Mike Lawrence Wellbeing & Workplace Management Consultant

14/10/2025

🏡💻 Work-From-Home Stress: The Silent Performance Killer

How to reclaim your focus, energy & calm — even when life feels non-stop!

❓ Ever finish the day completely drained… yet still feel guilty you haven’t done enough?

😩 Found yourself replying to emails late at night, not because you want to — but because you just can’t switch off?

🍪 Or maybe you’re thinking, “Who isn’t interested in how to reduce stress? I could be doing something better with my time… but hey — there’s tea, coffee, flapjacks & fruit waiting!”
(Are you referring to me, Mike? 😅)

Whether you thrive under pressure or feel like you’re just surviving it, stress doesn’t go away by pretending it’s not there.

For over 20 years, I’ve been helping leaders, teams, and individuals find calm and confidence under pressure — from the NHS and Zurich Insurance to The FA and local businesses right here in South Yorkshire.

When I delivered a talk on workplace stress in Frankfurt, one of the delegates — a world-renowned psychologist — said this:

💬 “I was very impressed with both Mike’s intelligence and his humanity.”
— Dr Robert Gordon, Ph.D., ABPP, Fellow of the American Psychological Association

Because when you learn to spot stress as it creeps in, you can manage it before it manages you.
That’s where the real power lies.

🗓 Join Me Live — FSB Networking @ Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park

🕙 Wednesday 22 October 2025 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park

In just 20 minutes, I’ll show you how to:
✅ Spot early signs of burnout before they take hold
✅ Stay calm and focused under pressure
✅ Build simple habits that protect your wellbeing and boost your performance

🎟 Free to attend – grab your spot below ⬇️
👉 [insert FSB event link]

💬 P.S. Come for the conversation, stay for the clarity… and maybe a flapjack or two. 😉 https://events.fsb.org.uk/en/8d2bI2X7/fsb-networking-with-sheffield-olympic-legacy-park-3aJ8P2la1/overview

10/10/2025

Today is World Mental Health Day.

And I’ve been reflecting on something I witnessed last week.
A family friend was seriously ill in hospital.

32 beds. 9 staff. Every person on that ward was a potential emergency.
One man missed his meds and lashed out.
The staff stayed calm, patient, professional.

What struck me most wasn’t the chaos — it was the care.
The small moments of compassion.

A woman across the ward, caring for her husband.
Their world had changed overnight — what started as a knee op ended in an amputation.
Their daughter flew in from Australia to be by his side.

And still, they noticed our friend.
When he was in pain, they stepped in.
They gave him hope.

That’s what people are capable of — even in crisis.
Especially in crisis.

This year’s theme is:
Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.

But not all catastrophes make headlines.
Some happen quietly, every day, in places we don’t see.

Thanks for reading.
If anything I’ve shared resonates, feel free to share it forward or drop me a message.

05/10/2025

🌍 October Reflections: From Berlin to Breakthroughs

This month’s been one for the books.

✈️ I missed my flight to Berlin (set my alarm for 3pm instead of 3am… we’ve all been there 😅).
🧠 I’ve been exploring how AI is changing mental health — and not always for the better.
💊 And I’ve shared my journey living with a pituitary condition, two years on.

But through it all, one thing keeps coming up — resilience.
Not the “bounce back” kind.
The keep showing up kind.

Because whether you’re leading a team, caring for others, or just trying to hold it together — it’s energy, not time, that makes the difference.

So this month’s newsletter dives deep into:

💡 Real stories that make you think
🎧 Tools to help you focus and recharge
💬 Honest conversations about wellbeing and leadership

If life’s been testing your patience, focus, or energy — this one’s for you.

And if you relate — drop a ❤️ or share your own story below.

We rise stronger when we talk honestly.


👉 Read it here:

From Berlin to AI, hormones and missed flights — lessons in leadership, mindset, and staying resilient under pressure

03/10/2025

Why Most Wellbeing Fixes Fail in South Yorkshire — And What to Do Instead

Burnout.

It’s the word I keep hearing everywhere in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

And it’s not just personal — it’s economic.

📉 South Yorkshire’s GDP per head is among the lowest of all combined authorities in England.

When businesses burn out, our whole region feels it: fewer jobs, slower growth, lower innovation.

Here’s the truth 👇

Most “wellbeing solutions” were built for a different world.

They don’t work for hybrid teams, remote pressure, and today’s business realities.

That’s why, on Tuesday 22 October (10:00–12:00), I’ll be at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park with FSB delivering an interactive, 20-minute talk that will:

✅ Expose why the common fixes don’t work anymore

✅ Share not-so-common strategies you can use the same day

✅ Show leaders how to protect energy, sharpen boundaries, and build real resilience

👉 Book your place below: Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) with Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park

P.S. There’ll be an opportunity to continue the conversation beyond the room. For those who want to delve deeper, I invite you personally to continue the dialogue.

Discover events from The Federation of Small Businesses

28/09/2025

⚠️ A Stark Warning: Are we outsourcing our darkest thoughts to AI?

