‘It’s about working smarter, not harder’: Life architect on small changes that can make a big difference 

Having her last son in her 40s, and being determined to be an active granny, was the catalyst one Cork woman needed to make a career leap which sees her help people build better lives.

Myra Hayes-Gough is a life architect who designs surroundings that naturally reinforce someone’s wellbeing in a sustainable way, using a science-backed approach.

She spent 20 years absolutely loving the world of TV, radio and PR.

“Yet, I frequently asked myself the same nagging question, ‘Am I truly fulfilled?’ My ion consistently pointed toward health and well-being.

“As far back as I can , I devoured every self-help book, attended every health and wellness conference, and meticulously fact-checked research. This wasn’t just interesting; it was my hobby and my version of what sports, travelling or music was to others.

“In 2019, I became a certified yoga teacher in Dublin, but still hadn’t found that definitive ‘jump’ moment. I’ve always trusted my intuition, confident I’d recognise my true calling when it arrived. That moment came in 2021,” she recalled.

That was the birth of her son Oscar.

“I realised I wanted to be an active, energetic granny some day, not just someone my grandchildren visited in a nursing home. I understood that making smart lifestyle choices now would dramatically increase my chances of that vibrant future.

“Also, my years working with ionate entrepreneurs and start-ups showed me what genuine career fulfilment looked like. So, despite the financial uncertainty of leaving a stable career, I invested in myself, completing a post-grad diploma in leadership through Springboard before pursuing my Master’s in health and well-being,” said Myra who is also mum to twins Max and Sonny.

While working on her dissertation, she focused on market research to see what was currently available, what was working and how she could add value.

“I found that despite an abundance of knowledge, people were still struggling to make sustainable change. Research shows that many traditional approaches fail because they rely solely on willpower. People were trapped in an exhausting cycle of hope and disappointment.”

Myra decided to eliminate this pain point entirely and set up a business as a life architect.

“As your life architect, I optimise your environment to success, restructuring living spaces, adjusting routines, or redeg social circles. Like a traditional architect ensures a building serves its purpose, I create surroundings that naturally reinforce your health goals.

“My approach removes the guesswork and heavy lifting from healthy living. Instead of relying on willpower, I use environmental design to create lasting change,” she said.

“The average adult makes 35,000 decisions daily, 90% of which are influenced by our immediate surroundings. Even restaurant menus are designed to influence food choices by up to 30%.

“When clients come to me, we start with a comprehensive assessment of their current situation - examining everything from physical health and sleep patterns to relationships and career satisfaction. This reveals both immediate concerns and underlying patterns affecting their well-being. Then comes the magic.

“The results speak for themselves. Within just 30 days, 85% of my clients see sustainable results!”

Her clients are busy professionals, mums/carers struggling with work-life balance, stress, chronic health conditions, or general fatigue.

“They’re smart people who’ve tried traditional solutions but are ready for a structured, science-backed approach that actually sticks.”

Many people, she feels, wrongly think that change must be hard, costs too much, and takes too much time. “The truth is it doesn’t have to be. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and choosing the path of least resistance to sustainable well-being. I having the pleasure of interviewing Andy Puddicombe nearly 10 years ago, and he said those who are busiest actually need to take care of themselves even more. We’re all busy juggling daily life, barely able to think beyond tomorrow. But those future years? They’ll arrive faster than expected, and you’ll likely regret not investing in yourself sooner.”

Myra pointed to our ageing population with increasing age-related diseases, the fact that Ireland has the second-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the EU, an obesity crisis, and a looming mental health epidemic.

“The statistics are sobering. But here’s the good news, even with genetic predisposition, your lifestyle choices dramatically impact your risk for chronic and age-related diseases. While there’s no magic solution, taking better care of yourself significantly improves your odds of avoiding these issues.”

What makes simple changes so powerful is their beautiful simplicity and alignment with how our brains naturally work, she pointed out.

“By stacking new behaviours onto existing habits, we’re essentially hitchhiking on neural pathways that are already well-established, creating a compound effect over time. This isn’t about dramatic transformations. It’s about intelligent design that works with your life, not against it. When your environment works with you rather than against you, transformation becomes not just possible, but inevitable.”

She can help with something as fundamental as sleep.

“Are you sleeping your full 7-9 hours but still exhausted? Your body is sending an urgent message! Despite our cultural habit of joking about being ‘completely wrecked, exhausted or drained’, chronic fatigue isn’t normal. It’s like your body’s phone ringing desperately, it’s time to answer! And your environment could be actively sabotaging that sleep quality,” she said.

People are smart and know that your health and well-being are fundamental.

“But in modern life, people (especially women) put their health last, prioritising work, caring for others, and neglecting exercise, nutrition, and mental well-being.

“If you smelled burning from your fuse board, would you ignore it? Would you try a DIY fix? Or call a qualified electrician immediately? Your health deserves the same urgent, professional attention.

“I work with many people who wait until serious problems arise before realising how crucial your health is. But why suffer unnecessarily?” asked Myra, adding that your future self will thank you for making changes now.

Tips to transform your life

Small, strategic changes to your surroundings can create powerful results without the struggle, says Myra. Here are her top tips to transform your life:

• Leave the sunglasses at home (unless under advice for eye conditions). Depending on the tint, sunglasses can reduce light transmission to the eyes by up to 90%, altering melatonin rhythms that can affect sleep.
• Place a water bottle by bed as this increases morning hydration by 80%.
• Clear fruit bowls increase consumption by 70%. Pre-cut vegetables in clear containers to boost consumption.
• Device-free meals increase conversation.
• Charge your phone in another room and not your bedroom as this reduces late-night scrolling.
• Dimmed lighting improves melatonin.
• Natural light improves productivity.
• Visible water on counters increases consumption by 40%.
• Plants in the workspace reduce stress.
• Switching to smaller plates reduces portions by 22% naturally.