UK employees work an average of 42 hours per week – the highest in Europe. Because work takes up so much of our time, it can inevitably sap a lot of our mental energy, too, so it’s important to find ways of maintaining a good work−life balance.

Organisations that provide managers with mental-health training report a 30% reduction in mental-health-related absences; and 52% of employees say they feel more engaged and productive when their organisation offers such resources. Companies encouraging open communication and mental-health awareness see a 20% increase in employee retention rates (Mental Health First Aid England). This shows it’s possible to overcome the challenges that see 16.3 million working days lost through stress, anxiety or depression (Health and Safety Executive 2023/24), with 21% needing to take time off work in 2024 to (Mental Health UK – Burnout Report 2025).

Other positive news is that taking a proactive approach to tackling common workplace stressors can minimise work’s impact on our mental wellbeing. Here are seven top tips for keeping a healthy mind.

1. Managing several tasks at once? Be proactive rather than reactive

If you feel overwhelmed by what you have to do, try breaking down projects into more manageable tasks each day. This will help you prioritise what you can, and can’t, get done, enabling you to concentrate on aspects of projects allocated to you, helping you feel you’ve regained control.

2. Constantly distracted? Keep interruptions to a minimum

This might feel difficult when faced with a stream of e-mails, online messages, phone calls and colleague check-ins. While you can’t control when people contact you, you can decide when you respond to them. For example, reply to ad-hoc requests at designated points in your working day; and arrange a quick call to discuss something rather than getting involved in long e-mail chains.

3. Frustrated you’re not getting anywhere? Schedule your day for productivity

Concentrating on achieving goals by completing tasks to the required standard, rather than targeting perfection, helps to relieve unnecessary stress. Spending 15 minutes at the start of each day to identify what you intend to get done will help you prioritise efficiency, and minimise any overtime.

4. Forgetting about physical wellbeing? Focus on eating well and a good night’s sleep

Prioritising physical wellbeing when work is full on can feel challenging, but it’s well worth it. Try eating small, healthy meals that are low in sugar and high in protein to provide consistent energy levels, helping maintain concentration and focus. If work-related thoughts make sleep difficult, write a list of them before bed and consciously decide to leave them there, turning to relaxation exercises such as focused breathing instead. Learning mindfulness techniques can help with this.

5. Never away from your workstation or desk? Reclaim your lunch break

Make sure you step away from where you work, and your computer, for a change of scene. If you can, head outdoors for some fresh air, a bit of movement and a fresh perspective. Learn something new or expand your skillset – there are plenty of free online courses to help you achieve this.

6. Feeling like all you do is work? Recalibrate your work−life balance

Sometimes we all have to work longer hours, but aim to make this the exception, not a regular occurrence. Creating clear boundaries between work and personal time helps. If you’re commuting, use your journey to wind down, perhaps walking or cycling part of the journey, or doing something completely different, such as reading a book or listening to music as you head home.

If you’re working at home, designate a specific part of your living space for working, and at the end of the working day, leave work there. And if it gets too much, help is out there.

7. Don’t know where to turn? Ask for assistance

Whether it’s to do with work, something personal, or something else entirely, anyone can face unexpected challenges. Acknowledging that you need to find someone to talk to, and that you’re seeking help and advice, is not a sign of weakness, but a positive step forward that takes courage and strength.

The NHS’s Every Mind Matters shares simple ways to ease stress and anxiety, and help lift your mood. Mental Health UK has a whole collection of easily-accessible resources, including ones focused on workplace burnout.

Everyone working in publishing, as well as print, paper, packaging, graphics and the allied trades, is eligible for support from the Printing Charity. It offers a free, confidential employee helpline, providing emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Visit The Printing Charity for more information on launching the helpline in your organisation, and to find out more about other support such as financial assistance and careers and development grants for young people. Remember, we’re here for you.

Liz Ross Martyn is Director of Marketing & Engagement at The Printing Charity. Follow her on LinkedIn.

