Get EVEN Podcast | Dr Kathryn Page | Author of ‘Good Work’: Good Work: Transforming Your Work From the Inside Out

Dr Kathryn Page is an organisational psychologist, author, and leadership expert who has spent her career asking one big question: what makes work good for us?

In this episode of the Get EVEN podcast, Dr Nora Koslowski gets first-hand insights from Dr Kathryn Page’s new book: Good Work: Transforming Your Work From the Inside Out. In doing so, Nora and Kat delve deeper into a common mid-career challenge:

For many women in leadership, career development has followed a familiar path, one defined by ambition, capability and a willingness to take on more. And yet, somewhere along the way, that same drive can tip into over-functioning, emotional load, and ultimately burnout. This conversation offers an honest and nuanced look at what is really happening beneath the surface.

Together, Nora and Kat unpack the realities of mid-career complexity, particularly for women navigating leadership roles while also managing competing demands outside of work. They explore why burnout is so prevalent among high-performing women, and why traditional career development advice often falls short in addressing the real pressures women face.

This episode is particularly relevant for women in leadership who are asking bigger questions about their careers: not just “what’s next?” but “is this working for me?” and “how do I want to work going forward?”

Here are more highlights from the conversation:

1. Understanding burnout in mid-career

Burnout is not simply the result of working too hard. Nora and Kat unpack the deeper drivers of burnout, particularly for mid-career professionals who are balancing increasing responsibility with ongoing personal demands. This conversation offers a more sophisticated understanding of why burnout persists, even among highly capable individuals.

2. How to make work good for us

Kat reframes the idea of career success by exploring what makes work genuinely good for us. This goes beyond titles or progression and instead focuses on how work contributes to meaning, fulfilment and long-term career development. For women in leadership, this shift is critical in navigating mid-career decisions with greater clarity and intention.

3. Why women in leadership are at risk of over-extension

For many women in leadership, success is often tied to being reliable, capable and willing to step in. Over time, this can lead to patterns of over-functioning and over-extension. Kat shares insights into why these patterns develop and how they can quietly undermine both wellbeing and career sustainability. A key part of career development is learning to notice the behaviours that no longer serve you. This conversation provides language and insight to help identify over-functioning, along with practical ways to begin shifting these patterns in a realistic and achievable way.

Listen to the full episode with Dr Kathryn Page on the Get EVEN Podcast.