De-frazzle

02/09/2026

What does ?? mean to you?

I have a bit of a thing about two question marks at the end of a message.
'Have you seen this??'

For some reason, that second question mark completely changes how I read it.
One question mark feels like a question.
Two feels more like 'Have you seen this? Why haven’t you replied? I’m waiting!' 😬
Maybe I'm overly sensitive 🤷

Of course, the person sending it might mean absolutely nothing by it. It may simply be how they write.

BUT it got me thinking about how easily we can interpret tone in emails and texts when there isn’t actually a tone of voice to hear.
👉A full stop.
👉An emoji.
👉ALL CAPS.
👉And, apparently for me ??

Tiny things can change how a message lands – regardless of how it was intended.

What do two question marks mean to you?? 😉

01/09/2026

What’s one of the most valuable things we can give people at work?

According to this HBR article, it might be something surprisingly simple: the ability to focus.

Research involving more than 6,000 knowledge workers suggests that the most effective teams are defined less by office perks or working arrangements, and more by their ability to protect focused work.

It got me thinking about how difficult uninterrupted time can be in the NHS – with emails, meetings, Teams notifications and the inevitable 'Have you got a minute?'

💡We talk a lot about productivity. But perhaps we also need to think about whether the way we work actually allows people to concentrate.

An interesting read 👇
https://tinyurl.com/3bjaywj6

27/08/2026

Tired is tired… right?
Not necessarily.

Sometimes a good night’s sleep is exactly what we need. But sometimes we wake up after eight hours and still feel completely drained.

That may be because fatigue isn’t just physical.

Decision-making, constantly helping others, too much stimulation, difficult ethical situations, digital overload and even social interaction can all take their toll.
And different types of fatigue may need different responses.

💡So, rather than simply asking “Why am I so tired?”, perhaps a better question is:
'What kind of tired am I?'

26/08/2026

Don’t give a 10-minute problem the rest of your day.

👉The awkward conversation.
👉The email that irritated you.
👉The meeting that didn’t go to plan.
👉The comment you keep replaying.

Deal with what needs dealing with.
Learn from it if there’s something to learn.
Then try not to let those 10 minutes take up the next 10 hours.

💙Not everything deserves that much of your headspace.

14/08/2026

This is a useful reminder that success rarely comes in a straight line 👇

12/08/2026

💡 We need to stop viewing wellbeing as just an individual responsibility.

🤔 Of course, there are things we can all do to look after ourselves at work. BUT workload, culture, relationships, leadership, and how work is designed all matter too.

👉 Supporting wellbeing shouldn’t just be about helping people cope better with work. We also need to make work better. AND that means wellbeing is everyone’s business - individuals, teams and organisations.

Visual concept inspired by the Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford.

11/08/2026

It is so refreshing to see this acknowledged.

Most leaders assume they understand employee workload by tracking hours, deadlines, and performance metrics. But those measures overlook a powerful driver of burnout, disengagement, and turnover at work: the mental load. This can shape day-to-day performance by reducing focus time, slowing decision cycles, increasing error rates, and dampening creativity.

Luckily for leaders and managers, this article shares a roadmap to support their staff.

Article published in the Harvard Business Review.
Authors: Leah Ruppanner, Haley Swenson, Kate Mangion, H. Colleen Stuart, David G. Smith and Molly Dickens.

Most leaders assess workload through hours, deadlines, and output, but these measures overlook the mental load employees carry: the ongoing cognitive and emotional effort required to manage tasks, relationships, and coordination at work and at home. When these loads collide, they fragment attention,...

10/08/2026

Our next Q Community Curiosity Collective takes place on 17th September 12 – 12.45.

Psychological safety isn’t just about encouraging people to speak up. It’s also about understanding the power dynamics that determine who feels able to speak, who stays silent, and why.

In this interactive session we’ll explore how formal authority, expertise, personality, hierarchy and social influence affect psychological safety, and what leaders and team members can do to create environments where everyone feels safe to contribute. Expect practical tools, thought-provoking discussion and insights you can apply immediately.

Everyone is welcome.

To find out more and to register, use this link:

Join the Joy in Work Curiosity Collective on 17 September 2026. Book now!

06/08/2026

Leaders, take note: are your managers equipped to recognise and respond to poor mental health?

For every £1 employers invest in workplace mental health, they receive an average return of £5.30.
Source: Deloitte report: https://tinyurl.com/mpnzybd2

However…
👉Only 45% of managers have been trained to have mental-health conversations.
👉Just 51% of employees believe their manager is equipped to support them.
👉Managers’ confidence in supporting team members increased by 53% after training.
👉Employees’ desire to leave fell from 35% to 18% when managers were trained to have supportive conversations.
Source: MHFA England, Key workplace mental health statistics for 2026 https://tinyurl.com/3x67r6ds

💡 Investing in workplace mental health cannot simply mean introducing a wellbeing initiative. It also isn't about managers having all the answers. BUT managers need the confidence and skills to notice when someone may be struggling, start a supportive conversation, and know what to do or where to signpost them.

❓ Are your managers genuinely equipped to do this, or are they simply expected to know how?

04/08/2026

Is it time to put the kettle on?