Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis

Shana Francis
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Breaking the Timeline is for the women who are building careers, chasing ambitions, and refusing to wait for permission, all at the same time. Hosted by Shana Francis, Senior Lecturer, leadership coach, and the woman doing exactly what she's talking about. Every episode covers one idea properly: career growth, self-development, and what it actually looks like to live a full life without picking a lane. No hustle culture. No fluff. Just honest conversations that make you feel understood and leave you with something to do today. newslettershanafrancis.substack.com

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    The Productivity Trap Nobody Talks About In Your First Job

    You've been told to be more productive since your first week. Nobody told you that the way most people define productivity is built for a completely different type of career than the one you're building. In this episode, I'm talking about what happens when you try to run a multi-track life, career, learning, and personal ambitions on a system that was designed for one job, one output, one version of success. We go into flexible planning, how to stop your to-do list from running your life, and why doing less on paper might actually be the sharper move. Article mentioned in today's episode: https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/careers/how-to-ask-for-longer-lunch-break-boost-productivity/1086879 ⸻ Get my exact Claude thinking partner and CoWork system: Full Character Claude OS; your complete AI setup built around your whole life, not just your work. Career, movement, mindset, lifestyle. All of it, running at once. 👉 https://fullcharacteros.netlify.app ⸻ ✨ IF THIS LANDED ✨ 📰 Subscribe to the Breaking the Timeline Newsletter and receive a free guide: How to Stop Feeling Stuck in Your Career: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFl Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218 Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Challenging the productivity obsession and its impact on mental health 06:45 The importance of taking genuine breaks and stepping outside for fresh air and sunlight 13:00 Incorporating personal interests and self-care into your routine 16:00 Balancing learning on the job and formal education for career growth 22:00 Final thoughts on embracing adaptable, individualized productivity routines ⸻ 🔗 LINKS My Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/ My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu ⸻ 📌 FOLLOW US Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial

    36 min

  2. May 8

    Your Body Is Ruining Your Career & You Don't Even Know It

    You are working hard. You are showing up. You are doing everything right on paper. So why does it still feel like you are running at 60%? In this episode of Breaking the Timeline, we are getting into the conversation that nobody is having in professional spaces: the direct link between your physical state and your career performance. Not as a wellness topic. As a performance one. ⸻ Get my exact Claude thinking partner and CoWork system: Full Character Claude OS; your complete AI setup built around your whole life, not just your work. Career, movement, mindset, lifestyle. All of it, running at once. 👉 https://fullcharacteros.netlify.app ⸻ ✨ IF THIS LANDED ✨ 📰 Subscribe to the Breaking the Timeline Newsletter and receive a free guide: How to Stop Feeling Stuck in Your Career: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFl Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218 Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Understanding AI Usage Across Generations 03:01 The Mindset Shift 06:05 The Importance of Intentionality in AI Adoption 08:51 Task Outsourcing vs. Thinking Partnership 11:57 Women Leveraging AI for Career Growth 14:56 Strategic Thinking: The Future of Work with AI 17:57 Practical Shifts: Enhancing Your AI Relationship 21:00 Building a Long-Term Partnership with AI ⸻ 🔗 LINKS Land your dream career: https://shanafrancis.com/the-career-strategy-for-ambitious-young-professional-women Support my content by buying me a coffee: http://buymeacoffee.com/shanafrancis Work with me: https://www.passionfroot.me/shanafrancis My Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/ My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu ⸻ 📌 FOLLOW US Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial

    14 min

  3. May 1

    Everyone Is Using AI. Almost Nobody Is Using It Right, And It Is Quietly Costing Your Career

