Are you doing everything “right”- sleeping, exercising, pushing through your workload yet still feeling drained?

In this episode, Sarah challenges the way we think about rest. For high-performing female leaders, exhaustion isn’t always about doing too much - it’s often about recovering in the wrong way.

You’ll learn why traditional ideas of rest fall short, and how to restore your energy more effectively using seven powerful (and often overlooked) types of rest.

• Why sleep alone isn’t enough to restore your energy
• The hidden reason high performers still feel exhausted
• The 7 types of rest and how to recognise what you’re missing
• Simple, practical ways to build recovery into your working day
• Why rest isn’t a reward - it’s essential maintenance for performance

00:00 – Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable

01:00 – Why rest needs a rethink for high performers

02:00 – Energy check: where are you right now?

03:00 – The real problem: under-rested, not burned out

03:30 – Default habits: pushing through, scrolling, switching off

05:00 – Why high performers struggle with recovery

05:30 – Mental rest: calming an overactive mind

06:30 – Physical rest: micro-recovery during the day

07:30 – Emotional rest: managing the invisible load

08:30 – Reflection: which type of rest are you missing?

09:00 – Social rest: balancing interaction and energy

10:00 – Sensory rest: reducing constant stimulation

11:30 – Creative rest: bringing in new input

12:30 – Spiritual rest: reconnecting with meaning and values

13:00 – Personal example: using values to shift energy

14:00 – Why rest is not a reward but maintenance

14:30 – Client story: rebuilding energy after promotion

15:00 – How to choose the one type of rest to focus on

15:30 – Final thoughts and next steps

You don’t need to push harder - you need to recover better.

When you identify the right type of rest your body and mind need, everything from your energy to your confidence and performance becomes easier.

Want more ideas for each type of rest? Send Sarah a message for her free guide

Request the Emotions Wheel to help you better identify and process how you feel

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

In this episode, Sarah challenges a common belief about promotion: that it’s purely based on performance. Drawing on her experience in HR leadership and executive coaching, she reveals why promotions are often blocked by hesitation, not capability, and what you can do to change how decision-makers see you.

If you’re aiming for your next senior role, this episode will show you exactly how to position yourself so that promotion feels like the obvious next step.

What You’ll Learn

• Why performance alone doesn’t get you promoted
• The real reason senior leaders hesitate in promotion decisions
• The 4 key signals that show you’re ready for the next level
• How to shift perception in the next 6 months
• A simple but powerful communication shift that changes how you’re seen

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction to the podcast and who it’s for

[00:01:00] A powerful mindset shift: imagining the promotion discussion happening without you

[00:02:00] Why promotions are blocked by hesitation - not performance

[00:03:00] The hidden gap: “certainty of perception”

[00:04:00] Case study: why Client B got promoted over Client A

[00:05:00] Overview of the 4 signals that get you promoted

[00:05:30] Signal 1: Thinking beyond your function

[00:06:30] Signal 2: Handling ambiguity and pressure

[00:07:30] Signal 3: Stepping out of the operational “weeds”

[00:08:00] Signal 4: Already operating at the next level

[00:09:00] Why making your ambition visible matters

[00:09:45] The risk of silence: being seen as “content” where you are

[00:10:00] One strategic shift: stop reporting, start interpreting

[00:10:30] Final takeaway: promotion is about perception, not just performance

Key Takeaway

You don’t get promoted because you’ve done a great job—you get promoted when people can already see you operating at the next level. Your role is to remove any doubt that you’re ready.

Useful Links

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

In this episode, Sarah breaks down how executive recruiters actually operate - and why the typical “send your CV and wait” approach doesn’t work at a senior level. If you’re aiming for leadership roles, you’ll learn how to position yourself strategically, build strong recruiter relationships, and stand out as a credible, low-risk candidate.

What You’ll Learn

• The biggest misconception about executive recruiters
• How recruiters assess senior candidates
• Why positioning matters more than your CV
• 5 practical ways to work with recruiters effectively
• How to make recruiters a powerful part of your job search strategy

Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome & podcast introduction

[01:00] Global reach milestone + episode overview

[02:00] Client story: feeling stuck and overlooked by recruiters

[03:00] The biggest misconception about recruiters

[04:00] Why a passive job search strategy fails

[05:00] Case study: shifting positioning and strategy

[06:00] How executive recruiters actually think

[07:00] What makes you “easy to place”

[07:30] 5 practical strategies to work with recruiters

[07:30] 1. Be specific about what you want

[08:00] 2. Lead with value, not your CV

[08:30] 3. Build relationships, not transactions

[09:00] 4. Prepare properly for recruiter conversations

[09:30] 5. Don’t rely on recruiters alone

[10:00] The mindset shift: recruiters are part of your strategy

[11:00] Final thoughts + how to get support

Key Takeaway

Recruiters don’t find you a job - you position yourself so they can confidently place you. When you get clear, strategic, and visible, they become valuable allies rather than a frustrating dead end.

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk