https://www.thegentlescienceco.com.au/blog-1 daily 0.75 2026-07-02 https://www.thegentlescienceco.com.au/blog-1/work-and-life-balance-and-the-third-space-how-exercise-may-be-the-key-to-finding-your-work-life-balance monthly 0.5 2026-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1782960227752-KHZP7OW2ZPNB3CVZ0M9P/unsplash-image-BpTqCNotBLI.jpg Blog - Work life balance and the Third Space - I'll throw a few scenarios out there, see if any resonate with you: Your workplace emphasises its commitment to work-life balance, but then asks you to spend the evening or weekend thinking about a project and come back Monday with fresh ideas. You make time outside business hours for sport or a hobby, but spend half (or more) of the activity mentally rehearsing tomorrow’s to-do list. You close your laptop and silence your work notifications, only to find yourself checking them later that evening because you just can't help yourself. You replay conversations from the day, worry about tomorrow's workload, or wake in the middle of the night thinking about work. You experience the “Sunday scaries,” where the thought of Monday creeping closer leaves you feeling anxious before the week has even begun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1782960487741-Y9PYY5TGSMM8XNU0GO0B/unsplash-image-b3eaH1hguOA.jpg Blog - Work life balance and the Third Space - The process involves three simple steps: Reflect: Take a moment to acknowledge what just happened. Consider what went well, what challenged you, and whether there are any lessons or achievements worth recognising before moving on. Rest: Give your mind and body a brief opportunity to settle. This might involve a few slow breaths, stretching, a short walk, or simply sitting quietly for a minute or two. Reset: Before entering your next environment, decide how you want to show up. Ask yourself, “What mindset do I want to bring into this next part of my day?” This small act of intention can help you be more present, patient, and engaged. The entire practice can take as little as five minutes, making it an easy habit to incorporate between work and home, before a workout, or whenever you're transitioning between different roles and responsibilities. Over time, these small pauses can help reduce stress, improve focus, and allow you to be more intentional with how you respond to the people and situations around you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1782961006279-P82QICFN3DII47ZNSO3K/unsplash-image-2K1gZ77rOhk.jpg Blog - Work life balance and the Third Space - Using movement as your Third Space Exercise can be one of the most powerful ways to create a Third Space. Rather than viewing movement purely as something you “have to fit in,” it can become a transition that helps you shift mentally and emotionally between different parts of your day. For example, a walk after work can help you leave the day’s stress behind before arriving home. A gym session before work can help you move from feeling groggy to feeling focused and energised. Even five to ten minutes of gentle stretching after closing your laptop can create a clear boundary between “work mode” and “home mode.” The key isn't the type of exercise, it's the intention behind it. Instead of jumping straight into your workout on autopilot, take a moment to ask yourself: What am I carrying with me right now? What do I want to leave behind? How do I want to feel when I finish? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1782960720599-IEPI94O02ZQCL90W135N/unsplash-image-8urjFhaVRCk.jpg Blog - Work life balance and the Third Space - When exercise isn't the right Third Space There will also be days when exercise isn’t what your body needs, or simply isn’t possible. If you're unwell, recovering from injury, experiencing a flare of a chronic condition, overwhelmed by fatigue, or you’re simply short on time, forcing yourself to exercise may add another layer of stress rather than helping you reset. Your Third Space doesn't have to involve movement to be effective. Instead, consider creating a small ritual that signals the end of one part of your day and the beginning of the next. That might look like: Taking five slow, intentional breaths before walking through your front door. Sitting in your car for a couple of minutes before heading inside. Making a cup of tea and drinking it without distractions. Listening to a favourite song or calming podcast during your commute. Spending a few minutes journalling or writing down the thoughts you don't want to carry into the next part of your day. Stepping outside for fresh air or simply noticing your surroundings with curiosity. https://www.thegentlescienceco.com.au/blog-1/exercise-and-chronic-fatigue-how-does-it-help monthly 0.5 2026-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1781245345459-XL6SO3CX7OVE7XRTRVPP/unsplash-image-zS8jbDBBZk0.jpg Blog - Exercise and Chronic Fatigue - How does it help? - When getting out of bed feels monumental, showering feels like running a marathon and preparing a meal seems completely unachievable, why on earth are health professionals telling me to move more? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1781246205048-J6EGYHM2DAKK452N5N6U/unsplash-image-F3svh7bKb6I.jpg Blog - Exercise and Chronic Fatigue - How does it help? - Have you heard about spoon theory? Spoon theory was introduced in 2003 by health advocate and writer Christine Miserandino. She created this metaphor to help people understand how chronic fatigue can limit daily energy levels. Spoons represent units of energy, with every daily task costing ‘spoons’. When a person runs out of spoons, they have no energy left to continue. Each day can be different, resulting in a different number of spoons available, or tasks taking up more spoons on some days than others - representing the unpredictable nature of chronic fatigue. The chronic illness community often refer to themselves as ‘spoonies’ and use terms like “I’ve run out of spoons” to communicate their level of fatigue. https://www.thegentlescienceco.com.au/blog-1/are-smart-goals-outdated-and-what-are-the-alternatives monthly 0.5 2026-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1780464123795-S8UW2KYYK6676NMUYOGZ/unsplash-image-YwBX02K60A4.jpg Blog - Are SMART goals outdated, and what are the alternatives? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1780464630710-DLIZ5YOR26W84POGPIMA/unsplash-image-95t94hZTESw.jpg Blog - Are SMART goals outdated, and what are the alternatives? - Having different options for goal setting is important for helping you to work out what really drives you. While SMART Goals are still heavily used and promoted, they’re not the only option, and they may not be the best option for you. For some people, the rigidity and the structure works for them. For others, values, flexibility, meaning and accessibility can be more effective strategies to support your progress. Maybe you combine different elements of the many strategies to customise your own goal setting process. Individual difference (what distinguishes one person from another) is a crucial part of both making changes to achieve your goals, and making them stick. https://www.thegentlescienceco.com.au/blog-1/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-5jbxd monthly 0.5 2026-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1779883407984-Y8ESGEPLVNGI5JB7CST1/unsplash-image-Jyg7xHRmXiU.jpg Blog - How do you define wellness? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/687361fbb918b14d5ca8b4a2/1779883609119-WTPW1X3R5ICQU5E394UY/unsplash-image-zdLdgGbi9Ow.jpg Blog - How do you define wellness? - Quick tips for owning your wellness journey: Think about what wellness means to you (reflecting or journalling can be helpful here). Write down your definition of wellness, and put it somewhere you’ll see it often (phone screen, on the fridge, bathroom mirror). Take stock of your social media consumption (are the pages and people you follow aligned with your wellness goals or are they unhelpful?). Use your wellness definition to create goals (be realistic about what they are, how long they’re likely to take, and think about how you’ll measure your progress). Note down the steps that lead you closer to these goals (these steps can be bigger changes, or tiny, incremental actions). It all adds up over time. Be gentle with yourself. 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