such legislation and several unfortunate clauses were removed from the Bill in its slow movement towards enactment. It was originally drafted so that gender identity would have to be established following a “medical evaluation” model. Good sense prevailed and the Act allows for a process enabling trans people over 18 years of age to achieve full legal recognition of their preferred gender and allowing them to obtain a new birth certificate reflecting the change. This preference is based on “self-determination” rather than certification by medical practitioners. It was originally proposed that married people could not apply, which would have required a “forced divorce”, but following the same-sex marriage referendum this requirement was removed. There are very restrictive provisions for persons of 16 and 17 years of age to apply for gender recognition, but there are no provisions for anyone younger than 16 to apply. Although there is no specific reference to intersex persons or to non-binary persons, it is widely assumed that the Act covers such persons. In the period between 4 September 2015 and 31 December 2015, 198 people were legally recognised under the Act, of whom eight were 16 or 17 years old.  At the time of writing, the Government had undertaken to commence a review of the workings of the Act in September 2017 and to report before September 2018. Implications for the person The main implications for a person whose preferred gender is recognised include: For all purposes, his/her gender becomes the preferred gender; She/he shall not be required to produce the certificate of gender recognition (unless by his/her own choice); His/her rights and liabilities and consequences of actions taken in the original gender remain unaffected; There will be no change to his/her parenthood status; There can be no effect on a property to be willed where the will was drawn up before the change; If desired, the marriage status can remain unchanged; and The change cannot interfere with any pursuit of an alleged sexual offence or an attempted sexual offence against him/her. Implications for the workplace Organisations need to enhance their suite of equality policies by having a specific policy covering transitioning by anyone in the organisation. While there may not be many such situations each year, it is important that a policy is thought out, discussed and agreed before a live case is presented. This policy should include: a basic statement of support; a statement of the understanding of the definitions of terms used in the policy; and an agreed procedure to support anyone who is transitioning. Statement of policy The policy should fit with the lived culture within the organisation, but might look something like: “As part of our suite of policies on equality and diversity, the board has approved this policy on gender transitioning to amplify our culture of welcoming and respecting diversity. We undertake to provide appropriate support to any person who is transitioning either with or without medical/surgical intervention. We will not tolerate any behaviour which disrespects or damages the dignity of any such person or engages in any form of bullying, sexual harassment or harassment. “We recognise that, while most people’s gender identity matches their sex assignment at birth, there is a small number of people for whom the sex assignment at birth does not match their innate feeling of being male or female. For those people who wish to transition, i.e. to align their life and physical identity with their gender identity, we undertake to be a safe and respectful workplace in accordance with our culture but also in compliance with the requirements and the spirit of the Gender Recognition Act 2015. The most commonly acceptable term used to describe people who wish to transition is “trans” and that term will be used in this policy. “Just as gay, lesbian and bisexual employees are welcome here, so also are employees who are trans. We recognise that a transitioning employee must come out to us, as his/her employer, so that she/he can live consistently with their preferred gender identity and we undertake to become fully involved to support this process. We recognise that each person will have different needs and so, this policy is as flexible as possible to tailor support as appropriate.” Definitions For the purpose of clarity, the policy should state the definitions of terms that should underpin the organisation’s policy. These might include: Gender identity: this means a person’s innate, deeply-felt psychological identification as male or female. This may or may not correspond to the person’s body or designated sex at birth and included on the original birth certificate. This term is not the same as ‘sexual orientation’, which is the preferred term used to refer to an individual’s physical and/or emotional attraction to people of the same or opposite gender. Gender expression: this refers to the observed signs and behaviours that are socially associated with the masculine or the feminine. So this includes dress, manner of speaking, moving, wearing make-up, hairstyles, social interaction and so on. Of course, this can vary from culture to culture. Some trans people feel very strongly that they need to live in their real identity and this can involve a transitioning journey including steps such as changing their names, having hormone therapy or undergoing surgery. Not all trans people want to transition in this