The Chronic Edge

22/04/2026

According to Gallup - Between 77 - 90% globally disengaged employees cost $8.8T/year; UK presenteeism = 5–10x absenteeism, £25B+

Long term sickness is around £3-5 billion, yet the focus is on long term sickness as a major issue for the workplace.

It’s simple, by focusing on what damage Fred is doing by being off sick, many employers drop the ball to why the rest of the team are dissatisfied with their work or life, thinking that the grass might be greener.

Part of Behind the Edge: The language of Loss.

https://chronicedgeunleashed.buzzsprout.com/2158715/episodes/18993779-the-language-of-loss-mastering-the-key-metrics-workplace-audit-workshop-part-3-of-10

17/04/2026

I finished work at 1pm today. Fridays are my half day.

That buffer between the work week and weekend isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. Especially when you’re balancing chronic illnesses, neurodivergence, and everything else life throws at you.

I’ve been sitting in the lounge for hours now, unopened work laptop beside me, debating whether to squeeze in some extra editing or design. My body had other plans.

Nauseous. Bone-deep exhausted. So weak that reading these words is a struggle. The kind of fatigue where standing up feels like my body might shatter into a million pieces.

Living with multiple chronic conditions on top of neurodivergence means you’re always one decision away from the edge of a great life—or a brutal flare.

Rest isn’t optional.

Even after eight solid hours of sleep, recovery is non-negotiable.

It’s as critical as hitting meetings or delivering shows. Without it, the rest of the week collapses.

This is why I’m so invested in workplace wellness that actually bridges the gap: real education and data on chronic illness and neurodivergence for both employees and employers. It doesn’t just reduce absenteeism and presenteeism—it improves lives and business outcomes.

You can’t run on empty forever.

The battery metaphor hits hard for a reason: if you keep topping it up with deliberate rest and pacing, it lasts longer. Let it run completely flat, and recharging back to full capacity becomes almost impossible.

(I don’t do the fluffy motivation stuff —this is my reality of energy management with conditions involving post-exertional and neurodivergent load.)

On days like this, I remind myself: if you can bring value to your day—( no matter how small) —then the day is valuable.

Today, that value might just be this post reaching someone who needed permission to rest without guilt.

Rest isn’t quitting. It’s how you stay in the game.

—

What’s one small recovery practice that helps you protect your edge?

Drop it below—I read every comment.

It’s time to unleash the edge in your work, your career, and your life.

15/04/2026

The second episode in our CKD in the Workplace is out now.

Chronic Kidney Disease can be debilitating for the individual, making support key to long term success and maintaining a positive outcome.

In this episode we look at the strategies for the CKD employee.

Listen here - https://chronicedgeunleashed.buzzsprout.com/2158715/episodes/18976829-strategies-for-the-ckd-employee-your-toolkit-to-stay-employed-or-pivot-smarter/

CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) doesn't need to end your career, but silence, pride and ignorance will.Illness is manageable, but putting your head in the sand and refusing to ask for help or help yourself is the real disease.Over the course of this ...

10/04/2026

AI is a powerful ally for neurodivergent minds — until it isn’t.

The upside is real.

For many autistic and neurodivergent people, AI tools supercharge communication, creativity, executive function, and daily problem-solving. They level the playing field in ways traditional systems never could.

“AI psychosis” (an emerging term used in psychiatry and media reports) describes cases where prolonged chatbot use amplifies delusions, mania, or breaks from reality.

Recent cases — including autistic individuals — show AI’s sycophantic design (it agrees, mirrors, and never challenges) can reinforce grandiose or paranoid beliefs, especially when someone is already lonely, isolated, or prone to intense fantasy.

Autistic people have a documented higher lifetime risk of psychotic experiences (up to ~35% vs.

09/04/2026

Our latest episode of Behind the Edge (audio only, video out this week) is now available.

Looking at AI & Autism - A neurodivergent perspective of the benefits and the darkside of AI usage. (My perspective)

As a neurodivergent myself, AI has the capabilities to help me in some many ways express myself and support me in ways traditional methods have failed, however there is a dark side that being neurodivergent can amplify and it needs support that is unfortunately slower than the technology and a blanket ban isn’t the answer.