    Get my exact Claude thinking partner and CoWork system: Full Character Claude OS; your complete AI setup built around your whole life, not just your work. Career, movement, mindset, lifestyle. All of it, running at once. 👉 https://fullcharacteros.netlify.app This episode explores how different generations and career stages relate to AI, emphasising the importance of adopting a mindset that leverages AI as a thinking partner rather than just a task machine. It provides practical shifts to transform your relationship with AI and accelerate your professional growth. ⸻ ✨ IF THIS LANDED ✨ 📰 Subscribe to the Breaking the Timeline Newsletter and receive a free guide: How to Stop Feeling Stuck in Your Career: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFl Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218 Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Understanding AI Usage Across Generations 03:01 The Mindset Shift 06:05 The Importance of Intentionality in AI Adoption 08:51 Task Outsourcing vs. Thinking Partnership 11:57 Women Leveraging AI for Career Growth 14:56 Strategic Thinking: The Future of Work with AI 17:57 Practical Shifts: Enhancing Your AI Relationship 21:00 Building a Long-Term Partnership with AI ⸻ 🔗 LINKS Land your dream career: https://shanafrancis.com/the-career-strategy-for-ambitious-young-professional-women Support my content by buying me a coffee: http://buymeacoffee.com/shanafrancis Work with me: https://www.passionfroot.me/shanafrancis My Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/ My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu ⸻ 📌 FOLLOW US Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial

    22 min

  4. Apr 24

    You're Qualified. So Why Aren't You Getting Hired? | A Michaela Coel Career Diagnostic

    The conversation delves into the strategic career pathways of the last decade, focusing on Michaela Coel's trajectory. It emphasises the importance of being hireable, building proof of capability, embracing one's unique perspective, evaluating opportunities, and articulating one's thinking as essential elements of a successful career. ⸻ ✨ IF THIS LANDED ✨ 💼 Ready to stop managing your life in separate boxes? Kaurah is my 90-day 1:1 coaching programme built around your career, movement, mindset and energy, all as one system. Only 5 founding spots available. Apply here → https://kaurah.com/ 📰 Subscribe to the Breaking the Timeline Newsletter and receive a free guide: How to Stop Feeling Stuck in Your Career: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFl Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218 Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Introduction 00:26 Episode Overview 00:48 Career Pathway Breakdown 01:06 Session Goals 01:21 Career in Focus Introduction 3:04 Michaela Cole's Background 9:24 Principle 1: Building Proof 13:39 Principle 2: Embracing Differences 18:14 Principle 3: Choosing Opportunities 22:15 Principle 4: Articulating Authority 26:19 Conclusion and Action Steps ⸻ 🔗 LINKS Land your dream career: https://shanafrancis.com/the-career-strategy-for-ambitious-young-professional-women Support my content by buying me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/shanafrancis Work with me: https://www.passionfroot.me/shanafrancis My Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/ My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu ⸻ 📌 FOLLOW US Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial 🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/

    29 min

  5. Apr 17

    Most People Choose One Thing. Here's What Happens When You Refuse To.

    Most people who are building more than one thing have spent years defending themselves against the same conversation. Pick a lane. You're spreading yourself too thin. Just focus.This episode is my argument for why that advice, however well-intentioned, is answering the wrong question.I'm a Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education, a master's student, a leadership coach, and I'm building this. I did not choose between them. And today I want to talk about what that actually looks like, what the research says about why it works, and the single shift in thinking that changes everything.⸻✨ IF THIS LANDED ✨📰 Subscribe to the Breaking the Timeline Newsletter and receive a free guide: How to Stop Feeling Stuck in Your Career: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe⸻🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCASTListen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFlListen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast⸻⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS00:00 The advice that sounds helpful but quietly limits you04:45 What holding three careers at once actually feels like on a Tuesday06:41 Why multi-passionate people aren't unfocused, they're being measured wrong9:59 How each role makes the others sharper13:27 The one sentence that changes how you talk about yourself13:50 Your One Thing this week⸻🔗 LINKSLand your dream career as an ambitious young professional woman: https://shanafrancis.com/the-career-strategy-for-ambitious-young-professional-womenSupport my content by buying me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/shanafrancisMy Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu⸻📌 FOLLOW USInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficialTikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/ABOUT BREAKING THE TIMELINEThis is the podcast for young professionals who are done waiting for permission to lead, build, and create the life they actually want. Every week, I talk about the things nobody is saying in your staffroom, at your appraisal meeting, or during your first three years in your career. Solo format, 15–25 minutes, British and unapologetic about it.Subscribe if you're building a full life, not just a successful one. Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    16 min
  6. Nobody Is Coming To Tap You On The Shoulder (Do This Instead)

