Let’s stop pretending that your weekly corporate Zoom yoga is fixing burnout. Your company rolls out meditation apps, hosts mental health webinars, and maybe even throws in a mindfulness day once a quarter. All under the banner of ‘employee wellness’. Meanwhile, the calendar is still packed with back-to-back meetings, Slack never sleeps, and your team’s average workday just bled into their evening…again.

When was the last time you asked for directions? Perhaps you’re too proud. And now we have Google Maps, the need to plead with another human to show us the way is reassuringly rare. But I asked for directions last week and came completely unstuck. 

Last year, the advanced electronic sensor manufacturer GSS undertook a trial to investigate the potential benefits (or drawbacks) of switching to a 4-day week in terms of staff moral and the effect on production.

In a world obsessed with opinions, expectations, and playing it safe, a new breed of entrepreneurs and startup founders is emerging. These bold individuals are rejecting the status quo, cranking up their confidence, and embracing a mindset that I like to call the “Flying Flooberry” philosophy. It’s all about not giving a single fluffy, sparkly, cheese-filled care about other people’s judgments. And trust me, this attitude is a total game-changer.

Every founder has heard it: “You’re taking on too much.” Yet, in the rush of launching multiple ventures, it’s easy to brush off warnings until the consequences hit. 

For many the idea of planning and running a large scale event might automatically get your heart rate pumping, and it certainly did for me earlier in my career. I’d worry about the slightest details with lots of anxious thoughts and sleepless nights in the run up to anything I was working on.

Working in tech often comes with its own set of challenges, leading to high levels of stress. Driven by tight deadlines, imposter syndrome, and the constant need to prove oneself in a male-dominated field, emotional wellbeing can take a hit.

You’ve hired sharp Gen Z talent, handed them ownership, stacked your roadmap … and then, six weeks later, they’re burned out, disengaged, or thinking about leaving. Sound familiar?

In today's high-speed business landscape, entrepreneurs face unprecedented pressure. The demands of building companies while navigating technological disruption create unique stress patterns that traditional wellness advice often fails to address. After working with founders for over 15 years, I've developed a "flexible mindfulness" approach that fits the entrepreneurial lifestyle.

Gaming has traditionally been seen as a source of entertainment, competition, or escapism. However, a growing trend is challenging these perceptions: therapeutic gaming. With mixed reality (MR) technology at the forefront, gaming is emerging as a powerful tool for stress relief and self-care – redefining how people approach "me time" in today’s fast-paced world.

No one includes this in the business plan, but being an entrepreneur can be emotionally intense. Even the most capable founders doubt their ideas, question their decisions, and wonder if they are truly cut out for the journey.

It started with severe insomnia. At my worst, I was only getting two hours of continuous sleep a night, and that’s on the good days. This went on for 18 months. 18 months of broken nights, waking up more exhausted than I’d gone to bed, and trying to navigate my life through a fog of fatigue so intense, I sometimes couldn’t even remember what day it was.

April is Stress Awareness Month, and as a Stress to Success Mentor and a Creative Workshop Facilitator, I am passionate about supporting people – mainly purpose driven individuals – to release overwhelm and stress in order to support them to live their calmest and most fulfilled life.

We’ve glamorised burnout for far too long. In the entrepreneurial world, being ‘busy’ has become the gold standard. Stress is seen as a natural by-product of success, and exhaustion is practically a badge of honour.

If there’s one thing that will trigger ALL your triggers, it’s starting your own business – or having children. Many of us choose to do both at the same time (I know I did!).

In a previous study carried out by CIPHR, it was found that financial worries are the joint main cause of stress in the UK. Also, this year’s Quids in! ‘Cost of Living Survey’ highlighted that financial anxiety is impacting many of us – 40.6% feel scared, worried, or sad about money, and one in five (22%) say stress has made them physically ill.

April marks Stress Awareness Month, and this year’s theme, #LeadWithLove, resonates deeply with me – not just as a founder and entrepreneur, but as someone who hit burnout, hard, two years ago.

Let’s be real, startup life isn’t always what it seems to be on Insta… we all know there’s often a tough reality behind some of those smiles, beyond midnight working, client calls at dawn, all whilst trying to juggle a million spinning plates… As brilliant as the entrepreneurial founder’s life is, it can also come with a heavy dose of stress.

The way we work has undergone pronounced changes in recent years – the convergence of political instability, economic volatility, and ongoing global conflicts, coupled with transformative accelerators including COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and movements such as #MeToo has dramatically altered our view of workplace culture and employee wellbeing. These seismic shifts have blurred the lines between work and home, personal and professional, creating an undercurrent of fear and instability and posing huge challenges for individuals mental and physical wellbeing.

Karl Breeze, CEO at Matrix Booking reflects on whether the act has driven real change or if some companies are simply treating it as a box-ticking exercise.