Ctrl Alt Delete

Christine Armstrong is an author, researcher and speaker on the future of work. She is a contributing editor of Management Today, She is known to 'blow up the bullshit about working parenting and dig into the truth about what works. And what really doesn’t.' You might have read her piece in the Times that went viral called 'why working mums are being sold an impossible dream about work/life balance — and how to set the record straight' a piece promoting the publication of her brilliant book The Mother of All Jobs: How to Have Children and a Career and Stay Sane(ish. We recorded this episode pre-lockdown, and Christine is now researching our response to working from home en masse and asking what people want to happen next. I really hope you enjoy this episode we got into the nitty gritty of parenting, work and why flexible working doesn't always work - and how we can try and get it right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[This episode was recorded in January 2020.) My guest today is the lovely Dani Dyer who won ITV2’s Love Island with a landslide 80% of the vote and captured the hearts of the nation. Trained as an actor, Dani has appeared in a number of films, as well as making her stage debut in Nativity! The Musical in 2018. Since leaving Love Island, Dani has raised money for Comic Relief, launched her own successful record-breaking fashion range and and has starred in her own hit reality show with ITVBe.In this episode we discuss Love Island, growing up, her bestselling book What Would Dani Do (out NOW in paperback), and her relationship with social media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is Gemma Milne, the science/tech writer and author of Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It . Her works have been featured in the BBC, The Times and she is the co-founder of Science: Disrupt – a media outlet covering advances in science startups, research processes and industries such as space, energy, health and advanced computing. She works with the World Economic Forum as one of their Global Shapers, and is also an advisor to the European Commission and Innovate UK, helping them decide which scientific innovations should be funded with government money. So she's pretty impressive basically.Her book is all about the smoke and mirrors of many different industries, and how we can spot 'hype' and 'illusions' especially online. The book encourages critical thinking, the nuance of conversations and why we should be taught to scrutinise things more. I found her book and this conversation super interesting, hope you do too! xo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vex King is an author, mind coach and entrepreneur. He experienced many challenges when he was growing up and we talk about this within this episode; his father died when he was just a baby, his family were often homeless and he grew up in troubled neighbourhoods. Vex talks about how he has turned his life around through his popular Instagram account (@vexking) which has become a source of inspiration for thousands of young people. His book Good Vibes Good Life has been on the Sunday Times Bestseller lists for weeks now, and the book discusses things like how to ​practice self-care and overcome toxic energy; ​cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation and finding your higher purpose. ​H​ope you enjoy this episode if you did please do leave a rating or review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Walker is a feminist activist, founding leader of the Women’s Equality Party, and recently-appointed chief executive of Young Women’s Trust, the charity representing and supporting women who are living on no or low pay. She is passionate about rebuilding society for and with (extra)ordinary women. You can follow her on Twitter under @sophierunning.Today I'm chatting to Sophie about her new book 'Five Rules for Rebellion' which is an inspiring, five-step journey to incorporating activism into our lives. Featuring stories of new and seasoned activists – including Amika George and Jack Monroe – campaigning on a range of issues from reproductive rights and poverty to the environment and access to education; the book shows us how to see activism not as a series of pitched battles but as a positive, lifelong learning experience. It's all about feeling less full of despair, and more able to channel anger, arm yourself with hope, practise perseverance and connect with others compassionately. She teaches us how we can convert our confusion and impatience into a powerful force for change. Hope you enjoy this episode :) If you did please do leave a review!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is the brilliant author Holly Bourne who started her writing career as a news journalist, where she was nominated for Best Print Journalist of the Year. She then spent six years working as an editor, a relationship advisor, and general 'agony aunt' for a youth charity - helping young people with their relationships and mental health. (TW: This episode discusses rape and sexual assault.)Inspired by what she saw helping young people, she started writing teen fiction, including the best-selling award-winning 'Spinster Club' series which helps educate teenagers about feminism. When she turned 30, Holly wrote her first adult novel How Do You Like Me Now?, examining the intensified pressures on women once they hit that landmark age, and the book became a Sunday Times bestseller. She now has her second adult fiction book out called