The pressure to set resolutions, reinvent yourself and “start strong” every January is manufactured. Productivity culture pushes transformation while your body is still processing the year you’ve just lived. Winter in nature is a season of rest, not performance. This final post in our anti-productivity advent calendar is your reminder that you don’t need resolutions, you need time to recover and reconnect with yourself.

Constantly rushing isn't making you more productive, it's keeping your nervous system in survival mode. When you're packed hour to hour with no space to pause, your brain can't tell the difference between a deadline and a genuine threat. Everything feels urgent, high stakes, and critical. Learn how to "slow down to speed up" other practical nervous system regulation strategies in this article.

We explore why productivity is not your identity and how overwork, ‘hustle culture’, burnout and “busyness ” harm wellbeing and workplace inclusion. Learn why many performance issues stem from overload, not ability, and how reconnecting with your values can help you redefine success.

Feeling pressured to “finish strong” this December? This post explores why you don’t need to reinvent yourself for January, impress invisible audiences or push through exhaustion. Learn how reducing noise, honouring your limits and choosing intentional, values-led growth supports your mental and emotional wellbeing, clarity, and a healthier approach to the year ahead.

When you’re exhausted, everything feels urgent. Even small tasks become heavy because your nervous system is overwhelmed. Many people collapse on the sofa or scroll to “rest,” but that kind of passive distraction doesn’t help your body recharge. High-quality rest is intentional and helps your mind and body slow down so you can recover.

Most people try to plan their way into a better year. But if you’re exhausted, no planner or vision board will change how you feel at work or in life. Change comes from rest, discernment and noticing where your values are being pushed aside. Before you map out 2026, give yourself space to recover, listen to yourself and rethink the environments you’re returning to.

We're doing December differently. Our anti-productivity advent calendar is our stand against productivity pressure, unwanted resolutions, and the relentless grind that drains your energy every winter. Over 12 days, we're sharing reminders grounded in emotional intelligence, discernment, self-regulation, and self-care to help you move through the festive season with clarity and ease and step into January without pressure or performance.

One of the year’s highlights was speaking at B Lab UK’s ‘B Collective Gathering’, celebrating 10 years of the UK B Corp movement and the launch of their new global standards. As a long-time DEI partner to B Lab, Other Box led a session on Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Systems Change exploring how businesses can be a genuine force for good by embedding accountability, empathy and inclusion into everything they do.

Unconscious bias was meant to change how we think but has it just become a corporate excuse? In this piece, we unpack how awareness without accountability keeps workplaces stuck. From tech’s diversity problem to the ethics of AI, we explore why inclusion can’t be automated and what it really takes to build human-centred, equitable cultures that last.

In this Listener Letter, Jay shares how his manager weaponised race and gender to mask narcissistic abuse. Dr. Daksha Hirani unpacks the weight of F.O.G. (fear, obligation, guilt), the pressures of masculinity, and how to rebuild confidence with discernment and self-trust.

In this final episode of our series, we discuss how to move beyond toxic workplaces and build healthier, more inclusive environments. Learn about the key elements of psychological safety, empathy in leadership, and advocacy in toxic work cultures. Discover actionable insights on creating spaces where respect, care, and accountability thrive.

Dani’s eight-year working relationship with a narcissistic colleague nearly cost her everything. In this episode, we explore how avoidance behaviours like alcohol use become survival strategies and what it takes to break the trauma bond and reclaim your life, featuring expert insight from Dr. Daksha Hirani.

In Episode 7 of Narcissism at Work, we dive into the emotional tipping points that force us to confront toxic workplace dynamics. From boundary-setting and trauma bonding to the decision to walk away, this episode unpacks the psychology of narcissistic abuse at work and what it takes to protect your peace.

Narcissism At Work Just Hit #11 on Apple’s Mental Health Charts! Here’s a look at what it really means to launch an impact-driven podcast without a PR machine. From toxic leadership and gaslighting to psychological safety and burnout, this is the behind-the-scenes story of how Narcissism At Work became a chart-topping podcast and why it matters.

In bonus episode #6 of Narcissism At Work, we hear from Faisa, a manager whose direct report weaponised mental health language to avoid accountability, leaving her anxious, burned out, and questioning her ability to lead. We unpack how emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and unjustified guilt can erode leadership confidence and enable toxic dynamics to thrive.

In Episode 6 of Narcissism at Work, Leyya and Dr. Daksha Hirani uncover the hidden toll of working with narcissists, from chronic anxiety to adrenal fatigue to total nervous system collapse. This episode sheds light on what many have endured in silence and offers tools for recovery, resilience, and reclaiming your power.

Ever walked out of a meeting with a tight chest and racing thoughts, wondering if it was you? The S.T.U.F. framework is a powerful tool to help you name and process what’s going on inside. Whether you're facing gaslighting, burnout, or confusion at work, this guide enables you to tune into your body, thoughts, and feelings without shame or self-doubt.

In episode 5, we discuss how narcissistic traits can take root in workplace systems, from DEI to leadership to HR itself. With insight from Dr. Daksha Hirani and our HR consultant Raakhi Tanvi, we explore the emotional toll of institutional gaslighting, the misuse of NDAs, and how marginalised staff are often the ones most harmed…then blamed.

In bonus episode #4 of Narcissism At Work, we hear from Mo, whose wife worked under a narcissistic boss, a relationship so toxic it nearly destroyed their marriage and her mental health. We explore the ripple effect of workplace abuse: how narcissistic leaders isolate their victims, hijack ambition, and reframe cruelty as coaching.

Narcissistic behaviour often thrives in founder-led startups, hidden behind visionary leadership and toxic hustle culture. Episode 4 exposes the dark side of startup life, from love bombing to gaslighting, and shares trauma-informed tools to help you spot red flags, set boundaries, and protect your self-worth.