SPONSORS

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://bearaby.com

Dr. Sharon Grossman is a clinical psychologist turned burnout coach, an author, a speaker, and host of the Decode Your Burnout podcast. When she was a psychology student, she attended a workshop about what it is like to work in private practice. The speaker talked a lot about how prevalent burnout is in the private practice world and this actually caused Dr. Sharon to shy away from going in that direction for many years. Eventually there was nowhere left to go but management, which is not something she was interested in pursuing, and Dr. Sharon had to consider opening up her own practice. She decided to build in ways to protect against burnout right from the start such as choosing an office location within walking distance of her gym. She moved from therapy to burnout coaching and prefers it as in her experience her coaching clients are more dedicated to doing the work required to really improve. 

There are many factors that contribute to burnout and not everyone burns out from the same circumstances. Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Dr. Sharon Grossman about decoding your burnout. Learn which burnout profile applies to you so that you can have a better understanding of the lifestyle changes you need to make to heal from and prevent burnout.

Quotes

• “The important thing is to really focus on what your needs are, and how do you get those needs met.” (12:03-12:08 | Dr. Sharon) 

• “How is it that we're burning out, and we don't even have the words to describe it? We don't even have the right diagnosis, if you will. Which is important, because then you don't have the right treatment for the problem. So I kind of made it my mission to go out there and to educate the public about what burnout is and what to look out for so that people can identify it in themselves, so that they can get the appropriate kind of help or use the right kind of strategies and tools to get back to themselves.” (14:01-14:29 | Dr. Sharon)

• “I remember as a therapist even just thinking my job is not to babysit people. I need to get them up and running so that they have social support, that they're out there doing what they need to do to take care of themselves, that they're not just showing up here for the next 12 years.” (23:23-23:39 | Dr. Sharon)

• “Thinkers are focused on quality, because they're perfectionists. The doers are focused on quantities, like how much can I do, and it just never feels like it's enough. And so you're taking on another thing and another thing, and then eventually, you take on like the smallest little thing, and you break, because you just can't take anymore.” (30:57-31:21 | Dr. Sharon)

Links

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://bearaby.com

Connect with Dr. Sharon Grossman:

https://drsharongrossman.com/

https://www.instagram.com/theburnoutdoc/  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharongrossman/

http://drsharongrossman.com/burnoutchecklist 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decode-your-burnout-formerly-optimize-your-life/id1548603864

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

SPONSORS

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://bearaby.com

It might seem odd to even consider seeing burnout as something that could potentially benefit a company. However, when burnout occurs frequently enough in the same workplace it can serve as a handy red flag. If you keep quiet while experiencing burnout, it will be more difficult for your employer to recognize and address a potential systemic issue. When multiple employees experience burnout it may be an indicator of a larger issue at play such as a problem with the system or workplace culture that needs to change. In today’s #straightfromcait episode, Cait, host and burnout speaker, explains why companies should pay attention to burnout and how burnout data can help companies to heal culture issues in the workplace. 

 

Your burnout may be a symptom of a larger systemic issue, and companies should pay closer attention when they have burnt out employees. Sometimes burnout is an individual experience, but there is also organizational burnout that impacts multiple employees at once. By being up front with your employer about your burnout, they can use that information to discern whether widespread organizational change needs to be made. Research shows that burnout and “quiet quitting” are costing U.S. companies trillions of dollars. Employees with burnout are more likely to visit the emergency room and have higher medical costs overall. Companies can save major money by working toward burnout proofing cultures. 

 

Burnout is often experienced silently which causes leaders to be blissfully unaware of any larger systemic issues that may be at play. Speaking up about your burnout experience can lead to others being more willing to also speak up. The more employees that are impacted, the more likely it is that a company will make dramatic organizational changes which can lead to a healthier workplace for all. 