    Apr 9

    Nobody Is Coming To Tap You On The Shoulder (Do This Instead)

    📰 Subscribe to the Breaking the Timeline Newsletter and receive a free guide: How to Stop Feeling Stuck in Your Career: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribeIn this episode, Shana gets into something that looks like ambition but quietly keeps you stuck: credential collecting. If you've ever felt prepared for something that hasn't happened yet, this one is for you.Credential collecting: what it actually is, why it looks like progress, and why it's really a sophisticated form of avoidance. The difference between feedback and opinions, and why confusing the two is one of the most career-limiting mistakes you can make. Why the traditional career model was built for a world that no longer exists, and what the people who are actually advancing are doing instead. The Head of Year application, which Shana did when everyone around her said it was too soon. Your one thing this week: the exercise that closes the gap between where you are and where you want to be.🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCASTListen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFlListen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast⸻⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS00:00 Intro03:42 The Professionals' Office Hours13:49 Your One Thing This Week15:54 Outro⸻🔗 LINKSMy Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu⸻📌 FOLLOW USInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficialTikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/#careerdevelopment #youngprofessionals #leadershipskills Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    17 min

  7. Mar 26

    How to Manage Everything (Without Managing to Do Nothing)

    If you’ve ever ended a week feeling like you did everything but achieved nothing, this one is for you. In this episode, I’m getting really honest about what my plate looks like right now: dissertation deadlines, Hyrox training, a full content rebrand, and a full-time lecturing role all happening at the same time. Because before I give you the systems, I want you to know that I am living this alongside you. We get into the four systems that are actually running my life right now, not the aesthetic productivity content you see on Pinterest, but the real, messy, evolving stuff that works for a Full Character with a full life. We talk about building a Notion hub that works with you, not just for you, why rigid time blocking might actually be the reason you keep failing your own schedule, how I use the Eisenhower Matrix to decide what actually deserves my attention each week, and how Asana keeps my projects and collaborations from falling apart. And then we get into the honest middle: the things I’ve had to drop recently that felt hard to let go of, including a whole content strategy that wasn’t me, two newsletters I didn’t need, and the pressure to be a ss never been wh’s never been who I am. Your one thing this week: a ten-minute life audit that will immediately make you feel less chaotic and more intentional about what you’re actually carrying. This episode sits right in the heart of the Full Character movement, because managing a multi-passionate life isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things in a way you can actually sustain. — 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFl Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218 Listen on Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/podcast ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:54 What’s Really Going On 06:32 The Professionals’ Office Hours 26:00 Your One Thing This Week 28:48 Outro ⸻ 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED My free Notion Dashboard Template: https://shana-francis-mentoring-and-coaching.kit.com/be917b3dae Eisenhower Matrix explainer: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/ Hyrox: https://hyrox.com/the-fitness-race/ Notion: https://www.notion.so Asana: https://asana.com The Productivity Method Planner: https://amzn.to/47pqi7s ⸻ 🔗 MY LINKS My Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/ Substack: https://newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe My Microphone: https://amzn.to/41xYWbH My Microphone Boom Arm: https://amzn.to/4rSGnd2 My Camera: https://amzn.to/3O3kv0N ⸻ 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial 🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/ #productivitytips #careerdevelopment #youngprofessionals Some links in the show notes are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I only ever share things I actually use and genuinely rate. Thanks for supporting the show. 🖤 Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    29 min

  8. Mar 17

    When You're The Only One Who Looks Like You In The Room

    This episode gets into something a lot of us have felt but rarely say out loud: what it's like to walk into a room and realise you're the only one who looks like you. We talk about the exhaustion of code-switching, the invisible weight of constantly having to prove you belong, and why trying to blend in might actually be costing you your greatest strengths. We cover three honest reframes that changed the way I move through spaces that weren't built for me, and why showing up fully, as the whole, complicated, multi-passionate version of you, is more powerful than playing it safe ever will be. By the end, you'll have one clear task for the week: identify one specific situation where you've been shrinking, and choose to take up the space that was already yours.🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCASTListen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFlListen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218⸻⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS00:00 Intro02:35 What's Really Going On04:31 The Professionals' Office Hours12:37 Your One Thing This Week15:36 Outro⸻🔗 LINKSMy Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu⸻📌 FOLLOW USInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficialTikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/#careerdevelopment #youngprofessionals #leadershipskills Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    18 min

  9. Feb 17

    The Art of Saying No Without Getting Blacklisted at Work

    This episode dives into the fear of saying no at work, especially when you’re early in your career and terrified of missing out on promotions or being seen as “difficult.” We talk about the hidden cost of being the default yes‑person, the difference between aligned opportunities and draining side‑quests, and how unpaid emotional labour and “favour work” quietly eat your time and energy. By the end, you’ll have one clear task for the week: audit what you’ve taken on, and drop one extra responsibility that isn’t in your job description and isn’t serving your future self.🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCASTListen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFlListen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218⸻⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS00:00 Intro01:25 What's Really Going On09:38 The Professionals' Office Hours19:00 Your One Thing This Week23:32 Outro⸻🔗 LINKSMy Services + Products: https://shanafrancis.komi.io/My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0zMy Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu⸻📌 FOLLOW USInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficialTikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/#careerdevelopment #youngprofessionals #leadershipskills Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    26 min

  10. Feb 9

    Too Young to Lead? Let's Talk About That

    In this first episode, we’re tackling that “I’m too inexperienced to lead” feeling head‑on. We talk about the pressure to follow traditional career timelines, what it’s really like to be given big responsibility with a “junior” title, and how imposter syndrome shows up when you’re the youngest in the room. By the end, you’ll have one simple “lead now” move you can take this week to start building real leadership confidence without waiting for someone older to give you permission. ------ 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFl Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-the-timeline-by-shana-francis/id1861951218 ------ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Intro 01:47 What's Really Going On 09:23 The Professionals' Office Hours 22:23 Your One Thing This Week 27:38 Outro ------ 🔗 LINKS My Services + Products: https://myjulip.com/shanafrancis My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Camera: https://amzn.to/4qZlihu------ 📌 FOLLOW US Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial ------ 🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/ #careerdevelopment #youngprofessionals #leadershipskills Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    29 min
  11. Tired of spaces that don't get young professionals? This one's for you

    12/15/2025

    Tired of spaces that don't get young professionals? This one's for you

    ✨ BRAND-NEW PODCAST DROPPING IN JANUARY 2026 ✨ This episode is for you if you've been told you're too young or inexperienced to step into leadership, you're tired of shrinking yourself in rooms where your ideas actually matter, or you want to build authority and confidence without waiting for someone else's permission. 🎧 LISTEN ON THE PODCAST Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4pTWOFlListen anywhere else: https://pod.link/1565886767 ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:32 What to expect in our office hours 01:34 Outro ⸻ 🔗 LINKS My Microphone: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z My Microphone boom arm: https://amzn.to/4a2Jz0z ⸻ 📌 FOLLOW US Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/shanafrancisofficial TikTok → http://tiktok.com/@shanafrancisofficial 🛍️ Shop templates, merch & more: https://shanafrancis.com/resources/ #careerdevelopment #youngprofessionals #leadershipskills Get full access to Breaking the Timeline by Shana Francis at newslettershanafrancis.substack.com/subscribe

    2 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Breaking the Timeline is for the women who are building careers, chasing ambitions, and refusing to wait for permission, all at the same time. Hosted by Shana Francis, Senior Lecturer, leadership coach, and the woman doing exactly what she's talking about. Every episode covers one idea properly: career growth, self-development, and what it actually looks like to live a full life without picking a lane. No hustle culture. No fluff. Just honest conversations that make you feel understood and leave you with something to do today. newslettershanafrancis.substack.com

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