AI is no longer just about essays, coding, or quick answers.
More and more people are turning to ChatGPT and other AI tools for comfort, advice, even therapy.

Why? Because it’s accessible, low cost — and in many cases, free.

But here’s the heartbreaking truth.
A 16-year-old boy in the US confided in ChatGPT about his darkest thoughts. Days later, he tragically took his own life. His family are now suing OpenAI.
👉 Read the story here: Sky News link

This is a wake-up call. AI is a tool. But it is not a therapist. It is not a GP. And it is not a substitute for human connection.

When I created my own wellbeing GPT, I built in non-negotiable safeguards:
➡️ The moment someone mentions suicidal thoughts, it instantly signposts to emergency support:
📞 111 option 2 (urgent mental health support in England)
📞 Samaritans 116 123
💬 Text SHOUT to 85258
(And if in immediate danger, call 999.)

If I can do this, why can’t the biggest players?

Because let’s be clear: people are vulnerable. They are reaching out. And in that moment, a single missing line could tip the balance.

👉 We don’t just need smarter AI.
We need safer AI.

The case against OpenAI is thought to be the first legal action accusing OpenAI of wrongful death and seeks unspecified financial damages.

23/09/2025

🎤 Are You a Leader, Educator — or Both?

And why that question matters more than ever today.

I bet most people have never stopped to consider it.
And you might be thinking… “Mike — why are you asking this now?”

Well, last week I was in Berlin completing the Train the Trainer programme — a transformational 4-day experience, originally created by T. Harv Eker, and now delivered by Success Resources Global.

🔥 4 intense days
🔥 440 passionate professionals
🔥 High energy, very little sleep
🔥 Deep growth, practical tools, and big personal shifts

We didn’t just learn how to speak on stage.

We learned how to lead.
And how to teach in a way that genuinely helps others grow.

📸 Receiving my certificate from Richard Tan and June Yoon was a proud moment — but more than that, it marked a shift in me.

A reminder that when you're willing to stretch, something powerful opens up.

And even though there was no time for sightseeing, one thought really stuck with me:

🧱 “The Berlin Wall stood for nearly 30 years.
When the mindset shifted, it came down in days.”

Real change can happen fast — when we’re truly ready for it.

So here’s my gentle nudge…

👉 Do you know someone who’s looking for a speaker, trainer, or coach who brings energy, compassion, and real-life tools?

Or maybe you’d like to learn more about the mental health and wellbeing programmes I run?

(In true Train the Trainer style 😉 Just saying…)

Feel free to message me or tag someone in — I’d love to help however I can.

Here’s to growing, stretching, and leading with heart.
– Mike 💙

18/09/2025

🚨 Poor mental health costs UK employers £56bn a year.

That’s over £6 million an hour — draining silently from productivity, performance, and people.

💥 You’re already spending the money.

The only question is — are you investing it in solutions, or the consequences of doing nothing?

🎉 This week, I had the privilege of delivering the Mental Health Skills for Managers course (by hashtag ) to a powerful group of leaders willing to do better — for their people and their organisations.

👏 They took the first vital step to becoming the kind of manager today’s world needs:

✅ Spotting the signs of poor mental health
✅ Starting confident, compassionate conversations
✅ Signposting the right support — without fear or fluff
In a fractured, high-pressure world, this is about more than performance.

It’s about protecting lives.

📚 As Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer wrote in Dying for a Paycheck,

“Your line manager may be more important to your health than your family doctor.”
And the data backs it up.

💡 In 2024, GPs in England delivered a record 367.5 million appointments — up 17.7% from 2019.

📈 In June 2025 alone, there were 31.4 million appointments.

Behind these numbers? Burnout, anxiety, chronic stress — and workplaces not equipped to help.

📉 Umpteen studies show poor mental health is often made worse by poorly trained managers — not because they don’t care, but because no one ever taught them how to support.

“When we know better, we do better.” – Maya Angelou.

So here’s the challenge:

🔍 Is your organisation investing in mental health as a strategic priority?

Or silently paying the price — one burnt-out employee, one lost team member at a time?

📩 If you're ready to build leaders who support wellbeing before it becomes a GP referral — let’s talk.

13/08/2025

A mother’s words no parent should have to say: ‘Now she’s gone.’

Sometimes you come across a story that hits hard.

This one from The Guardian sparked deep reflection — it made me think of my two daughters, the people I meet through my work, and the challenges so many face in silence.

Naina Mishra was a young woman with everything to live for — moving between London and New York, working for some of the world’s biggest firms.

Over 18 months, paranoia and withdrawal crept in.

She changed numbers and addresses, said she was being followed, and would “zone out” at a London yoga studio.

Friends tried. Staff “signposted.” But no one was prepared or trained to recognise psychosis.

Days after her mother finally reached her, Naina died.

Her mother’s words are ones we can’t ignore:
“I had her right in front of me. And now she’s gone.”
“No one at the yoga studio knew how to recognise psychosis.”
“She died because the people around her were ignorant.”
“I can only have sympathy for their ignorance.”