Quotes:

· “If burnout is a symptom of a larger system malfunction, and in this case, the system is society at large as the macrocosm and the microcosm is being community, company, neighborhood, family and finally self, then shouldn't companies be paying closer attention to it so that they can find out where the system is causing more wear and tear than necessary?” (2:29-2:53 | Cait)

· “When a system is adding to the burnout of multiple people within short timeframes, something is wrong. It's really normal to have one person burnout in a company that seems to work for everyone else. So maybe this company is doing everything it can and is really supportive and is really okay with making as much change as possible to support people. But there is something about it, about the system, about the culture, about the work that doesn't agree with a particular person. That doesn't necessarily mean that the system has to continue to change. That means that this is not the right relationship.” (4:07-4:48 | Cait) 

· “In order for burnout to be a useful red flag for companies, people who are burning out or who are already burnt, fried crispy, need to be able to tell someone what's going on. It is not possible to use a symptom to diagnose a problem if the symptom doesn't make itself known or the symptom is ignored.” (5:37-5:55 | Cait)

· “I just want you to consider the fact that by letting your company know that you're burnt out, by telling your story, by talking to other people within your company that you're experiencing burnout, you might be a trigger that helps more people to speak up, that would help your company to work through something and make a change further down the road.” (10:04-10:28 | Cait)

· “The cost of providing support for burnt out employees and teams is far outweighed by the costs of not addressing burnout in your companies.” (12:32-12:41 | Cait) 

 

Links 

 

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/393497/world-trillion-workplace-problem.aspx

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ariannahuffington_what-will-hr-focus-on-in-2023-activity-6999358051849777152-vmm7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/282659/employee-burnout-perspective-paper.aspx?thank-you-report-form=1

https://www.friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/post/straightfromcait-how-to-tell-people-about-your-burnout

https://www.friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/post/newton-cheng-i-burned-out-in-corporate-and-stayed-this-is-how

https://cuely.ai/fried

https://bearaby.com

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

SPONSORS

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://bearaby.com

Zenica Chatman is a life coach with a professional background in journalism and communications. While working as a communication strategist in what she initially excitedly thought of as her dream job, Zenica became the victim of workplace bullying by her manager. She felt like she was really crushing it at work, and yet her manager found ways to make even her strengths seem like a bad thing. She was continually put down and told that she was the weakest team member regardless of her attempts to make improvements. Looking back at her performance evaluations and skills assessments, Zenica soon realized that there was no factual basis for any of the bullying she received about her job performance. After doing some research, Zenica learned that 30% of American workers report being the victim of workplace bullying. 

 

“The new job did not heal me from the trauma that I experienced in the old job. That same person who didn't have any confidence, who was taking an hour to send simple emails, she went right on into that next job. And so there was a lot of inner work that I had to do in order to get back to the person that's talking to you today,” shares Zenica Chatman, life coach. If you are being bullied at work, you are at a higher risk of burnout. Between working harder to try to stay ahead of the criticism, stress over being talked down to, and the fear surrounding the possibility of needing to change jobs, there are a lot of factors that tend to pile up and cause burnout. Workplace bullying destroys confidence and often does not have a satisfying resolution from the company. It is important to learn how to move forward and heal from workplace bullying in order to succeed at your next job. 

 

Workplace bullying is unfortunately a common experience, even with remote workers. Bullies often convince you to believe lies about yourself, so it is important to stay clear on the facts. Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Zenica Chatman about how to recover from workplace bullying, so that it does not lead to burnout. 

