Why is it that the moment we finally have permission to slow down, we often find ourselves reaching for our phones, checking emails, or mentally planning everything that’s waiting for us when we get home?

For many ambitious working mums, rest doesn’t come naturally. Not just because we don’t have time or because we’re doing it wrong. But because we’ve spent years being told and believing our value comes from being productive, useful and constantly achieving.

In this episode, Nicky explores why rest can feel so uncomfortable for high achievers and why learning to pause isn’t a luxury, it’s an essential leadership practice that helps us think more clearly, lead more intentionally and protect our wellbeing.

Why This Conversation Matters

So many ambitious women tell themselves they’ll rest once they’ve finished the to-do list, reached the next milestone or earned a break. But that moment rarely comes.

If you’ve ever struggled to switch off, felt guilty for doing nothing or wondered why slowing down feels harder than pushing through, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Drawing on psychological research, leadership coaching and Nicky’s own experience of burnout, this conversation offers a compassionate and practical perspective on redefining your relationship with rest.

In This Episode We Discuss

• Why rest feels uncomfortable for ambitious, high-achieving women.

• The connection between productivity, achievement and self-worth.

• Why your brain finds it difficult to switch off, even when you’re on holiday.

• The leadership lessons Nicky learned from burnout.

• How to rest even when you don’t feel ready.

• Three practical experiments to help you approach rest differently this summer.

Resources
Daring to Rest by Karen Brody
Jennifer Crocker & Cheryl Wolfe’s research on contingencies of self-worth
Matthew Killingsworth & Daniel Gilbert’s research on mind-wandering
Arnold Beisser’s The Paradoxical Theory of Change https://gestalt.org/arnie.htm
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developed by Steven Hayes

You can read the transcript here. https://luminate-group.co.uk/transcript/why-rest-feels-so-uncomfortable-for-high-achievers/