way. Some don’t clearly identify as either male or female, but see themselves as being on a gender spectrum between male and female and would consider themselves as being both. Trans: trans people are those whose gender identity does not match the gender assigned. This is an umbrella term that includes people of different gender identities and gender presentations. It includes people who are transsexual, cross-dressers or gender non-conforming in other ways. Non-binary: again, this is an inclusive term that covers all identities that fall outside the clear male/female identity. This includes people who identify as neither completely male nor female; people who identify as both male and female or in any way between or beyond genders. People in this category may describe themselves by a variety of terms such as gender fluid, or bi-gender or gender neutral. Transitioning: this is the journey travelled by those who wish to change from the gender assigned to the gender with which they identify. It might include social, physical or legal changes. It can involve a range of actions including coming out to family, friends and colleagues at work. It can include changing appearance, changing sex designation on legal documents and asking to be referred to a ‘he/him’ instead of ‘she/her’ or vice versa. It may or may not involve medical and/or surgical assistance. Transsexual: this term is limited in its use as it focusses on the polar identities of male and female. It has been confused with sexuality or sexual orientation rather than gender identity. It is a term we will avoid. Cross-dressers and transvestites: a transvestite or cross-dressing person is someone who sometimes wears clothing, make-up and accessories which are not traditionally associated with his/her assigned gender. Usually, this is not associated with any desire to change assigned gender identity and it has nothing to do with sexual orientation. Intersex people: an intersex person was born with one of a range of conditions whereby their reproductive organs do not fit the typical definitions of female or male. They may have surgery to assign gender (i.e. as opposed to trans people who may have surgery to re-assign gender). Sexual orientation: this is the term used to refer to a person’s attraction to the same and/or the opposite gender. Homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual are all descriptions of a person’s sexual orientation. It is not the same as a person’s gender identity. Transphobia: this is the fear, dislike or hatred of a trans person/trans people. People who experience transphobia assume that there is a normal way for men and women to look and behave and diverging from that is ‘abnormal’. Often, derogative and offensive language can be used such as ‘sex change’. ‘she-male’, ‘gender bender’, ‘hermaphrodite’ etc. Policy In writing a policy suitable for your organisation, it will be important to engage in organisation-wide consultation. There is no template for such a policy, but it might be useful to include the following headings and populate each section with procedures: A basic statement of assurance that trans employees and stakeholders will be treated with respect and dignity; A basic statement that all other employees are required to comply with the policy and failure to comply will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment; An undertaking to take action should customers, suppliers, contractors or other stakeholders discriminate against our employees because of their gender identity; A statement that the policy is dynamic and will be amended as experience is gained in the area. It should include a hope that trans employees and other stakeholders will assist the organisation in reviewing and improving these guidelines; Guidelines for employees should be included, inviting them to make contact in advance of transitioning to discuss intentions, needs and concerns; Provision should be made for a support team and its procedures; Some consideration of how the dress code will operate and assurance that the gender identity preferred will be respected within the provisions of the normal code for employees of that gender; Procedures around the rights to use gender-segregated bathroom facilities. Where necessary, single-occupancy facilities will be provided consistent with the preferred identity; A statement on the eligibility of a trans employee to all welfare rights available to staff; Clarity around the right to confidentiality and the manner in which the change of identity is to be disclosed to colleagues; Guidelines for managers to whom an employee’s intention to transition is disclosed. This should include all the issues referred to above and practical issues such as name change, pronoun change, email nomenclature and the availability of sick pay, if appropriate; and Guidelines for the process of disclosing to colleagues, taking into account the wishes of the person who is changing. This might include a general meeting or may be done on a person-by-person basis. Overriding requirement The most important issue is to ensure that colleagues who have decided to transition, whether surgically, medically or without such intervention, should know that they are valued in the organisation; that their decision is respected and that they will be supported in the manner in which they would like to transition in the workplace. Prof. Patricia Barker FCA is Adjunct Professor of Accounting at Dublin City University.

