Karren Brady’s career advice on going back to college to become a teacher

APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady answers your career questions and meets an inspirational CEO.

Here she gives a reader tips on how to deal with the responsibility and pressure of her first leadership role.

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Q) I have been offered a new role as Financial Planning Manager.

It’s my first managerial role and I’m worried about how I’ll handle the responsibility and the pressure.

Already, my brain is so overwhelmed with work that I can’t think about anything else—even on the weekends—and my family and social life suffer as a result.

Do you have any advice?

Vic, via email

a) Congratulations on your new role – and don’t forget to congratulate yourself on a well-deserved job.

Second, you need to acknowledge that you are aware of your concerns, which means you can take action to do something about it.

Start by looking at how you spend your time. Create a daily schedule with blocks of time for different tasks like emails, calls, and projects.

Organize your to-do list into four areas: high priority (act now), medium (plan for later), delegate (to your team), or low priority (tasks that aren’t critical).

I like to start with the hardest task on my high priority list while trying to block out any distractions from my phone or email.

We only have a limited amount of time each day, so know your limits and be prepared to say no to appointments you know you can’t keep.

Review your to-do list at the end of each day so you know you’re starting from a good place the next morning. Then separate.

Use your commute to switch from work mode to chill mode, or schedule time to go for a walk, listen to a podcast, or exercise before your time with family or friends begins.

Once you start forming new habits, you will feel less overwhelmed and more present both at work and in your personal life. Much luck!

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF….

Kate Rowe-Ham, 46, is a personal trainer and founder of Owning Your Menopause. She lives in West Sussex with her accountant husband Gerry, 48, and their children, Ollie, 16, Sophie, 13, and Rupert, 6.

I wake up at…

5.55am when Rupert bursts in. We both take a probiotic supplement – Rupert has a rare lung condition and takes a lot of antibiotics so it’s good for his gut.

I wash my face, brush my teeth and run downstairs to make myself some coffee or a lemon with hot water.

After preparing Rupert’s breakfast, I check in with my app community.

At 6:30 am, when Rupert is watching TV with a hot chocolate, I host a live app workout from my laundry room.

After that I put Rupert on his nebulizer and we do chest physiotherapy before leaving for the school run at 7.55am.

Then I call my other two children who are at boarding school in Surrey.

A normal day includes…

In addition to the app, I run a boutique spinning and personal training studio in my backyard, and I run a personal spinning class three mornings a week for a few clients.

On the other days I go running or do a sports course.

At 9:45 am I’m starving. I eat eggs and avocado for breakfast most days.

When I’m on the go, I make a protein shake with chia seeds and oat milk.

At 10 a.m. I go to my office, which doubles as a playroom. Then I start email and talk to brand partners.

Most afternoons before I pick up Rupert at 3pm (or 5pm if I booked him at an after school club) I pay bills and write content.

I never plan Instagram posts. When it’s planned, I think it doesn’t feel authentic, and I like the spontaneity of responding to a news report that has my quills ruffled, or responding to subscribers’ questions!

The best thing about my job is…

Women over 40 often feel like they’ve become invisible, so showing them that this is a time in life to thrive is incredible!

And the worst…

The loneliness of working alone.

I relax by…

Cold water swimming or getting into a good TV drama series. I am currently obsessed with The White Lotus.