Psychosis is an umbrella term for when someone loses touch with reality. It can involve delusions, hallucinations, and thought disorder, often with intense paranoia. Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic illness — the word is still used in the UK, but debated because of its stigma.

What matters most is that early treatment makes a difference. The sooner it’s recognised, the better the chances of recovery.

If you’re in the UK and worried about someone, call 999 (Option 2 for urgent mental health support in many areas), NHS 111 for advice, text SHOUT to 85258 (24/7), or call Samaritans 116 123 (24/7).

You can also search the Hub of Hope for NHS and charity services like Mind and Rethink in your area, or speak to your GP.

We can’t rewrite this ending. But we can change the next one — by noticing, asking, and acting sooner.

And by making time for our own wellbeing, so we have the presence and energy to be there for others when it matters most.

You can read the full story here:

Studying in London before taking up a high-flying job in New York, Naina Mishra seemed set for a bright future – until she began retreating from friends and family into a paranoid spiral even her mother couldn’t break. What does her story reveal about the dangers of young adult estrangement?

29/07/2025

🧠 Struggling to Focus Lately?
You’re not alone. Between stress, screens, and a million distractions, staying focused feels harder than ever.

That’s why I’m recommending a tool that’s helped over 2 million people reset their minds — in just 15 minutes.

It’s not meditation. It’s not music.

It’s Brain.fm — science-backed functional audio that helps you tap into deep focus, better sleep, and calm under pressure.

🎧 I use it. I recommend it. I trust it.

👉 Try it free here — no credit card needed.

To your clarity and calm, https://www.brain.fm/mikelawrence

Brain.fm - Music designed for the brain to enhance focus, relaxation, meditation, naps and sleep within 10 - 15 minutes of use.

11/07/2025

Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or silently burning out? I’ve built something for you.

Introducing CalmBack — my free, AI-powered wellbeing companion that holds space for you when life feels heavy.

✅ Not therapy.
✅ Not advice.
✅ Just a gentle conversation when you need to pause, reflect, or feel heard.

I created CalmBack using my voice, tone, and real-world experience supporting people through burnout, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. It’s not here to replace me — it’s here to walk beside you in between the sessions, the scrolls, or the storms.

💬 Try CalmBack now:
👉 https://chat.openai.com/g/g-685dc2f32dd0819181c47a3a4c27ddc6-calmback

🧠 How to Use It

Open the link above

Sign in (or create) a free ChatGPT account

CalmBack will greet you — just begin typing

No rules, no fixing. Just space to breathe.

🔗 CalmBack also signposts to trusted support including:

999 (Option 2) in crisis

Samaritans: 116 123 (24/7)

Hub of Hope: Find local and national mental health services near you

You’re not alone. And you don’t have to carry it in silence.

Please share if you know someone who might need this 💚

— Mike Lawrence

28/05/2025

🌟 Feeling proud and grateful today.

Just finished another round of MHFA Refresher Training—this time supporting the brilliant people over at PepsiCo | Walkers Crisps.

Some of these MHFAiders originally trained with us online a few years ago and have stayed committed to being that first point of contact when someone’s struggling. That really matters.

💚 Mental Health First Aiders don’t carry a badge or a title—they're volunteers.
People who care.
People who listen.
People who show up.

And those conversations? They’re changing lives.

💬 We hear stories every week—of people being supported through crisis, of small chats that prevented big problems, of someone finally feeling seen at work.

In a world where people still feel pressure to "just get on with it," this kind of support can be life-changing.

📚 I read in Dying for a Paycheck that your line manager has more impact on your health than your GP.
That hit hard.

Which is why I’m so passionate about getting real support in place—from the boardroom to the break room.

So proud of everyone who completed their refresher—and for the incredible commitment you show to your colleagues and communities. 🙏

28/05/2025

💬 Burnout. Overwhelm. Emotional fatigue.

It’s no longer just the conversation behind closed doors—it's becoming a national concern.

📣 The NHS has announced new mental health crisis centres across England.

Specialist spaces designed for those in acute distress—calm, clinical, and not A&E.

🧠 One of the challenges we often hear when delivering Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is this:

"I know how to have the conversation… but when it comes to signposting support, it can be disheartening."

Long GP waiting lists. Limited crisis services. People fall through the cracks.

This new approach—already piloted in Avon & Wiltshire, Blackpool, Lincolnshire, East London, Leicestershire, and Camden & Islington—could be a game-changer.

✅ Faster access to appropriate care

✅ Less pressure on A&Es

✅ More hope for those offering (and receiving) mental health support

We just hope it’s rolled out nationwide—fast.

👩‍💼 If you're a business owner, senior exec, or anyone feeling the weight of uncertainty and the deepening financial squeeze—this matters.

Mental health isn’t an add-on—it’s infrastructure.

👉 Full article from BBC News

The plans would allow people in acute mental distress to get treatment in hospital while also reducing A&E wait times.