 

Quotes

· “I was in an environment where even my strengths now are being used against me.” (8:07-8:11 | Zenica)

· “That was the summer that George Floyd was murdered. And so it sparked this whole conversation in the workplace about diversity, equity, and inclusion. And I was in all of these different social media groups and on all these different chats, and I was hearing the stories of other women of color, mostly black women, who were having identical situations to me. And that was very scary to me, that these women that I didn't know in different states in different industries, we're all describing exactly the same scenario. And that just prompted me to say, is this a thing? Is workplace bullying a thing? Is that real, did I make that up? And come to find out, no, I didn't make it up. Actually, 30% of American workers report being bullied.” (8:42-9:32 | Zenica) 

· “I think particularly when you're a woman in the workplace, and when you're a person of color, you know when you're being mistreated, but we all will start to lie to ourselves because we don't want to be that person. We don't want to be that person of color that says, ‘I think I'm being discriminated against,’ for whatever reason.” (14:39-14:56 | Zenica)

· “The new job did not heal me from the trauma that I experienced in the old job. That same person who didn't have any confidence, who was taking an hour to send simple emails, she went right on into that next job. And so there was a lot of inner work that I had to do in order to get back to the person that's talking to you today.” (24:05-24:29 | Zenica) 

· “Once I saw on that StrengthsFinder that what they said was not true in black and white. They said I wasn't a good communicator, but my actual assessment says that I was. Went back through old assessments, communication was always at the top and never, ever, ever not been a great communicator. And I started to say, what other lies did they try to put in your spirit that are not true? And so I started to peel back all the lies and I got very clear about what was true.” (29:49-30:18 | Zenica)

· “Those environments have a way of making you believe things about yourself that are not true. So what's the lie that your environment has tried to put on you that is absolutely not true? And then replace it with the actual truth.” (30:53-31:07 | Zenica)

· “Usually, HR is not going to help you. So you have to learn how to validate the experience for yourself so that you can move forward without resolution from the company.” (31:56-32:09 | Zenica)

· “Why am I going to kill myself for a job that if I die tomorrow, they won't even trouble themselves to call my mother and send her a card? Because now I have clarity on what is important to me, and I don't feel like I'm sacrificing anything when I set boundaries for myself.” (56:10-56:37 | Zenica)

 

Links

 

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

 

https://bearaby.com

 

Connect with Zenica Chatman:

Website: https://www.zenicachatman.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/z_chatman/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/?hl=en

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

It would be incredible if every time you were burned out, you could stop working and run off to rest in a magical Cinderella fantasyland where talking mice take care of all your problems. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for most of us. It is not always possible to stop working when you are burned out, and actually by staying, you may be doing yourself a favor in the long run. If you take a break from the toxic environment that was causing your burnout and then try to go back when you are feeling better, it is likely you will end up burned out all over again. This is because regardless of how well rested you may feel, you did not take the time to do the work required to change the behavior that caused you to become burned out originally. In today’s #straightfromcait episode, Cait explains how to recover from burnout while still working and why it may actually be a good idea to continue working while healing from burnout in certain cases.

If you are burned out and unable to leave your job even temporarily, there are still ways to work on burnout recovery. Determine which internal and external factors apply to you and start making small shifts in your life based on those results. This way you are making small, manageable changes and not taking too much away from your energy that it leaves you depleted at work. By making the necessary behavioral shifts while still in your work environment, you may have a more smooth transition into burnout recovery than if you had taken a break or left your job.

Quotes

· “If you removed yourself from a situation that was requiring you to act in certain ways, and you didn't have to practice acting in better ways and shifting your behavior to protect yourself better, then when you go back into that environment you might not be prepared even if you're rested.” (4:58-5:16 | Cait)

· “If you can't take time off work, you might really be doing yourself a favor by staying and working through some sh*t on the fly.” (8:15-8:22 | Cait) 

· “The trick here, once again, is to do the easiest thing first. Allow it to have impact, and then move to the next easiest thing on the list. If you fill out your list, and you're not sure how to tackle any of your items, choose one of them and ask the Facebook group for ways to shift that behavior.” (15:12-15:30 | Cait)

· “Asking for help and asking for other people's perspectives is one of the main ways we build resilience. So don't go this alone. If you're not sure what the answer is for you, let's do it together.” (15:36-15:49 | Cait)

· “You cannot long term stay in a toxic environment and heal fully from burnout. Your physical and mental health will continue to deteriorate…Your best bet is to do everything within your power within the situation and then use whatever energy you create by making those changes to formulate a graceful exit strategy.” (17:00-17:33 | Cait)

