Choosing your career path can feel like a huge decision and lead to a lot of anxious thoughts. What if you don't enjoy the work as much as you hoped, or you find the culture at your new job doesn't suit you? Is it okay to switch industries, or will that mean you don't progress? There can be so many choices and expectations that it can be easy to feel pressured.  This week on On Your Marks, we sit down with career coach Helen Tupper. She's the author of 'Squiggly Careers' and founder and CEO...

We all know that studying for ACCA exams can be a real challenge, and when you add caregiving responsibilities like parenting into the mix it can feel like a never-ending juggling act. From caring for little ones to managing household responsibilities, it can be a struggle to balance family life with big career goals. So this week on On Your Marks, we sit down with Finance Business Manager Debbie Oluyemi. She has first-hand experience of facing studying for her ACCA qualification and becoming...

Tossing and turning, racing thoughts of revision and exams... most of us know what it feels like to struggle with our sleep when we're preparing for a big challenge. And it can be tempting to sacrifice sleep when we're under time pressure, even though we know it's good for us. It's a real catch 22. This week, we sit down with Professor Russell Foster from the University of Oxford. He's been studying sleep for decades, so together we dig into what's happening in our brains when we sleep, why...

Whether it's feeling sluggish after a heavy meal or dealing with a sudden dip in energy during a busy workday, we all know that food can influence how we feel. But, it turns out that what we eat can have a significant impact on our mental wellbeing, and the latest research shows that our gut has an important role to play. This week, we sit down with nutritionist Dr Emily Prpa to explore the science of the gut-brain axis and the microbiome. We uncover the 5 pillars of gut health, and discuss...

This week, we’re looking at anxiety. Whether its last-minute jitters before an exam or a sense of panic when thinking about revision, we all know what it's like to feel anxious. But, what actually is anxiety? Is there any purpose to experiencing it, and how can we manage our fears so they don't get in the way of achieving our goals? This week, we sit down with therapist and author Joshua Fletcher, also known online as Anxiety Josh. We dig into what's happening in the brain when we're...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by anxiety, struggle with your sleep, or question if you've been making the right career decisions? In Season 2 of On Your Marks we'll be digging into more techniques to help us all feel our best while dealing with life's challenges - whether that's preparing for exams, planning our next job move, or coping with a big life change like becoming a parent.  From managing your nutrition on a busy schedule to spotting leadership opportunities at work, we'll explore...

This week, we’re all about finding what works for you. We all know that one of the awesome things about the ACCA qualification is its flexibility. From how many exams you sit at a time to whether you do self-study, or learn with a provider, there are so many routes of entry that it’s rare for two people’s journeys to look exactly the same. So this week, we sit down with Paul Kirkwood - ACCA UK’s Regional Head of Education and Learning. He takes us through the wide variety of options...

This week, we’re kicking procrastination. We’ve all been there. You’re settled down to do some revision, or write an important email, then the first thought creeps in… “What if I just checked my phone? Or… cleaned the kitchen? Or watched just half an episode of that new show…” And before you know it, 3 hours have gone by, you’re tired, and it’s too late to get started. Procrastinating on tasks, even ones we care about, is a normal, if painful, part of life for most of us. So this week, we...

This week, we’re talking relationships. When we’re pushing towards a goal, or just generally having a tough time, many of us will instinctively turn to our friends, family, colleagues, or even pets for support. But… why? What is it about our relationships that can help pick us up when we’re feeling down? And why is nurturing those connections key to both our physical and mental health, and achieving our goals? This week, we sit down with Dr Anna Machin. She’s an evolutionary anthropologist...

This week, we’re all about becoming more resilient. Pushing on towards our goals is great, but, as we all know, life can have a way of messing with even the best laid plans. Whether it’s failing an exam you worked hard for, having to drop out of athletic training due to an injury, or just generally feeling down on your luck, we’ve all experienced loss or failure in some form or another. So this week, we sit down with entrepreneur Josh Wintersgill to dig into the topic of resilience. From...

This week, we’re talking goal setting. Whether it’s picturing your first job as a qualified accountant or standing on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, it can feel really exciting to imagine a new future for ourselves. But, as many of us know, that excitement can quickly turn to fear when faced with the reality of the work needed to get there.  So this week, we sit down with cognitive behavioural therapist Sarah D Rees to understand why some of us struggle with setting, and achieving, our...

This week, we’re starting at the very beginning. You’ve decided you have a goal – maybe you want to become an accountant, or pass your driving test, or run a marathon. Congrats! So, why can it be so hard to start something new, even if we want to? What is it about fresh challenges that can either light us up or make us shy away? And what might help us take the first step? This week, we sit down with five-board accredited life coach Michelle Elman. Known as the Queen of Boundaries, Michelle...

Are you putting off booking your first accountancy exam, or struggling to get back into studying after a failure? Wherever you’re at in your journey to qualification, On Your Marks explores techniques to help you tackle the process head on. In this series from ACCA, we’re sitting down with experts to understand what can hold us back when we set out to achieve our goals – whether that’s preparing for exam season or training for a marathon. From the importance of hanging out with your mates...