Pretending. In one review of Pretending a reader says: "the book deals with trauma and sexual violence, there is also heart and humour throughout the pages". I feel like this sums up a lot of Holly's work - dealing with tough subjects through a lighter touch that makes her stories feel more accessible and real.I hope you enjoy this episode- and if you did please leave a lovely rating or review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is dedicated to all things Working From Home with the brilliant life coach Selina Barker. Selina is a life design and career change coach, writer, podcast host, co-founder of Project Love and creator of the Goodbye Hello journal. She is someone who gives very practical advice around designing your day and avoiding burn out so I thought she'd be the perfect guest for this week. She saved the day.Right now she is working on her first book - all about how to break out of the burnout cycle and learn how to thrive in a fast-paced modern world. Due to be published by Octopus in early 2021. If you enjoyed this conversation you can also listen to her every week on the Project Love podcast!In this episode, we dig into how to stay sane when working from home; how to set psychological boundaries when our physical boundaries have temporarily gone, and how to get a new routine on the go. I loved Selina's tips: the permission to unplug, step away from Zoom, setting up morning routines, working a shorter day, having breaks, setting boundaries, how to notice when anxiety is triggering old habits, and being kind to yourself.  If you enjoyed please leave a rating or a review - see you next week! :) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is with psychotherapist and anxiety expert Anna Mathur. I wanted to do a special episode on how to deal with anxiety and anxious feelings, especially circumstantially around what is happening right now with Covid-19 and our daily lives looking very different right now.Anna is passionate about taking therapy out of the therapy room and into general accessible spaces, empowering people to use simple techniques that will help them reframe the way that they think on a daily basis, and she has run hugely popular online courses on Reframing Anxiety - so wanted to bring you an episode with some accessible mental health advice during this tough time we're all going through.I apologise about the audio quality of my side of the conversation, it turns out my mic wasn't plugged into properly, and I am still adjusting to this new set up of remote recording, so I hope you don't mind too much as I think it was a valuable conversation and I loved Anna's tips on how staying calm and staying present during stressful times.Anna's book Mind Over Mother, Every Mum’s Guide to Worry and Anxiety in the First Year is out on May 14th), and here is the link to the Reframing Anxiety course that we discuss within the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*Please note this episode was recorded in early March.* My guest today is Samatha Clarke, an author and Happiness Consultant. She is a teacher of Guardian Masterclasses and lecturer at The School of Life and expert on work happiness, culture and relationships.Whenever I speak to Sam, she always says something that makes me reflect on my work life. She has given me amazing advice in the past on setting better boundaries which has therefore grown my business in turn because I'm less likely to burnout when my boundaries are firm.Sam has just released her first book called Love It or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work, and she wants her readers to find a way to say goodbye to the dread of Monday morning. This guide is full of vital tips and tools that will help you either Love It and find ways to get more out of the job you have or Leave It by working out the skills you have to offer and identify the steps you need to take, whether that's switching jobs, starting a portfolio career or testing a new business idea.Love It Or Leave It has been described being a book for anyone who is...stuck in a job they hate; thinking about a career change; someone who may have landed their dream job but is struggling with a toxic workplace.Hope you enjoy this episode and if you did, please leave a little rating or review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ctrl Alt Delete! When I was in LA earlier this year, I did a little podcast swap with one of my favourite podcasts across the pond called Forever 35 at Kate's house in sunny California. It’s hosted by friends and writers Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer who dive into the self-care practices that we all text our friends about — from which serums they’re using right now to finding a great therapist, navigating the challenges of friendship, and what they’re making for dinner. No topic is off-limits, and Doree and Kate get into it with humour, honesty along with great guests. It’s one of those podcasts I listen to if I’m travelling solo, having a bath or want something comforting on in the background.So I hope you enjoy this little bonus episode. We recorded at Kate’s house and had a natter. We discussed everything from starting a self-care podcast, beauty, feminism and why Kate has decided to quit Twitter. And if you want more, I appeared on their podcast too, so check out my episode on the Forever35 podcast, we discussed everything from making a podcast into a business to solo travel to mental health practices when working freelance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.