When Hustle Hurts: Why Women Are Still Putting Health Last
By Shannon Kate Murray, Founder & Editor of High Flying DesignAs high-achieving women, we’re often celebrated for our resilience - the grit, the pushing through, the showing up.
But what happens when staying committed to our goals comes at the cost of our health?
New data from The Lady Garden Foundation, a gynaecological cancer charity, reveals a troubling truth:
More than a third of women in the UK (35%) have delayed a cervical screening because of work.
It’s part of a bigger pattern - one where health takes a back seat to hustle.
The Quiet Crisis Behind the Desk
We know that 99.8% of cervical cancer cases are preventable with early detection.
And yet, the statistics are sobering:
35% of women delay smear tests due to work
50% feel pressured to prioritise work over health appointments
31% use annual leave to attend screenings
16% were asked to reschedule
31% say their employer doesn’t view screening as a valid reason for time off
This isn’t just about policies - it’s about priorities.
And as founders, we have the power to rewrite the rules.
Why Your Health Belongs in Your Business Plan
As a female founder, you're not clocking in and out - you’re building something from the ground up.
That often means wearing every hat, doing it all, and putting yourself last.
So ask yourself:
When did rest become indulgent?
When did scheduling a life-saving test become something to apologise for?
Because here’s the truth:
You are your business’s greatest asset.
If you’re depleted, your strategy suffers.
If you’re unwell, your momentum stalls.
And if you’re leading a team, your example sets the tone for everyone.
Health as a Leadership Strategy
Building a business that honours your body might look like this:
Blocking health appointments in your calendar with the same priority as client calls
Adding wellbeing reminders or “rest breaks” into your digital HQ - Notion, Slack, or Google Calendar
Letting your team know when you’re taking time out - and celebrating it as a boundary, not a weakness
Embedding wellbeing into workflows: flexible Fridays, slower launch weeks, automated check-ins
You don’t need permission.
But you do need systems that support you.
Leading the Change - One Founder at a Time
During Cervical Screening Awareness Week (19–25 June), The Lady Garden Foundation called on employers to:
Offer flexible, paid time off for screenings
Add cervical screening reminders to visible team calendars
Reimburse travel or time costs
Conduct anonymous surveys to understand staff needs
As a founder, you are the employer. You can start this now - for yourself, and for the women you’ll one day hire.
Because modelling sustainable success is also a retention strategy.
No woman should have to choose between staying healthy and staying employed - even when she’s the boss.
Reflection for Founders
Ask yourself:
Do I treat health as a personal admin task - or a leadership priority?
What invisible guilt do I still carry around taking time off?
How could I create a workplace (even a solo one) that respects rest, health, and hormonal reality?
This isn’t just about cervical screenings.
It’s about rewriting the rules for what success looks like - and making sure it includes you.