EY’s Lynn Abbott discusses her FAE journey in which she overcame bereavement and academic failure to qualify as a Chartered Accountant. What has been your biggest challenge to date? I repeated my Leaving Certificate twice and took two attempts at CAP 2 but the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced is repeating my FAEs. The first time I sat them, I had a tough year both personally and professionally. In October 2011, we lost my uncle to suicide and very soon after, I spent four months in the UK for work which meant I didn’t get to spend the time I needed with my family to heal. Subconsciously, I gave up on the exams about half-way through that year and spent the summer trying to make up the impossible amount of ground I had lost. Repeating both Core and Elective in the following year took a lot of mental strength. I had to put behind me the feelings of low self-worth people have after failing at anything. I was harder on myself too as a result of my previous track record. You also have to push past the negativity of others (“If she had failed one, fine, but she’ll never get both”). Facing into that summer with the memory of what the previous study leave had felt like was terrifying. I had to get into the zone in a way I had never done before. Did you ever feel like you weren’t going to achieve your goals? You don’t fail as many times as I have and just assume your goals are still achievable. I’ve had so many hurdles to jump over the years and it’s easy to blame others when you fall down. Initially, I blamed the world for my shortcomings and got angry with those things in life I had no control over. I was embarrassed that things weren’t going to plan and didn’t want to look at what had gone wrong in any great detail. When I took ownership for my failings and realised where I was going wrong, I finally had something to work on and that put me on the right road. What advice would you give to students facing their own battles? It’s important to keep pushing on. Recognise that everyone fails at some point in their life and those setbacks make your victories even sweeter. The best leaders come through adversity. Ask for help and don’t be ashamed of what you’re going through – someone has been there before. What, in your view, is the most important skill to develop? I think there are two important skills that young Chartered Accountants could benefit from. One is perspective; a lot of us work in high pressure environments with tight deadlines and it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important. There’s nothing more important in life than your physical and mental health and well-being, so keep perspective and make sure you take care of yourself and those most important to you. Second, sheer grit and determination. To get where you want to go in life, you have to be willing to put in the hard yards. Keep the head down and you’ll get there. And finally, what’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Surround yourself with good people and good things will happen. Surround yourself with people who understand that you have a busy professional life, who will support you in your darkest hour and who will drop everything to help you with even the most mundane chore. They will keep you going when the road gets tough.

Sometimes you are presented challenges where you find you cannot cope. While we might not be able to change the amount of work that has to be done in a day, we can change how we react to it. I describe stress as being the scenario where the challenge you are facing seems to exceed your capacity to cope. We can feel threatened, overwhelmed and like we’ve lost control of the situation. While it seems odd to be sitting here writing about stress when it’s a warm, sunny summer’s day outside, stress doesn’t take the summer off. Learning how to deal with stress is a year-round task. The day from hell To illustrate an overwhelming challenge and our difficulty in coping, I thought we’d start with a really difficult day in work – the day from hell. While a small amount of stress can be a good thing – it provides a sense of urgency and it gets us moving – this is bigger than that. It took off like an out-of-control rocket, we are being pulled beyond ‘useful stress’ into a more manic orbit, and we end up in the ‘too much to cope with’ zone for too long.  When this happens, we lose three things: energy, short-term memory and the ability to problem solve or think creatively. We become quite primitive and it feels like we are in survival mode. We just want to survive the meeting, the phone call, or the afternoon. In summary, ‘stress eats energy’. 60-second recovery In reality, there’s very little we can do about the pace of a really hectic work day but we can do something about our response to it. For this, discipline is our most useful strategy. For those days from hell, we need to build ‘recovery breaks’ into the day. It only needs to be about 60 seconds, but – and here’s comes the discipline – the break should be once per hour throughout the day. Discipline eats stress Here’s your challenge: take a deliberate recovery break for one minute out of every 60. This will require a certain amount of discipline and mental toughness. In fact, you should be doing this even on good days. Remember, you’re doing this to ensure that you stay mentally fresh for as long as possible throughout the day. You are also doing this to ensure that you leave work with energy for what’s after work – life! When you create this discipline, and you stick with it for a week, it means you have energy to burn at the weekend. Otherwise, you spend that downtime in survival mode, dreading the return to work the following week. Recovery actions What do you actually do for the 60-second recovery? That depends on what you need. Sometimes it will be something simple that gives you a sense of control back, other times it will be something that slows down your mental traffic, and other times it will be something that energises you. Here are some examples: tidying, filing, reading, chatting, stretching, walking, improving your posture, and, the best one of all… breathing. Increase capacity If you’ve been following my well-being series, you will have come across  references to mental fitness. I am in the fitness business and fitness is about increasing capacity. Stress management is not about reducing stress in work and life, it is about increasing our capacity to cope with whatever is coming next. And when it comes to increasing capacity, discipline is your best friend.   Physical is the new psychological As you can see from the above, almost all of the strategies for stress management and mental health are physical and not always mental. It’s always beneficial to go out do something. Your body has the answer: calm the body and the mind will follow. Stopping is not recovering Leaving work and going home does not count as recovering. If you just crash into bed, you will still feel exhausted in the morning. Doing something that absorbs you – that energises you – is recovering. Finding the discipline to go for a short walk rather than watch television is recovering. Going to your yoga class is mental toughness and recovering. Remember: discipline eats stress. The key to resilience is working really hard, stopping, recovering properly and then working really hard again. Work success So far in this series I have been focusing on an operational level – how to have high self-worth, how to operate on the edge of comfort, how to have great habits and how to manage stress better. In the remaining two articles, I will be taking a more strategic approach.  See you then.