Denise and Jackie kick off May by highlighting Mental Health Awareness Month. Jackie shares her current challenges as she nears the end of her first year in grad school, discussing her adjustment to a new medication, Lexapro, which has been making her feel exceptionally tired. She emphasizes the importance of basic needs, eating, sleeping, and staying hydrated, as foundational to her well-being during stressful finals and practicum hours.

The conversation shifts to visual planning tools, where Denise discusses her "Big Ass Calendar" used to visualize the entire year's workload and social capital to prevent burnout. They explore productivity insights from business literature, focusing on "subtracting" tasks rather than adding more to streamline professional life. The duo also delves into the necessity of radical honesty in the workplace, debating the effectiveness of the "compliment sandwich" and how socialization often prevents direct communication.

Ultimately, they remind listeners to be proactive rather than reactive in their leadership and personal lives. The episode closes with their signature gratitude practice and a reminder that being attuned to your body's needs is a vital tool in any mental health toolkit.

Key Times:

• 00:01:53 Jackie’s experience adjusting to Lexapro and body attunement
• 00:06:21 Explaining "practicum" in a Master's of Social Work program
• 00:10:05 Visualization tools: The "Big Ass Calendar" on the office wall
• 00:13:02 Productivity through subtraction: Insights from business literature
• 00:16:15 Start with yourself: Challenging standard professional noise
• 00:18:40 Radical honesty: Telling the whole truth in professional settings
• 00:23:50 The "Compliment Sandwich" vs. direct communication
• 00:27:10 Socialization and sparing feelings: A gendered perspective
• 00:33:45 Final thoughts on triaging work stress and proactive planning
• 00:38:37 The closing gratitude practice and deep breathing

Topics Covered:

• Mental Health Awareness Month and its timely arrival
• Navigating medication side effects and timing for functional wellness
• The H.A.L.T. acronym and checking in with primal needs (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired)
• Graduate school demands: Final papers, knowledge assessments, and practicum hours
• Overcoming the stigma of seeking help in higher education (The Writing Center)
• Visualizing the workflow: Google Calendar vs. physical wall calendars for long-term planning
• The concept of "Subtraction" for efficiency: Doing less to achieve more
• Triage in the workplace: Distinguishing between "essential" tasks and "noise"
• Gender dynamics in communication: Why women often spare feelings at the cost of honesty

Join our upcoming meetings:

https://forms.gle/4VxnNUnev1RoRJMCA (Zoom meeting on Saturday at 10am PST, the meeting is password-protected so please fill out the form to receive the link and password!)

Follow Us:

• Follow Jackie: jackiefreed.la
• Follow Denise: @denise.freed
• Follow us on Instagram: @12stepsforeveryone
• Follow us on Tik Tok: @12stepsforeveryone