In this short episode, I scratch the surface on how AI can be both the saint and the sinner and its impact on us as a whole.

To listen to the full audio, click here: https://chronicedgeunleashed.buzzsprout.com/2158715/episodes/18976398-ai-autism-a-neurodivergent-perspective-of-the-benefits-and-the-darkside-of-ai-usage

12/03/2026

Are you subscribed to my YouTube channel?

It’s completely FREE to sub but it makes a massive difference to me.

My aim is to impact 1 MILLION people understand that illness is not a burden.

But I can’t do it alone.

Please give me a visit, listen, and/or sub, or share.

The shoes are also available via your audio device such as apple or Spotify, just search The Chronic Edge Unleashed.

There is no better time than today, to unleash your edge!

08/03/2026

Celebrating is fantastic and we all should.

But, we need to do more than just posting images, or saying it once a year.

It’s like clapping outside your house for emergency services during the pandemic but voting against a pay rise to meet minimum standards, it’s lip service.

In health, the timeframes for women can be 3-4 times those for men, and the understanding of women-related conditions in the workplace can be even worse leading to stigma, taboo and discrimination.

This year, when posting your images and adding your hashtags, please consider talking to women about their health concerns and how we could all do a little bit more to understand better, that’s what we are doing.

So no images from us today, we are just going to keep sharing, in the hope the timeframes and stigma reduces.

💜

25/02/2026

Here’s a short 30 second audio clip of my latest episode of Behind the Edge - Wellbeing ROI Uncovered.

With so many wellbeing solutions for your workplace needs, how do you chose which is right for you and why does it matter?

For 10 special episodes, I’ll be giving away for FREE, how you can create your own workplace wellbeing audit report to identify your hidden costs, opportunities, and how to pick the solutions that will give you the best Return On (your) Investment long term.

Please go to your chosen audio platform such as apple or Spotify, search The Chronic Edge Unleashed, and hit that subscribe button.

17/02/2026

In our latest episode of illness is not a burden, we explore an under-appreciated yet devastating one that impacts from 1.5 to 2.5 million women in the UK.

Endometriosis in the workplace.

Listen as I read to you about Miss Q’s experience of working and living with this condition and her hopes for the future.

As many as 1 in 10 women are sacrificing their health in fear of losing their jobs or dropping their income, but with the right support could thrive and prove illness is not a burden.

Check it out here:

Welcome back to The Chronic Edge Unleashed and part of the Illness is NOT a burden series.In this episode we will be looking at Endometriosis in the Workplace.Rather than me throwing some statistics at you (but don't worry there are still some in ...

15/12/2025

WORKING OUT IS A PRIVILEGE

This morning I spent just over an hour in the gym, I might hate going but I love being there. Not because I want to be a beast or lose a few pounds but because I know how hard some of the days are when I can’t go.

This time last Monday I was struggling to stay awake, struggling to walk around my home, and struggling to pick up a kettle for a warm drink.

Those days will always be part of my life and the older I get the more frequent they will be, but on days I can train, I want too.

For some people, going to the gym or working out at all is impossible, while for some others they’d rather pick up a doughnut than a dumbbell, not knowing how much of a privilege they have in being able to attend a gym or better their body and mind, it’s such a shame.

Don’t forget, nothing is more important than your health, because the opportunities you have today could be gone tomorrow.

This post isn’t about getting to the gym, it’s about taking the opportunities you have right in front of you before they are taken from you, I don’t regret not doing more when I was younger, my regret is the amount of time it took me to realise how important it was, but I’m thankful I know now.

27/10/2025

Something special is launching on the 6th of January…

21/10/2025

Managed to film the 1st episode of our new series: Illness is not a Burden; which is a massive achievement, it’s been almost 2 years since I’ve done any recording & it’s been scary.

The first few might not be great but hopefully over time they will improve and be a valuable resource to both employers and employees in this space.

Launch date: Tuesday the 4th November via YouTube & your favourite podcast channel.

Then every Tuesday from 6am.

More information to follow.