· “You're not going to find motivation when you're burned out just by looking for it. You're going to create energy by caring for yourself differently and by shifting the way you interact with your environment.” (19:40-19:52 | Cait)

 

SPONSORS

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://womensmeditationnetwork.com/

https://bearaby.com

 

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

SPONSORS

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://bearaby.com

Becca Powers is an award winning fortune 500 high tech sales executive, founder and CEO of Powers Peak Potential, a best selling author and a speaker. With over 20 years of high level sales experience, she spent most of her life being an overachiever and unwittingly drove herself into major burnout. Becca’s burnout came after a particularly challenging sequence of 12 hour work days in a job where she was majorly overextending herself and unable to spend any time being there for her family. In hindsight, she recognizes that there were signs from her body mere months into the position telling her that it was not the right fit, but she dismissed those signs at the time. It took falling apart on the floor of her bathroom in a complete nervous breakdown after feeling like she was letting her children down for Becca to realize that change was overdue. 

 

“Burnout ignites in feeling ‘undered’ and whether that's undervalued, underpaid, under-resourced, under-recognized, under-appreciated. I mean, you can put the under attached to it but it triggers our worth or it triggers deeper feelings of being unseen, unheard and feeling like we don't matter. And when that happens, we ‘over’,” shares Becca Powers. Becca grew up with hippie parents who were very involved in their band and party scene. She learned as a child that in order to gain her parent’s love and attention she needed to overachieve. This feeling unknowingly followed Becca into adulthood and caused her to overcommit at work which ultimately led to her feeling undervalued. The pattern of going over and above and then feeling the ‘unders’ is one that is very intrinsic to the burnout experience. The ‘overs’ and ‘unders’ can put you into a feedback loop that is difficult to extract yourself from. 

 

When you find yourself feeling underappreciated, undervalued, or under-resourced, it is a sign that you need to implement healthy boundaries and take control back over your own energy. You do not have to overextend yourself constantly in order to have worth and it is okay to say no or ask for help. Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Becca Powers about how the ‘unders’ lead to the ‘overs’ and what you can do to pull yourself out of that loop. 

Quotes

· “So many of us have the full plate and we don't really get to talk about it and we kind of be like, ‘Oh I'm okay’. Well, are you really? You got a full plate, it's okay not to be okay.” (4:53-5:03 | Becca)

· “When I was broken on the bathroom floor, all of a sudden, I remembered that I was the CEO of my life… I remember thinking, ‘If I'm the CEO of my life, then I'm a lot more powerful in this situation than I thought’.” (7:45-8:09 | Becca)

· “Is what I'm doing serving me or is it sabotaging me?” (9:54-9:56 | Becca)

· “Burnout ignites in feeling undered and whether that's undervalued, underpaid, under resourced, under recognized under appreciated, I mean, you can put the under attached to it but it triggers our worth or it triggers deeper feelings of being unseen, unheard and feeling like we don't matter. And when that happens, we over.” (11:59-12:24 | Becca)

· “For me to get the attention, love, and acceptance I wanted from my parents I had to overachieve. I had to do. I had to over a lot.” (15:19-15:29 | Becca)

· “Burnout is a very external response to us seeking externally what we weren't able to either give ourselves internally or like you said to our childhood just didn't get. It's not programmed in us to know that we have the innate wisdom within to give ourselves everything that we need.” (20:16-20:37 | Becca)

· “In hindsight, what I have learned is when I was surviving, my kids were surviving. And when I'm thriving, my kids are thriving.” (26:51-27:00 | Becca)

· “By building boundaries, you can create space for other people's growth and success.” (34:25-34:31 | Cait)

· “What is your role? And are the actions and responsibilities that you're doing supporting the role that you have and want in your life, whether it's at work or at home?” (38:19-38:31 | Becca)

 

Links

 

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://womensmeditationnetwork.com/