Distance-learning courses can be a great first step towards a new career – or offer valuable professional-development tools for an existing one. With that in mind, you’ll want to approach them in a way that ensures you’ll get the best out of them. Here are my top tips on how to excel with your studies.

Set realistic goals

It’s good to set a target date to complete the course – but consider the content and don’t be overambitious. If you’ve signed up for the Publishing Training Centre (PTC)’s Essential Proofreading or Essential Copy-Editing courses, there’s a reason you’ll get access for 12 or 18 months respectively: a completion time of three or four months isn’t realistic if you want to succeed.

These courses start with the basics but get more in-depth as you work through them. So if you aim to be a qualified proofreader this time next year, don’t wait six months before signing up for Essential Proofreading!

This also applies to the smaller steps within each course. You can study at your own pace, but setting yourself an internal deadline for each module may help you to focus. As a tutor, I have some students who let me know what that deadline is – but remember that it’s self-imposed, so if something unexpected comes up, you won’t lose marks for submitting your assignments later than planned.

Use your tutor!

Contact time with your tutor is included in the course. Don’t be afraid to use it or feel you’re bothering them! Editing can be a solitary profession, so as long as you’re not sending too many emails, we enjoy a bit of communication.

It’s a good idea to prepare a list of questions ahead of time – you might want to clarify points from your tutor’s feedback on your previous assignment, ask about something you don’t quite understand from the course text, or a bit of both.

Try to ask questions using specific examples from an exercise or the previous assignment (don’t ask about future assignments). Make sure you consider how the response would apply more generally than in that one case. Asking ‘what should I have done different?’ might not be as valuable as asking ‘why should I have done something different?’

Create a suitable space and a routine

Back in the mists of time (2017), when I was a student on a PTC distance-learning course, I learnt how to proofread on paper: every time I sat down to study, I took over half the dining table. Nowadays, with courses being on screen, you probably won’t need as much space, but it can still help to create a suitable spot in your home.

The same applies to setting a routine – whether that’s making a cup of tea, spending ten minutes playing with the cat so she doesn’t bother you for a good while (yes, I’m speaking from experience), switching off your phone or setting up your lighting a certain way. Maybe you’re someone who works best with your computer in focus mode, to avoid distractions.

Turning your pre-learning time into a mini-ritual can help get you ‘in the zone’. It’s also a habit that will be useful in your working life after the course.

When you’ve qualified

Now the fun of marketing yourself and looking for work begins! Distance-learning courses offer practical advice on next steps – including how to find work and clients as a freelancer, how to explore in-house opportunities, and associations to join. Make sure to take note, and consider whether you already have a niche that could help you get work when you’re starting out.

As an example, before I studied to become a proofreader, I’d been a football writer. That meant I had various contacts who could put me in touch with sport-related publishers and organisations who might need a hand. Although I no longer work with most of those clients, it was a useful way to gain experience when I first started out.

You should also consider local or online professional networking groups, and announce your career change on any social media you use – you never know if a friend or acquaintance you’ve lost contact with might see it and get in touch to offer work (it happened to me, and his employers are still a regular client).

In conclusion

Time management, communication and a conducive working environment are good habits to adopt to make the most of your self-study. And they will be a huge help in your career after qualifying (whether freelance or in-house). Whether this is part of a career change or you’re updating your existing skills and knowledge, follow this advice and give yourself the best chance to succeed!

Sam Kelly is a professional proofreader and a tutor on the PTC’s Essential Proofreading distance-learning course. Follow him on LinkedIn.

To find out more about the roles of copy-editing and proofreading, download the free PTC guide to Copy-Editing and Proofreading.

Early in my publishing career I was advised to “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job”. This was the single best advice I’ve ever been given. It may sound counterintuitive to what we are taught at school – get great grades and work hard to achieve success – but it’s your soft skills that will make the greatest difference in your career.  

Although trickier to learn than ‘hard’ (technical) skills, developing great soft skills is an important part of your personal and professional development, regardless of your role. Getting on with colleagues, clients, partners, agents or suppliers is vital to sustaining your position and being promoted.  

