Work Better Blog

I lead a global capability and national department with dozens of leading industry experts. I have learned a lot through hard knocks, and from a lot of really great people along the way. Here I’ll share my best advice and most useful experiences to help you work better.

A woman, adorned in a vibrant orange knit beanie and a dark, puffy jacket, kneels with quiet hope on a misty, rocky shoreline strewn with weathered driftwood, her gaze fixed upon the tranquil, gray expanse of the bay where a light drizzle gently ripples the surface. The scene is imbued with a whimsical, surrealist charm, featuring a sea otter floating serenely in the midground, enjoying a meal, while three harbor seals gracefully glide just beneath the water's surface in the distance, all enveloped by fog that softens the majestic lines of distant glacial mountains. This dreamlike composition, rendered in painterly digital gouache textures with smooth, ribbon-like color blends of teals, golds, corals, and violets, employs elegant, clean linework to evoke a mood of patient, hopeful contemplation, punctuated by the striking pop of the woman's orange beanie against a cool palette of grays, muted blues, and soft greens.

🧍🏼‍♀️ Try standing still.

By Heather Physioc | November 15, 2025

I came to photograph wildlife. Otters, seals, anything that moved. The bay was gray, calm. The sky was overcast, and rain drizzled on and off. In my bright orange knit beanie and black puffy jacket dusted with mist, I walked along the rocky shoreline, constantly moving, hoping to spot something alive in the undulating Resurrection…

A round ceramic vase on a wooden surface, painted in vertical pastel bands of pink, coral, turquoise, cream, and blue. A large crack down the vase has been repaired with gleaming gold in the style of kintsugi, the Japanese wabi-sabi art that honors imperfection and transience. The crack reveals a glowing teal-and-gold interior; small shards and a white repair brush rest nearby. Behind it, a swirling cosmic backdrop of teal, gold, orange, and deep blue forms flowing concentric strokes. Whimsical surrealism, painterly digital gouache textures, smooth ribbon gradients, elegant clean linework, symbolic and contemplative mood.

🫣 Hiding imperfections.

By Heather Physioc | April 9, 2024

Hiding our flaws isn’t just unproductive; it’s counterintuitive. In a world that seems to celebrate the flawless, it’s essential to remember that even the most successful people have their fair share of imperfections. Vulnerability transforms imperfections. Your shortcomings don’t have to be a deterrent to success. Instead, imperfections can add a layer of humanity that…

An open notebook on a table with curled pages, while above it a second notebook or small stack of books rises into a magical whirlwind. Colorful swirling ribbons—pink, teal, blue, gold—wrap around the books, lifting pencils, paper scraps, geometric shapes, eraser bits, a tiny teacup, and other creative objects into the air. Dynamic, dreamlike vortex of ideas bursting upward. Solid teal-blue gradient background with soft cloudlike texture. Whimsical surrealism, painterly digital gouache textures, smooth ribbon gradients, vibrant teals/golds/corals/violets, elegant clean linework.

☝️One thing at a time.

By Heather Physioc | November 10, 2023

Feeling overwhelmed with all you have to do? When the world is spinning off its axis, the to-do list seems never-ending, the obstacles keep popping up, and things feel out of control, it’s easy to succumb to the stress and pressure of it all. Burning the candle at both ends is not sustainable for long,…

A glowing, empty ceramic vessel floating in a surreal space, its interior illuminated with swirling ribbons of color—teal, gold, coral, indigo—pouring outward like expanding knowledge. Tiny stars and abstract symbols drift around it. Whimsical surrealism with painterly digital gouache textures, smooth gradients, elegant linework, and a calm, contemplative mood.

🏺Empty vessels.

By Heather Physioc | October 19, 2023

The only thing that stays the same is that everything changes. The greatest asset we can hold is not knowledge, but the willingness to acquire it. The Paradox of Knowledge To be in a position to have knowledge, you must be able to receive knowledge. You can’t learn what you already know. The possibilities are…

A winding autumn river flowing in smooth, ribbon-like teal and turquoise curves through a stylized forest. Layered wood-grain riverbanks sweep toward a glowing, misty horizon. Slender trees with simplified trunks and warm foliage—gold, coral, russet, plum, muted pink—line both sides; some stand bare with fine black linework. Bright leaves drift in the air and on the water. Dreamlike, whimsical surrealism with painterly digital gouache textures, elegant clean outlines, and saturated blends of teals, golds, corals, and violets. Quiet, contemplative, storybook atmosphere.

🍁 On Seasons

By Heather Physioc | September 21, 2023

Autumn is a time of transition. The leaves begin to change colors. We say goodbye to the heat of the summer and welcome cooler temperatures. On one hand, I mourn the end of summer with its long days of sunshine and the bounty of my garden. On the other, I welcome the crisp, cool air…