 

Connect with Becca Powers

https://www.instagram.com/beccapowers1313/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccapowers1313/

https://www.beccapowers.com/burnout

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Quiet quitting is not a new concept, but has gotten a lot of attention recently after the pandemic shook up the job market. The basic idea of quiet quitting is being disengaged from your work and this can often be mistaken for burnout. The key difference is that quiet quitting is intentional, whereas if you are burned out, you are likely to be disengaged as a result rather than as a choice. In today’s #straightfromcait episode, Cait explains quiet quitting vs. loud quitting, and the way resentment fuels disengagement. 

 

Resentment is the primary emotion that leads to quiet quitting. This could be resentment for how you are being treated at work, resentment for being forced back into the office, resentment over your job role not being clear enough, or any multitude of reasons. If you are disengaged because you really don’t feel like your current position is a good fit for you, it is best to loud quit rather than sticking around and growing more resentful. That resentment builds over time and can lead to burnout, so planning an exit strategy and leaving your job may be the best option for your long term mental health. If you need help working to transform your resentment and make a plan for moving forward, Cait has created the Resentment Journal specifically for that purpose which can be accessed from her website.

 

Sometimes your job or the company you are working for won’t be the best fit for you. It does not always mean that there is something inherently wrong with you or the company. In those situations, it is best to form an exit strategy and leave to find a better fit. In other cases, your company may be willing to work with you to help better meet your needs, and it may come down to having a conversation with your boss or an HR professional to see what can be done. Regardless of the reason causing you to disengage, it is always best to loud quit versus quiet quitting, because in the long run quiet quitting will increase resentment and damage your mental health.

 

Quotes

• “There are going to be situations where you and a company are just not a good fit. And it doesn't mean that either of you are bad or good.” (4:31-4:41 | Cait)

• “If something's not a fit, just loud quit, get out of here, go do something else.” (5:38-5:43 | Cait)

• “When you are burnt out and you find yourself in a situation similar to quiet quitting, I want you to understand that that's likely a coping mechanism and not necessarily part of an actual decision that you're making.” (6:34-6:46 | Cait)

• “Quiet quitting as a short term coping mechanism, acceptable. Quiet quitting as a long term plan for life will destroy your mental health.” (10:15-10:25 | Cait) 

• “If we start building enough courage to speak up about our needs, we will find quite often that people are willing to meet them.” (11:47-12:00 | Cait)

“The emotion that sits behind quiet quitting is resentment. And the answer to that is creating space for and transforming that resentment.” (13:51-14:07 | Cait)

 

Links 

 

https://www.caitdonovan.com/resentment-journal

 

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://womensmeditationnetwork.com/

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Newton Cheng is the Director of Health and Performance at Google, a world champion powerlifter, and a father. Throughout his 14 year career at Google, he overworked himself due to people-pleasing tendencies and began getting misaligned from his priorities and values, leading Newton to take a mental health leave in January of 2022. In February of 2021 his symptoms of burnout, anxiety, and depression got to the point where he started to realize just how significant the toll on his mental health was. He found himself struggling to get out of bed and felt a lot of shame for how he was failing to show up the way he wanted to as a husband and father. However, it still took awhile for him to decide to go on leave, because it felt like giving up. When Newton returned to Google after his mental health leave, he decided to share his story and be very upfront about his experiences to help others who may be suffering alone. 

