The Gen X/Z Exchange: Navigating Career, Purpose & Modern Life Across Generations

Preview of upcoming episodes summer 2026

We don't have a full episode this week - there are two reasons for that you'll hear about in this preview. Instead, here's a sneak peek of some of the topics we have planned. If there are any others you'd like us to discuss, let us know! The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations. Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange [https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange] Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/]

Why am I always tired? — and what’s really draining your energy

“Why am I always tired?” — even when you’ve had a full night’s sleep? If you’re constantly exhausted, struggling with low energy, or feeling “tired and wired”, you’re not alone. And it might not be a sleep problem at all. In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, Chris and Lily unpack why so many of us feel permanently drained — across both generations — and why the usual advice about sleep hygiene only scratches the surface. Drawing on personal experience, sleep science and the realities of modern life, they explore what’s really going on beneath the surface — from stress and overstimulation to how we’re structuring our days. You’ll learn: *  Why you can feel tired even after getting enough sleep  *  The difference between sleep debt and sleep pressure (and why it matters)  *  How stress hormones like cortisol keep you “tired and wired”  *  Why screens, alcohol and caffeine quietly disrupt your sleep quality  *  The surprising role of deep sleep in long-term brain health and dementia prevention  *  Why modern life is leaving us mentally exhausted but physically under-recovered  *  How to design your day to naturally improve energy and sleep  Chris and Lily also share practical ways to regain energy — from building real recovery time into your day to managing stress and creating routines that actually work in a busy, always-on world. Listen in and you’ll discover that constant tiredness isn’t just about sleep — it’s a signal about how you’re living. Hit play now to start designing a life that gives you energy back. If you enjoy this episode, you might also want to dive into our episode on overcoming procrastination from 5th Nov 2025 or life design from 22nd Apr 2026. 0.52 Why are we all feeling tired all the time? 1.48 What do we mean by tiredness? 2.36 The basics of sleep 4.26 Sleep debt 5.15 The physiology of sleep - hormones and chemicals 8.30 Sleep and your long-term brain health 11.39 The effect of perimenopause & menopause on sleep 14.56 The hidden causes of constant tiredness 18.36 Why your tiredness is about your daytime, not just bedtime 19.39 Fatigue with modern life 20.40 The first of 3 things you can do to overcome being tired all the time 21.43 Sleep debt versus sleep pressure 25.15 The second thing we can do to overcome tiredness 28.47 the third thing to address constant fatigue 34.24 Things you can do this week to improve your energy levels 35.03 Our takeaways The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations. Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange [https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange] Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/]

What should I do with my life? Charlie Rogers on a smarter way to build a career at any age

What should you do with your life - when there’s no clear path to follow? Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your direction later in life, figuring out what comes next can feel overwhelming - especially when traditional career paths no longer seem to fit. In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, we're joined by Charlie Rogers, author of Undefinable Life Design, to explore a different way of thinking about careers, purpose and progression. Charlie introduces the idea of the “Undefinable Ascent” - a more flexible, personalised approach to building a life and career that doesn’t follow a conventional path, but still leads to meaningful and sustainable success. You’ll learn: *  How to figure out what you want to do with your life - at any age  *  Why traditional career paths don’t work for everyone anymore  *  How to find a 'good enough' job when you’re starting out  *  What it means to develop a Signature Expression that AI can’t replace  *  How to combine your skills and interests in the 'Semi-professional zone'  *  How to avoid comparing yourself to others on more conventional career paths  *  Ideas to rethink your direction without blowing up the life you’ve already built  We also reflect on how Charlie’s framework applies across generations - from figuring things out in your 20s to redefining what comes next in your 40s or 50s - and we share our own ideas on our 'golden threads' and next steps. Listen in and you’ll discover a more flexible, realistic way to think about your career - one that works with who you are, not against it. Hit play now and start designing a life that actually fits. Contact Charlie here: https://www.undefinablelifedesign.com/ Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/undefinable-life-design-unique-sustains/dp/1919392300/ 0.49 Introduction to Charlie 3.00 What is an 'Undefinable'? 3.43 The Undefinable Ascent explained 9.30 Mapping your interests 12.10 Finding a 'good enough' job to start with 16.58 How to develop your Signature Expression that AI can't replace 18.15 The semi-professional zone and how to combine your strengths in unique ways 19.50 Parallels between people in the 20s and 40s/50s 21.21 How to stop comparing yourself to others taking a more conventional route 25.45 How to break out of the conventional career ladder without blowing everything up 29.19 The Energy Toolkit: managing your energy - do you need a holiday or a midlife rethink? 31.33 How to combine your skills in the semi-professional zone 34.22 Your Golden Thread 35.03 Choosing your next mountain 39.30 Charlie asks us what we think our Golden Threads are 41.55 The importance of having someone to work with on your ascent 42.50 Contacting Charlie and getting the book The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations. Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange [https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange] Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/]

