Joy At Work

Lucia Knight

The Joy at Work podcast offers time-poor professionals in their 40s, 50s and 60s ideas on how to increase their joy at work. Lucia Knight dives right to the heart of the value each guest offers so that you can make deliberate change to bring more enjoyment, satisfaction and fulfillment to your work. Beyond expert interviews, you'll get practical reflections following guest interviews, recommends on experiments to try this week and answers to call-in career questions from listeners.

  1. The Midlife Job Hunt: Finding Your North Star at 48

    25 MAR

    The Midlife Job Hunt: Finding Your North Star at 48

    Searching for a new role is rarely joyful. Add children, mortgages, relocation, and a 25-year career in one industry… and suddenly midlife stuckness feels very real. When Dom Salomoni found himself job hunting for the first time in decades at 48, he didn’t spiral into panic-mode hustle. Instead, he designed a six-month runway. He invested in mindfulness. He redefined success for this stage of life. And he built what he calls his North Star — a clear, non-negotiable definition of what work needed to give him now. This conversation explores what midlife professionals rarely say out loud: The fear. The ego wobble. The identity shift. The quiet recalibration. Lucia Knight unpacks the emotional and practical strategies that helped Dom stay steady — and why midlife job search isn’t just about getting hired. It’s about designing work that matters. What This ExploresWhy midlife job search feels different (and heavier) than early-career movesHow a defined runway reduces panic and protects your thinkingThe power of mindfulness over frantic productivityCreating a North Star that reflects who you are now — not who you were at 38 Structuring your days so rejection doesn’t define your worth Midlife job search often arrives quietly — through redundancy, relocation, or simply the realization that your work no longer fits. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone navigating their own stuckness. You never know who might need a steadier way forward. And if you're ready to design work that truly fits this season of your life, you can learn more about working with me here: https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me

    10 min
  2. 3 Lessons on Work-Life Flow: Former Client Chris on Designing Work That Gives You Tingles

    25 FEB

    3 Lessons on Work-Life Flow: Former Client Chris on Designing Work That Gives You Tingles

    What if the goal isn’t balance… but flow? Five years ago, Chris joined the pilot of Lucia Knight’s work-life redesign programme. He wasn’t in crisis. He wasn’t burned out beyond repair. But something felt off. And instead of ignoring that stuckness, he chose to investigate it. Today, he shares the three insights he never wants to forget about his future work life. They’re simple. They’re powerful. And they’re the kind of truths that change how you design everything — from your diary to your relationships to the way you define success. This is a conversation about experimentation, clarity, appreciation, and that unmistakable full-body “tingle” you feel when work finally fits. What You’ll Sit WithThe difference between chasing balance and creating work-life flowWhy “everything is an experiment” removes the fear of getting it wrongThe kind of appreciation that makes work deeply satisfyingWhat it feels like when work aligns with your SuperpowersHow small experiments can quietly dismantle stuckness If this conversation resonates with someone who’s quietly questioning their version of success — someone who’s successful on paper but sensing a deeper misalignment — consider sharing it with them. And if you’re ready to design work that matters, you can explore the ways to work with Lucia here: https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me Learn more about Chris's work here: www.brightrisephotography.co.uk

    9 min
  3. What Work Feels Like After You Redesign It: Gill’s Story

    18 FEB

    What Work Feels Like After You Redesign It: Gill’s Story

    In this episode of the Joy at Work Podcast, I sit down with former client Gill Kirk to capture the three timeless lessons she’s taking into the next chapter of her work life. These aren’t generic career tips—they’re deep truths discovered through months of intentional redesign. Gill shares what it means to lead with deliberate curiosity, how she gently but powerfully challenges outdated work processes, and why carving out quiet space is now non-negotiable in her career. It’s honest, human, and full of insight for anyone considering what really matters in how they work. Whether you're at a crossroads, already in transition, or just craving more joy in your work life, this conversation offers clarity, warmth, and a bit of gentle provocation. Learn how you can work with me: 👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me Catch Other Stories of Midlife Career Redesign: Designing A Work Life That Fits: Silvia's Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/career-redesign-midlife-lessons-silvia When You Stop Editing Yourself, Your Work Changes: Deirdre's Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/career-redesign-midlife-lessons-deirdre From Stuck to Energised: Lara’s Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/career-redesign-midlife-lessons-lara Escaping Boredom and Finding Your Superpowers: Scott’s Story - https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/podcast-episodes/scott-midlife-career-redesign

    10 min
  4. When Work Isn’t Bad Enough to Leave — But Not Good Enough to Care

    12 FEB

    When Work Isn’t Bad Enough to Leave — But Not Good Enough to Care

    I get this question more often than you might expect: My work isn’t awful… but it isn’t great either. I can’t tell if it’s bad enough to leave or good enough to stay. Yes. I’ve seen this a lot. There’s a particular kind of work experience that doesn’t shout, doesn’t sparkle, and doesn’t trigger a crisis — but quietly drains your energy over time. I call it languishing at work. It sits between happy work and unhappy work. It doesn’t ring alarm bells. And that’s exactly why it’s so dangerous. When you’re languishing, you still show up. You still do the work. You might even work hard. But inside, something has gone flat. You tell yourself you’re lucky. You tolerate it. You coast. Weeks turn into months. And slowly, almost invisibly, you lose your spark. In this episode, I talk about: The three “siblings” of work life satisfaction — and why the middle one gets ignoredHow languishing feels different from burnout (and why that matters)Why smart, capable mid-career professionals are especially good at tolerating work that no longer fitsThe difference between a short-term dip and chronic work-life languishingWhat actually helps — from tiny pattern-disrupting experiments to knowing when it’s time for a bigger rethink If your work feels fine, okay, or just about tolerable — and has done for far too long — this is for you. Because the middle child doesn’t stay quiet forever. And designing work that feels energising again starts with noticing what’s really going on. If this idea of languishing at work resonates, you don’t need a dramatic leap — but you do need a more intentional next step. If you’re ready to think more deliberately about the next decade of your work life, you can explore my work redesign programmes here: 👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/work-with-me And if you’d rather start with something lighter, I’ve shared practical ways to experiment your way out of flatness here: 👉 https://www.midlifeunstuck.com/new-blog-1/2020/11/8/midlife-career-kiss-of-life

    10 min

About

The Joy at Work podcast offers time-poor professionals in their 40s, 50s and 60s ideas on how to increase their joy at work. Lucia Knight dives right to the heart of the value each guest offers so that you can make deliberate change to bring more enjoyment, satisfaction and fulfillment to your work. Beyond expert interviews, you'll get practical reflections following guest interviews, recommends on experiments to try this week and answers to call-in career questions from listeners.

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