Listen: The Chronic Economy
What if chronic illness wasn’t a leadership risk — but a lens on the future of work?
In this episode of Chronic Boss Unfiltered, Lilly sits down with Michelle Irving, founder of Career & Chronic and Chronic Illness at Work, to explore the concept of The Chronic Economy and what it reveals about leadership, careers, and the future of work.
Together, they unpack how millions of professionals living with chronic conditions are already reshaping how work gets done often without recognition, language, or systemic support and why this shift matters far beyond the chronic community.
What you’ll learn
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Why over 30% of the workforce lives with chronic conditions, and what that means for leadership design
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How the chronic economy is already influencing careers, organisations, and markets
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Why many chronically ill professionals are over-extending rather than falling short
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What sustainable leadership looks like when work is redesigned, not endured
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How emerging technologies, including AI, may normalise chronic work strategies across the workforce
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How Michelle structured a business that includes one full week off each month — without fragility or collapse
Resources
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The Career and Chronic Map: A realistic framework for managing off-ramps, on-ramps, “the new,” and long stretches of test-and-redesign while building authentic leadership.
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Authentic Ambition Framework: How to honour your body, your values, your financial sustainability and your dream career path.
- Chronic Illness At Work: At an organisational level, this work is developed through Chronic Illness at Work, where employees, leaders, and organisations design roles, expectations, and career pathways that support sustainable, optimal work.