 

“I was raised in a culture where we talked a lot about mental toughness and this felt like the opposite of that. But what I knew was I was not showing up the husband and father that I wanted to be, so something had to change,” shares Newton Cheng. When Newton started talking about his leave at work, he was a little surprised by how many of his co-workers chose to refer to it as a sabbatical. Mental health is still so stigmatized in today’s society that people can feel uncomfortable even just saying the words out loud. However, this does a disservice to everyone who is suffering in silence and who just needs someone to listen and understand what they are going through. Newton had gotten to the point where he was unable to get out of bed and dreading going to work, even though he loved his job and felt his work was important to him. He was not able to be the father he wanted to be or the husband he wanted to be, and the shame ate away at him. As he began to share his mental health struggles more, Newton found that many of his co-workers of all levels across the organization were suffering from similar symptoms of burnout and depression. Many people who burn out in these situations choose to quit their job completely, but Newton’s problem was not with the job, but rather with his approach and how he chose to structure his boundaries or lack of boundaries. Once he stepped back and reorganized his life to align better with his values and put boundaries in place that allowed him to spend more time with his family, Newton was able to break through his burnout and stay on at Google. 

 

Burning out at work does not necessarily mean you have to change your job. Sometimes all you need is to take a step away and restructure how you are approaching your work so that it can align better with the lifestyle you want. Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Newton Cheng about experiencing burnout in a corporate setting and how to move forward while keeping your job. 

 

Quotes

· “February 2021 was the first time I physically couldn't get out of bed. And I had read about this in terms of others experiences with mental health and depression, but I had never actually felt it. And it wasn't so much like a physical paralysis, it was overwhelming dread. So from there, I started seeing the employee assistance provider and he told me I was exhibiting early signs of burnout.” (7:18-7:42 | Newton)

· “I was raised in a culture where we talked a lot about mental toughness, and this felt like the opposite of that. But what I knew was I was not showing up the husband and father that I wanted to be, so something had to change.” (10:13-10:30 | Newton)

· “When I told people I was going on leave, people started calling it my sabbatical. And I kept reframing. I'm like, my ‘mental health leave’. And that was very interesting. I’m like, I think you're probably doing that out of respect, because you don't know my boundary there and I very much appreciate that, but I don't think that's helping anyone. It's not a sabbatical and people know it's not sabbatical. But if we call it a sabbatical, we're just reinforcing that we have to hide things.” (28:26-28:56 | Newton)

· “If we don't name what's actually going on, we can't actually address it.” (29:18-29:21 | Newton)

· “As I have shared my story, the people who have come to me privately to say, ‘I'm suffering too’, they are people like me. They are people junior to me in organizations, they're my peers, they are above me. They're all around us.” (55:22-55:40 | Newton) 

· “If you are suffering and you're in a situation similar to me, you are not alone.” (55:49-55:53 | Newton)

· “To leaders who are in a position like mine, change doesn't happen, transformation doesn't happen without true leadership. True leadership requires those of us with the privilege to take some risks, to try some things, maybe to take some things and fail. But we got to do it and we got to share what we learn. And that's how we're going to move forward.” (56:06-56:25 | Newton)

 

Links

 

https://cuely.ai/FRIED

https://womensmeditationnetwork.com/

 

Connect with Newton Cheng:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newtoncheng/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/newtoncheng/

 

https://caitdonovan.com/resentment-journal

https://www.friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/post/jim-young-ceo-dad-burnout-emotional-gold-digging-and-why-relationships-matter

 

Resource Newton Mentions:

Byron Katie: https://thework.com/

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Just keep going, it will change.” This is Elizabeth Collins’s burnout story, simplified into six words. The Cait-proclaimed Burnout Witch, Elizabeth now specializes in helping others recover from burnout. However, she was only able to truly thrive in this role after confronting her own feelings of not-enough-ness and developing the boundaries and coping skills she needed to regain a sense of balance in both body and brain. 

 

Elizabeth is the owner and director of The East West Company, an integrative wellness practice specializing in burnout recovery coaching, functional medicine, acupuncture and more. Elizabeth explains that functional medicine is a crossover between biomedicine and Eastern medicine; it uses a wide range of testing to identify and address the root cause of a presenting issue. Because the incredible breadth of functional medicine testing can seem overwhelming to someone who is burnt out, Elizabeth suggests starting simple with a blood panel and a stool test. This approach helps individuals correct any initial imbalances, which sets them on a more manageable path towards burnout recovery.