Working harder on yourself includes building a wide range of soft skills, such as communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, self-management, overcoming self-sabotage, managing others, leadership, self-awareness, self-confidence, presentation skills and problem solving.

Developing the ‘soft’ skills you need

I’ll take you through the basics of how to develop some key soft skills that will help you progress in your chosen publishing sector and job discipline and set you up for a lifetime of success – providing you continue upskilling throughout your career.

The first basic soft skill is how to overcome inner self-sabotage, the fear of failure – and of success. We’re familiar with the fear of failure, but less known is the fear of success, often the real reason behind the fear.

We don’t fear success, rather what it might cost us.

Especially the kind of success that changes everything – from taking a promotion and leaving friends behind, to your partner feeling conflicted by your achievement and where it might leave them. When I’m coaching people in publishing, I’ve seen how these fears can literally stop the person fulfilling their true potential. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to combat this.

To manage this in coaching, we discuss the possible causes of these fears. Often, what’s revealed is conflicting fears, unconscious self-sabotaging, limiting beliefs around what ‘sacrifices’ may have to be made to succeed.

Other common fears are:

• If I don’t try, then I haven’t actually failed. I can continue to delude myself that I’m doing great. But the reality is that we’re going to be left behind whilst other, less qualified people will overtake us.
• I’ll be lonely, as I’ll leave behind friends and outgrow loved ones when I succeed.
• Imposter syndrome, asking “Who do I think I am to even try this?”
• Procrastination: I’m quite not ready yet, maybe next year will be the ‘perfect’ time.
• I’m not sure I can handle all the extra workload involved.

To counter this, we reinforce new beliefs to arrest self-sabotage. Small steps begin to change our beliefs and make a BIG difference.

✅ Set new goals to match your true strengths. For example, if you’re creative, learn new creative ways to try different things in your current role. Then set your sights on a more ambitious goal to exploit your talent.

✅ Challenge your perceived comfort zone, do small regular stretchy things to break out of your comfort zone.

✅ Find a mentor to inspire you to go further. This can be someone you know, or someone you can model.

✅ Remember that success is rarely overnight, so you’ll get plenty of time to handle each step.

✅ Only share your ambition with those who will fully support you. This may not be your partner … not yet!

✅ To stay as you are and play small is often a poor option, as you’ll go backwards.

Speaking out in meetings

The second basic soft skill to learn is how to overcome your nerves in meetings at work.

How do you to find your voice in a crowded meeting with strong personalities? Remember, you don’t need permission from anyone to speak up, especially in group meetings.

You may be the quiet thoughtful type that prefers observing and considering before jumping in. However, if you’re in the room, you’re there to make a contribution, so you need to be more vocal and show visibility to your boss and colleagues.

You don’t have to change your personality or become someone you’re not. Instead, develop your own authentic style and voice of speaking up.

Some tips on getting started:

• Before the meeting starts, prepare by writing down possible questions or observations
• Say something out loud early on, even if it’s only about the weather (hearing your own voice soothes self-consciousness, modulates adrenaline rush and calms your nerves)
• Never fear asking stupid questions. I’ve spent my career asking dumb questions. Remember someone else is thinking the same. Try prefacing with “this might be a stupid question, but …”
• If you find yourself rambling, stop talking and say, “and this is my point”. Miraculously, you’ll get to the point!
• If others dominate, put your hand up to signal it’s your turn.

Have fun with self-discovery and remember to work harder on yourself than you do on your job!

Greg Evaristo is a Leadership Coach, Headhunter and Non-Executive Director within book publishing. He runs his own consultancy, GE Consulting.

Feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn.

Nothing focuses the mind more than new legislation, and that’s particularly the case for the incoming European Accessibility Act (EAA), which comes into force on 28 June 2025. Organisations worldwide are working hard to grasp its implications.