How to stop people pleasing - and say no without feeling guilty

Do you ever say yes when you mean no — just to avoid awkwardness, conflict, or disappointing someone? If so, you’re not alone. People pleasing is far more common than we think — and it can shape our work, relationships and sense of self. In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, we unpack our own experiences of people pleasing, why it happens, and what it’s really costing us when we constantly prioritise others over ourselves. Together, we explore how social conditioning, fear of confrontation and the desire to be liked can lead us to overcommit, over-explain and ignore our own needs — often without even realising it. You’ll learn: *  What people pleasing really is — and why so many of us fall into it  *  Why fear of being seen as “difficult” keeps us stuck saying yes  *  How social conditioning (especially for women) shapes this behaviour  *  The hidden cost of overcommitting and ignoring your own needs  *  How to say no at work and in life without feeling guilty  *  Why over-explaining undermines your boundaries — and what to say instead  *  Practical ways to set healthier boundaries without coming across as uncaring  We also challenge each other to change our own behaviour — sharing simple, realistic ways to become more intentional with your “yes” and more confident with your “no”. Listen in and you’ll discover how to stop defaulting to people pleasing, start setting boundaries, and make choices that work for you as well as everyone else. Hit play now and take the first step towards saying what you really mean. 1.00 Our own experience with people pleasing 2.24 A definition 2.55 How many of us in the UK say we're people pleasers 3.35 Why our fear of confrontation should not be perceived as being difficult 3.47 social conditioning for women and more stats on why we should be comfortable setting boundaries 5.28 The impact of saying yes when we mean no 6.00 How the problems arise 9.55 Giving yourself breathing space 10.55 Things we can do to change our behaviour 13.55 How to say no at work 16.54 How to stop over-explaining 18.15 Setting healthy boundaries without coming across as a flake or uncaring 20.00 How to be more intentional with your yes's 20.34 Challenging each other to get better at this 24.40 Our takeaways The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations. Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange [https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange] Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/]

How to talk to teenagers about drinking and drugs - without pushing them away with Diana Hu McDowell

Why do teenagers take risks with alcohol and drugs - even when they know the dangers? And how do you talk to them about it without shutting them down or pushing them away? In this episode we're joined by Diana Hu McDowell, founder of East West Prevention, to explore how parents and young people can navigate one of the most difficult conversations in modern life. Drawing on her own journey and years of experience in prevention and recovery, Diana explains why teenagers are drawn to risk-taking behaviours, the role dopamine plays, and how today’s pressures - from social environments to wider culture - shape those choices. You’ll learn: *  Why teenagers are more vulnerable to addictive behaviours than we might think  *  The early warning signs that drinking or drug use may be escalating  *  How to talk to teenagers about alcohol and drugs without triggering shutdown or secrecy  *  Why “no questions asked” policies can build trust between parents and teens  *  The risks of vaping, marijuana use and so-called 'legal highs'  *  How harm reduction approaches can keep young people safer in real-world situations  We also explore how attitudes have shifted since 80s anti-drug campaigns, whether prevention initiatives at festivals help or hinder, and why addiction should be understood as a health issue rather than a personal failure. Listen in and you’ll discover how to have better conversations, build trust, and help young people make safer choices - without cutting them off from the world they’re growing up in. Hit play now and start the conversation that really matters. Contact Diana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-hu-mcdowell/ https://www.eastwestprevention.com/ If this episode resonates, you might also find our conversations on social media and teenagers and friendship and peer pressure helpful. 1.48 Diana's story 5.15 Diana's recovery 6.44 Why teenagers are drawn to addictive behaviour 8.01 The biggest pressures young people are facing today 9.57 80s anti-drugs campaigns and how the perception they created differed from reality 12.40 Early warning signs of things escalating 17.10 How parents can start the conversation with teenagers without them shutting down 19.08 Tips for parents to avoid overreacting 25.35 How the 'No questions asked' policy can work to build trust 27.15 Legal highs - how safe are they? 30.35 The consequences and risks of vaping and marijuana use 34.54 Are prevention initiatives at festivals encouraging certain behaviours or helping reduce harm? 37.19 Diana's successes with prevention and early intervention 39.20 Framing addiction as a health issue not a personal failure The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations. Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange [https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange] Connect with us: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/]