 

Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast to hear more about the intersections between functional medicine and burnout. Learn about the ins and outs of leaky gut, why Elizabeth uses tarot cards to broaden her clients’ perspectives, and why feelings of gratitude and frustration can and should co-exist.

 

Quotes

• “I had ‘Big T’ trauma, so that very much set me up for a lifetime of perfectionism, a lifetime of not really understanding that I am worthy of love simply because I exist.” (04:00-04:10)
• “My burnout story was: ‘just keep going, it will change.’” (07:26-07:32) 
• “That happens to people who are chronic people pleasers, who are prone to burnout….It’s very easy for you to set aside what you like because you’re more concerned about what needs to happen now, and it’s like, but what you like is what needs to happen now!” (10:49-11:05)
• “[Functional medicine] is kind of like if biomedicine and Eastern medicine had a baby.” (15:14-15:17)
• “When we’re in burnout, it’s very difficult to see anything other  than what we’re focusing on, which is usually panic, stress and anxiety. And the benefit when I started reading my own tarot cards again was...oh, this card popped up and it means this. How does that relate to my current situation? What is it about this card that can give me the opportunity to stop focusing on the minutia and look at the bigger picture?” (31:28-31:55) 
• “Being able to address different aspects of your personality and speak to them directly like they’re individuals gives a sense of agency to the experience, and it really gives people the opportunity to fully integrate those personalities.” (36:28-36:42)
• “We are complicated enough individuals that we can feel very bad about something that we’re going through and still be very grateful for the good things that it gives us or the other good things in our life….They’re not mutually exclusive, and the idea that we have to inhabit one thing at any given time is unsustainable and unfair and will absolutely perpetuate burnout.” (38:00-38:28)
• “If you have symptoms or you are living a life that is in your experience suboptimal, but in the greater perspective not catastrophic....you are not crazy, and there is help.” (49:10-49:35)

 

Links

https://insighttimer.com/ 

www.theeastwestco.com 

www.instagram.com/theeastwestco 

www.instagram.com/thevintagemystic 

 

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

Are you always trying to meet other people’s expectations, even when those expectations may not be completely clear? Unclear expectations for a role, whether that be in relation to a job or a relationship, can reduce feelings of psychological safety and increase the potential for burnout. In today’s #straightfromcait episode, Cait explains the research behind why external expectations and role ambiguity play a role in burnout and how to ask for clarity when it is lacking. 

 

When you are having to guess at someone’s expectations, you will end up feeling on edge and pushing yourself harder and harder trying to reach that unspecified goal. Research shows that role ambiguity, or a lack of clarity in your job role, can come into play not only at work, but also within relationships at home and with friends. When you are able to predict how another person will react and set up expectations for yourself relative to that predicted outcome, your feelings of safety will increase and your risk of burnout will decrease. By simply having a conversation that focuses on clarifying and setting expectations, you can improve overall communication and increase your own internal feelings of safety.

 

It is exhausting trying to meet expectations all the time, especially if the expectations you are trying to meet are unclear or simply a guess on your part. In order to gain clarity, improve your relationships, and reduce overall stress, it is important to communicate effectively. Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode for a conversation about how to determine other’s actual expectations. Learn why assuming other’s expectations can lead to burnout and how to ask for clarity. 

RESEARCH:

Maslach et. al. (2001). Job burnout. Annu Rev Psychol. 52. 397-422. 

