What 20 Years in an Office Taught Me About Wellbeing

For over 20 years, I worked in the corporate world.

I know what it's like to spend most of your day sitting at a desk, staring at a screen, rushing from one meeting to the next and convincing yourself that you'll take a proper break later.

I also know what happens over time.

The tight shoulders.

The aching back.

The hunched posture.

The coffee instead of breakfast.

The lunch eaten quickly or sometimes not at all.

The constant feeling of needing to be on.

And perhaps more importantly, I know the habits we can develop that aren't quite so visible.

The way we speak to ourselves.

The pressure we put on ourselves.

The belief that we always need to be achieving, improving, winning or doing more.

The unhealthy habits we don't always notice

When you're busy, it's easy to fall into habits that don't necessarily serve you.

Physically, that might mean spending hours sitting in the same position, ignoring aches and pains or putting movement at the bottom of your priority list.

It might mean grabbing whatever food is quickest because you're too busy to stop.

Mentally, it can be a little more complicated.

You might find yourself constantly thinking about work. Comparing yourself to other people. Worrying about whether you're doing enough. Feeling guilty for taking a break.

Over time, these habits can start to feel normal.

But just because something is common doesn't mean it's healthy.

The pressure to always be winning

Corporate life, and small business life too can sometimes come with a strong focus on performance.

Achieve more.

Work harder.

Get ahead.

Beat the competition.

Be the best.

Of course, ambition isn't a bad thing. There's nothing wrong with wanting to succeed, grow or do well.

But I think we need to ask ourselves: at what cost?

Sometimes, the mindset of constantly needing to push forward doesn't come naturally to us.

Sometimes we're tired.

Sometimes we need rest.

Sometimes we don't want to compete.

Sometimes we simply need space to think.

And that's okay.

We are human beings, not productivity machines.

Learning to listen to yourself

One of the things yoga has taught me is the importance of paying attention.

Paying attention to how your body feels.

Paying attention to your breath.

Paying attention to the thoughts running through your mind.

And perhaps most importantly, paying attention to what you actually need.

For many of us, we're so used to pushing through that we don't stop to ask ourselves that question.

What do I need right now?

Maybe you need movement.

Maybe you need rest.

Maybe you need better boundaries.

Maybe you need to step away from your desk.

Maybe you need to stop saying yes to everything.

Or perhaps you need to take a closer look at the environment you're working in.

Boundaries matter

I think workplace wellbeing isn't just about offering yoga classes, fruit bowls or wellbeing initiatives.

Those things can be wonderful, but genuine wellbeing also means looking at the bigger picture.

Are you able to switch off?

Do you feel comfortable taking a break?

Do you feel supported?

Are your boundaries respected?

How does your work environment affect your mental and emotional wellbeing?

And, importantly, who are you surrounding yourself with?

Sometimes, the people we work with can have a huge impact on how we feel.

A supportive manager, colleague or team can make a difficult job feel manageable.

On the other hand, difficult or unhealthy working relationships can slowly affect our confidence, energy and sense of wellbeing.

We can't always change the people around us. But we can begin to recognise when something isn't healthy for us.

And sometimes, recognising that is the first step towards making a change.

Yoga gave me a different perspective

I actually began teaching yoga to my colleagues while I was still working in my corporate job and training to become a yoga teacher.

That experience showed me how powerful it can be to simply create a little space during the working day.

Space to move.

Space to breathe.

Space to step away from the screen.

Space to reconnect with yourself.

Yoga isn't going to magically fix a stressful job or solve every problem in the workplace.

But it can give us an opportunity to pause.

And sometimes, that pause is incredibly valuable.

Because when we slow down, even for a few minutes, we might start noticing things we've been ignoring.

Our posture.

Our tension.

Our breathing.

Our thoughts.

Our stress levels.

Our boundaries.

You don't have to earn your rest

This is something I wish I'd understood earlier in my career.

Rest isn't something you have to earn.

You don't need to complete everything on your to-do list before you're allowed to take a break.

You don't have to reach exhaustion before you decide to slow down.

And you don't have to follow someone else's idea of success.

Success can look different for everyone.

For some people, it's career progression.

For others, it's flexibility.

More time with family.

Better health.

Feeling fulfilled.

Doing work they enjoy.

Or simply having enough energy left at the end of the day to enjoy their life outside of work.

There is no one definition of success.

A healthier way of working

After more than 20 years in the corporate world, I understand how difficult it can be to create healthy habits when work is busy.

That's why I believe workplace wellbeing needs to be practical.

It doesn't have to mean spending an hour meditating before work or completely changing your lifestyle overnight.

Sometimes it starts with something much simpler.

Taking a proper lunch break.

Getting up from your desk.

Stretching your shoulders.

Taking a few deep breaths.

Switching off at the end of the day.

Saying no when you need to.

Recognising when something doesn't feel right.

And remembering that your wellbeing matters too.

Yoga has given me a different relationship with my body, my thoughts and the way I approach stress.

And that's something I now love sharing with others — particularly people who, like me, know what it's like to spend their days in meetings, behind screens and navigating the pressures of working life.

Because perhaps we don't always need to push harder.

Perhaps sometimes, we need to pause.

To breathe.

To move.

And to ask ourselves a simple question:

Is the way I'm working actually working for me?