headaches and workplaces.

I thought work would always come with a migraine. Turns out, I just didn’t know what I needed.

They started when I was little. I’d come home from school with a pounding head and blurry vision, curl up in a dark room, and hope it would go away.

We saw so many doctors, tried different meds, but nothing really worked.

Through uni and my first jobs, I was always scared about making plans, because too often, I’d have to cancel them.

And then, a few months into the pandemic, I realized I hadn’t had a migraine in a while.

Maybe a light headache after a twelve-hour day filled with too many Slack pings, but nothing more.

It didn’t take long to figure out why: hello, working from home.

And when we started going back to the office my theory was confirmed and the headaches came right back.

Now, working on my own, I can shape my work around what I need, and I hardly get them anymore. It’s completely changed my life.

I get overstimulated easily. The office buzz, the bright lights, my perfectionism, the constant people-time. It was a lot to manage on top of delivering on projects and tasks.

I wish everyone had the option to make work work for them. I know that’s not always an option.

But if you’re looking for support, I’m here.

about the author:

Hi there! I'm Silja, the founder of the wholesome growth club, an inclusive hub for career coaching with a soft spot for introverts and perfectionists. I’m an Amsterdam-based expat, but I love connecting with people worldwide. With a background in recruiting, I know the struggle of crafting a career path that feels truly yours. At the wholesome growth club, we're all about fostering sustainable growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections. Our blog is dedicated to making coaching accessible and sharing insights to approach work and life with an extra dose of confidence, slow productivity, and self-compassion. If you are curious to make things happen for yourself, get in touch—we offer personalized coaching journeys that will get you closer to your (dreamy) goals in no time.