The aim of the EAA is to ensure that products and services across certain sectors meet minimum accessibility requirements to better support people with disabilities, while harmonising standards to make it easier to do business within the European Union (EU). The EAA applies to any private organisation, other than microenterprises (a small business with fewer than 10 employees, that requires little start-up capital), that wishes to sell into the EU, regardless of its location. For publishers, the most important in-scope service is ebooks and related software, closely followed by ecommerce.

Making your content accessible

While the top-level requirement of the EAA is clear (‘make things accessible’), it become murky as you dig into the detail. I’ve seen a lot of back-and-forth between lawyers, accessibility specialists and content teams about these details – such as what is an ebook (obvious in many cases, less so for complex hybrid content like digital educational material), what is ebook player software, what counts as an ecommerce user journey? Some of these discussions may only be resolved in the courts, but who wants to risk that when the potential penalties are hefty fines, reputational damage and restricted business operations?

So seek as much legal and technical clarity as possible on the EAA’s scope and definitions by consulting with lawyers and accessibility specialists. Consider all parts of your site that a customer must navigate and interact with to find and access your ebooks, noting requirements that are specific to them and those applicable to all services, such as explaining (accessibly, of course) how your service is accessible. Be clear on exemptions too, for example those for certain types of content, or if making your service accessible would result in a disproportionate burden or fundamental alteration. In particular, identify regional variations caused by differing implementations of the EAA into member state laws. So much for harmonisation!

The EAA requires products and services to be accessible, but only defines ‘accessible’ in the broadest terms. However, if your content conforms to existing ‘harmonised standards’ there is a subsequent presumption of compliance to the EAA. So if your ePubs conform to EPub Accessibility 1.1, your PDFs conform to PDF/UA, and your web content/mobile app meets WCAG A/AA criteria (preferably 2.2) and/or EN 301 549, then you’re in good shape. If you’re not sure whether you meet them, consult  an accessibility specialist.

Embedding accessibility metadata is a key requirement. Publishers that directly supply ebooks on their site will also need to make this metadata discoverable by  customers so they can easily identify content that meets their individual needs. New guidance from the W3C’s Publishing Task Force recommends best practices for this.

You’ll need to share evidence of conformance to national authorities on reasonable request, and to report non-conformance and subsequent remediation steps. For anything you can’t make fully accessible in time, ensure you’ve prioritised the most critical content and have a robust roadmap in place for the remainder – demonstrating a proactive intent to fix is a crucial part of risk reduction.

Beyond compliance

Accessibility is more than legal compliance; it’s about better serving people who are marginalised in their access to technology and digital content of all kinds.

If you haven’t already, use the EAA as a springboard to truly embed accessibility into your working practices. Rather than be simply reactive to external pressures and painfully and expensively fix your accrued accessibility debt, target a ‘born accessible’ strategy (see right). Bring accessibility considerations back into the planning phase with a shift-left philosophy like Microsoft’s (see right), and greater engagement with disabled users to transform your content from being minimally accessible to truly usable by all.

Senior management can support teams by creating an organisational culture that doesn’t deprioritise accessibility whenever there’s a hint that budgets or timescales may be adversely affected. Importantly, review your third-party suppliers to make sure they deliver genuinely accessible work. Too often I see substandard content provided by suppliers, even from those who claim they can ‘do accessibility’, so dig deeper with your due diligence. That can be difficult without in-house expertise – train and recruit wisely to empower teams to both create and commission accessible content. Groups such as The DAISY Consortium, Inclusive Publishing, the Publishing Accessibility Action Group and the UK Association for Accessible Formats provide expert support and recommendations.

According to the World Health Organization, around one in six people globally have some kind of disability, yet there are worrying signs that progressive gains made in recent years are under threat: once 28 June 2025 has come and gone, the need for accessibility efforts will be as important as ever.

Nick Bromley is an accessibility consultant specialising in educational publishing. Follow him on LinkedIn.

• Born Accessible
• European Accessibility Act
• The DAISY Consortium
• Inclusive Publishing
• Publishing Accessibility Action Group
• Shifting left to get accessibility right at Microsoft
• UK Association for Accessible Formats
• World Health Organization: Disability, key facts 2023