Why Prioritising Your Health Is a Business Power Move for Female Founders
As 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 reality is stark:
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. But that often means wearing every hat, doing it all, and putting yourself last.
When did rest become indulgent?
When did scheduling a life-saving test become something to apologise for?
It’s time to shift the narrative.
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
Here’s what building a business that honours your body might look like:
Blocking health appointments in your calendar with the same priority as client calls
Making your digital HQ (like Notion or Slack) reflect wellbeing values - not just deliverables
Telling your team when you're taking time out, and celebrating it as a boundary - not a weakness
Embedding wellbeing into your workflows - from flexible Fridays to health reminder nudges
You don’t need permission. But you do need systems that support you.
Leading the Change - One Founder at a Time
The Lady Garden Foundation’s Cervical Screening Awareness Week (19–25 June) called on employers to:
Offer flexible paid time off for screenings
Add cervical screening to visible team calendars
Reimburse transport or time where needed
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 might one day hire.
Because modelling sustainable success is also a retention strategy. And 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.
Save the Date
Cervical Screening Awareness Week: 19–25 June 2025
Follow: @ladygardenfoundation
