We share a simple, identity-first practice to end the year with clarity and begin 2026 on purpose. Two questions help you release what no longer fits and choose the version of yourself that your habits and calendar will support.

• shifting from self-judgement to curiosity and compassion
• leaving behind old labels, guilt and unhelpful stories
• choosing identity before goals and outcomes
• translating beliefs into small, aligned behaviours
• creating space to reflect and feel the truth
• reducing noise and clarifying your why
• turning declarations into daily evidence
• previewing upcoming conversations with women who rebuilt

Go grab whatever it is you need, make that space, and see what you're leaving behind and what you're taking away

Thank you for joining us today on the Balance and Beyond Podcast. We're so glad you carved out this time for yourself!

If you’re keen to dive deeper into our world, here are our socials where you can discover more about the toolkit that has helped thousands of women create a life of balance.

Website: www.balanceinstitute.com
Podcast Website: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
Email: jo@balanceinstitute.com
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterbalanceinstitute/
Instagram: @betterbalanceinstitute

Thanks again for tuning in, and we'll see you next time on the Balance & Beyond Podcast!

The holidays can be noisy, busy, and strangely empty all at once. We wanted to create a quiet pocket in your feed to say a sincere thank you, share a few of our own rituals, and invite you to make space for rest without apology. From the notes you send to the stories you trust us with, your courage and honesty shape everything we do, and we reflect on how that shared momentum helps ambitious women lead with more ease and less burnout.

We talk about gratitude as a practical tool, not a platitude, and how naming what’s working can reset a frantic mind. You’ll hear about our simple family traditions—alternating Christmas Day, familiar plates from childhood, a cheeky cheer for every popped cork in honour of Grandma—and why these small, steady rituals regulate the nervous system and restore presence. We touch on a year coloured by health challenges and what it means to hold close the people and habits that make time feel meaningful.

Looking ahead, we offer a gentle frame for a lighter, fuller, more you 2026: schedule rest first, trim low-value demands, and choose rituals that anchor you to your values. If you’re navigating career pressure, leadership expectations, and the unseen load at home, this conversation is a permission slip to breathe, to celebrate what you’ve built, and to define success on your terms. Share this with a friend who needs a soft landing, leave a quick review if it helped, and explore our toolkit at balanceinstitute.com to keep building a life of balance and beyond. Subscribe, share, and tell us: what joy will you protect this season?

Thank you for joining us today on the Balance and Beyond Podcast. We're so glad you carved out this time for yourself!

If you’re keen to dive deeper into our world, here are our socials where you can discover more about the toolkit that has helped thousands of women create a life of balance.

Website: www.balanceinstitute.com
Podcast Website: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
Email: jo@balanceinstitute.com
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterbalanceinstitute/
Instagram: @betterbalanceinstitute

Thanks again for tuning in, and we'll see you next time on the Balance & Beyond Podcast!

Tired of the part-time trap? You're not alone. While dropping to four days seems like the perfect burnout solution, many women find themselves cramming five days of work into four – making stress worse, not better.

Debbie Bailey, co-CEO of Four Day Week Global, reveals the startling truth: it's not about working less, but working differently. Drawing from global trials involving thousands of employees, she shares how organizations implementing a four-day work week saw burnout drop by an astonishing 71%, while sick leave decreased by 65% and resignations fell by 57%.

The secret lies in the 100-80-100 principle: maintain 100% of your wage and 100% of your outputs while working 80% of your hours. It sounds impossible until you realize how much time gets wasted in pointless meetings, inefficient processes, and scattered focus. When Debbie explains that 50 minutes of true focus equals 2-3 hours of normal work, you'll start seeing your workday differently.

Unlike individual part-time arrangements that often fail, the four-day week works because entire organizations reimagine productivity together. Leaders must walk the talk by respecting boundaries and embracing new ways of working. The result isn't just reduced hours – it's a fundamental shift in how we approach work itself.

Whether you're considering part-time work, already feeling stretched thin in reduced hours, or simply seeking ways to work smarter, this conversation will transform how you think about time, productivity, and what's truly possible in your career. From Lamborghini's factory floor to police services, organizations across sectors are proving that when we work smarter rather than longer, everyone wins.

Ready to move beyond burnout without sacrificing success? This episode provides the roadmap you've been searching for.

Thank you for joining us today on the Balance and Beyond Podcast. We're so glad you carved out this time for yourself!

If you’re keen to dive deeper into our world, here are our socials where you can discover more about the toolkit that has helped thousands of women create a life of balance.

Website: www.balanceinstitute.com
Podcast Website: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast
Email: jo@balanceinstitute.com
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterbalanceinstitute/
Instagram: @betterbalanceinstitute

Thanks again for tuning in, and we'll see you next time on the Balance & Beyond Podcast!