Work is louder than ever, and plenty of us are calling that “progress” while quietly wondering why we’re exhausted. I sit down with Dr Kat Page, organisational psychologist, leadership adviser and author of Good Work: Transforming Your Work from the Inside Out, to name what’s actually broken and what we can redesign so women don’t have to keep paying the price with their health, time and identity.

We talk about the modern intensity trap: constant interruptions, longer days, and the very real second and third shifts many women carry. Kat unpacks why “be more resilient” is the wrong default, how Australia’s psychosocial safety focus can help shift responsibility back to workplaces, and why we need to stop measuring productivity as hours. With AI changing what work looks like, the new benchmark is value: judgement, creativity, learning, problem solving and the quality of conversations, even when that doesn’t deliver the dopamine hit of ticking a task off a list.

We also go deep on the inner work. How do you hear your own voice when the collective definition of success is so loud? What does it take to build boundaries in a boundaryless world, tolerate the discomfort of disappointing people, and make brave career choices like moving to a purpose-led role or building a portfolio career? If you’ve been asking “Do I even want to be here anymore?”, you’re not alone.

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Want to learn more about how to redesign your relationship with work?
Connect with Dr. Kat Page here: https://www.drkatpage.com/

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The Balance & Beyond Podcast Hosted by Jo Stone, founder of The Balance Institute

For women who are already succeeding, but beginning to wonder if they're willing to keep losing themselves in the process.

We know high achievers, because we are one. This podcast draws on Jo's 20 years in global leadership and thousands of hours coaching executives and ambitious women: the patterns she sees, how to untangle them, and what it actually takes to keep your success without paying for it with yourself.

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And if you know a woman this would resonate with, send it her way.

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