Quotes

· “If you are feeling unclear about someone's expectations, and you are guessing at them, and you never quite get feedback on whether or not you're hitting the target, you're always going to feel on edge. And you're always going to push for doing things a little bit harder, a little bit more intense, to a better degree, to a higher degree. It'll never stop because you don't know when you've met the expectation.” (3:54-4:20 | Cait)

· “Burnout recovery happens when we increase our feelings of safety internally and externally.” (5:41-5:46 | Cait) 

· “You are more likely to experience burnout while also experiencing role ambiguity, a lack of clarity in your job role.” (7:06-7:14 | Cait)

· “Sharing with someone what your thinking is behind the situation gives them a better idea of how you're looking at it and what's happening in your world, so that they can respond appropriately.” (10:33-10:44 | Cait)

 

Links 

 

https://caitdonovan.com

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com

https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Farnoosh Torabi is an award winning personal finance journalist, author, keynote speaker, television reporter, and host of the So Money podcast. She uses her 20 years of experience to help people master their money. While living in New York City with her husband, she realized that changes needed to be made to their lifestyle to reduce stress and improve their overall quality of life. They ended up deciding to move out of the city to save money, which ultimately reduced stress and opened up more time for other opportunities. Now Farnoosh helps everyone from entrepreneurs to influencers learn how to manage their finances and make the most of their money.

 

“When I was a little girl, I thought two things equaled freedom, and I don't think I was wrong. Money in the bank and a driver's license,” shares Farnoosh Torabi. She explains that having money literally puts you in the driver’s seat of your own life. It provides you with agency over your decisions that no one else can question. A lot of entrepreneurs are glamorized for taking big risks, maxing out their credit cards, and starving themselves while they try to get their business running. This should not be the norm at all. Instead, it is better to not treat it like a race and to spend as much time as necessary building financial security prior to starting a business. There are many opportunities to earn money nowadays outside of a traditional 9 to 5. You can make extra money by taking up an hourly gig, pet sitting, selling unwanted items on Facebook Marketplace, babysitting, or in any number of ways. The most important thing is to reframe your idea of success and of what a job is supposed to be and recognize that a job can truly be just a job. You do not have to monetize your passions or be extremely emotionally invested in your job. 

 

There are a lot of misconceptions about finances and it is important to be innovative when it comes to finding ways to make and save money. People are living longer and retirement at 60 is no longer the goal for everyone, nor is it necessarily attainable. However, a pension is not the only way to secure financial stability for your future and it is vital to save money regardless, because that pension is not guaranteed in today’s world. Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Farnoosh Torabi about how to build financial safety, when to quit a job and when to stick it out, and creative ways to make extra money. 

 

Quotes

· “I remember picking up a book called The Upside of Stress. Because I was like, I need to learn how to live with this. I don't think this is going away.” (7:09-7:17 | Farnoosh)

· “Changing your definition of success is one of the key factors in creating a burnout proof life after you've recovered. Because you can't go back to the system that you were in. You are not going to build enough resilience to live in that system as it is unless some of it changes.” (14:44-15:02 | Cait)

· “When you are burned out at work, maybe the response is not to quit, but rather, ‘Have you even had a conversation with your manager?’ And so you don't have to throw out the baby with the bathwater. You don't have to think, 'Well, my only option is to quit and lose everything that I've worked towards.'” (20:46-21:02 | Farnoosh) 

· “When you feel behind in your 40s, don't let that discourage you from just continuing the good work of putting the consistent money into that bank account, into that investment account, because it is never too late.” (28:47-29:01 | Farnoosh)

· “When I was a little girl, I thought two things equaled freedom, and I don't think I was wrong. Money in the bank, and a driver's license.” (41:22-41:30 | Farnoosh)

· “Don't tell me that money doesn't earn you safety. It at least buys you the opportunity to make choices for yourself that nobody else can enforce. It gives you agency.” (43:40-43:51 | Farnoosh)

· “Sometimes it's really about a reframe, and thinking like, ‘Okay, well, this job, I'm grateful for the fact that I can do it. The paycheck comes every two weeks. I get benefits. I get some paid time off. And then I can go and live the other life that I have.” (47:18-47:33 | Farnoosh)

 

Links

 

Connect with Farnoosh Torabi:

http://www.somoneypodcast.com

http://www.instagram.com/farnooshtorabi

https://www.cnet.com/feature/signup-so-money/

https://cuely.ai/FRIED 

XOXO,

C

 

If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait

 

https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz

 

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm