This edition of Working Hard was originally sent on 04/08/26
Hello! Hope you’re having a good start to your week.
I’m officially on maternity leave! It was such a crazy feeling logging off last week knowing that, the next time I properly log back in, I’ll be somebody’s mum.
Even though I might have left my ‘proper job’, I’ll still be popping up here because I genuinely love writing this newsletter every week.
I also needed to write it this week because I think I’ve had one of my best ideas, which we can all benefit from.
Essentially, I’ve realised I’m about to enter a phase of life where I’m going to have a lot of hours with my hands occupied... but my brain isn’t. Everyone keeps telling me those first few weeks are basically one very long cycle of feeding, winding, changing, repeat. And I know myself well enough to know that if I don’t have something lined up, I’ll end up doomscrolling for absolutely no reason.
So I want us to build the ultimate recommendation list. I’m talking the documentary that completely changed how you think. The podcast episode you’ve sent to three different people because everyone needs to hear it. The YouTube rabbit hole you accidentally lost your entire Sunday to. The TV series you couldn’t stop watching. The film you think everyone should see at least once.
I’m going to put everything into one big spreadsheet, organise it by category and then share the whole thing. So yes, it’s technically for my postpartum entertainment... but really it’s just an excuse for us to create the world’s best recommendation list together so we’re never scrolling Netflix ever again wondering what to watch.
Please send me everything so we won’t be bored for a single second.
Also, this Saturday is 8th August, which is the opening of the Lion’s Gate Portal, a.k.a. the most powerful day of the year for manifesting (bear with me).
As you know if you’ve listened to the previous episodes, every year on 8th August I write a diary entry dated a year in the future, as if I’m already living my dream life. I’ve done it for years now, and it still freaks me out how much of it ends up coming true.
I’ve dropped the ‘how to’ notes I come back to every year below if you want to try!
Also, if you haven’t watched the full episode yet, I’ve dropped it below.
Omg firstly, I don’t think you’re crazy at all 😂 I actually read this and thought, “this feels so familiar.” I think your brain has decided there must be a perfect answer, so it keeps running little simulations trying to find it.
One thing that’s really helped me is asking myself, “Will this matter tomorrow?” If the answer’s no, I’ve started treating it like a coin flip decision. Future me is going to survive whether I walked or drove. The time spent overthinking it is usually the only bit that actually costs me.
I also wonder if it might help to notice when this happens. Is it when you’re tired? Hungry? Already feeling overwhelmed? Sometimes it’s not that the decision is hard, it’s that your brain has run out of bandwidth.
Obviously I can’t say whether it’s perfectionism, executive dysfunction, OCD or something else, but if this is happening across lots of areas of your life and it feels like it’s genuinely impacting you, it’s definitely worth chatting it through with someone. But from what you’ve written, I’d be inclined to start by taking the pressure off yourself. Hope this helps!
Next week I want to get into ultra-processed foods and whether they really deserve the reputation they’ve got, gut health and whether we actually need to eat 30 plants a week, the truth about protein and fibre and under-eating, and the hacks for eating well when time is poor and stress levels are high.
And I’ve got the perfect person joining me…
I hope you have a wonderful week & I’ll see you very soon,
