The Hard at Work Podcast

Ellen reflects on a truth many of us avoid: rest isn’t easy. In fact, for a lot of us, rest feels wrong—like we're breaking an unspoken rule. In this solo episode of Hard at Work, Ellen unpacks the layers of grind culture, internalized productivity pressure, and the self-sabotage that shows up when we finally try to slow down.

She kicks off the episode by answering an AMA question from a listener who's struggling to maintain boundaries on a leadership team that never stops working. What do you do when the people around you treat 2 a.m. emails like a badge of honor, and you’re trying not to burn out? Ellen offers practical scripts, reframes, and real talk about what's actually in your control—and what's not.

From the influence of capitalism and white supremacy on our inability to rest (with learning from Tricia Hersey and her book, Rest is Resistance), to simple tools to shift out of survival mode (thank you, Britt Frank and the “DEFUSE” method), Ellen invites listeners to look honestly at what keeps them busy and what they might be avoiding when they resist stillness.

Whether your weekends feel like a second shift or your rest comes with a side of guilt, this episode will help you name what’s happening and offer ideas for doing things differently—without shame, and without apology.

What if designing the life you want wasn’t about hustle or luck—but about asking? In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen Whitlock Baker sits down with educator, consultant, and unapologetic life-designer Anita Verna Crofts for a conversation that spans continents, careers, and hard-earned wisdom.
Anita shares how she negotiated a cross-country, flexible faculty role at a time when remote work was almost unheard of—and why she always shows up to the table with a list. They talk salary transparency, the systems still holding women back (even when we do ask), and what leaders can do today to create equity inside their organizations.
This episode is packed with perspective-shifting insights—from how to craft a vision for your life that actually honors your needs, to why sharing salary data is radical (and necessary), to how those in power can stop perpetuating inequality at work.
It’s a call to clarity, to courage, and to community—and a reminder that rest, purpose, and power can coexist.
🎧 You’ll hear about:
How Anita negotiated a bi-coastal faculty role in 2009
The myth that women don’t ask—and what’s actually broken
Why salary transparency should be a leadership priority
How to start imagining a different kind of life, even when you're overwhelmed
Using your privilege to challenge inequity and build community
📥 Plus: Shoutouts to Women Don’t Ask, Financial Feminist, and the queen of repurposed chairs.

The workplace is changing fast—and not everyone’s on the same page about what should be happening at work anymore. In this solo episode, Ellen Whitlock Baker unpacks one of today’s biggest workplace tensions: generational friction. Whether you're a Xillennial caught between Gen X and Millennials (like Ellen), a seasoned leader, or a new professional navigating unspoken norms, chances are you’ve felt the friction when someone does or says something at work that makes you think, “Wait, what?”
From navigating different ideas of professionalism (yes, we’re talking dress codes) to understanding why younger colleagues might prioritize mental health or speak up more freely, this episode challenges us to stop labeling those differences as “wrong” and start getting curious about our own reactions.
Ellen shares personal stories from her early career, insights on generational identity, and a powerful five-step framework adapted from the Immunity to Change model to help you move from resistance to reflection—and maybe even growth. Spoiler: change is hard. But staying stuck is harder.
🎧 You’ll learn:
Why generational clashes aren’t just about age—they’re about identity, values, and lived experience
How to identify your own subconscious resistance to change
The surprising rewards we get from holding onto outdated beliefs
Why “professionalism” is often a coded (and sexist) concept
How to start experimenting with small shifts in mindset and behavior
💡 Plus: A downloadable free guide to walk you through the 5 steps and help you stay grounded when generational culture shock hits your inbox.
Whether you’ve ever said, “That’s not how we did it when I was starting out,” or “Why are we still doing it like this?”—this episode is for you.

📝 Download the guide: ewbcoaching.com/hardatworkpodcast/change
📬 Got thoughts or stories? Email [email protected]
🎙️ Subscribe, rate, and share if this resonated with you!

In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen sits down with powerhouse leader, mentor, and friend Montique “Mo” Cotton Kelly, Chief People and Culture Officer at the UConn Foundation. With decades of experience leading teams in higher education and advancement, Mo brings a refreshingly honest perspective to what it really takes to lead well in today’s workplace.
Mo shares the lessons she learned as a first-time manager, what keeps her up at night in her current executive role, and how she's actively reshaping workplace culture in the wake of widespread burnout, turnover, and disconnection. With warmth, clarity, and humor, Mo challenges outdated norms about professionalism, vulnerability, and leadership—and offers practical tools for anyone navigating work from the middle or the top.
Whether you’re a new manager, seasoned leader, or just trying to survive a dysfunctional team, Mo’s perspective will make you feel seen, supported, and inspired to lead a little differently.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why first-time managers often struggle—and how organizations can do better
• The power of vulnerability in leadership (and how to build it over time)
• Mo’s “Gumby Principle” for navigating change with flexibility and care
• What it looks like to operationalize core values beyond motivational posters
• Practical tips for giving and receiving feedback—even when it’s uncomfortable
• Why some people just aren’t meant to be managers (and that’s okay!)
• How to find allies at work when the system doesn’t support you
• What’s really keeping today’s people leaders up at night

In this episode, Ellen gets real about what it means to show up at work when life outside of it is falling apart. From grief and caregiving to the dishwasher breaking again, she unpacks what happens when stress becomes your default state—and how to interrupt the cycle before burnout takes over. You’ll learn the basics of the stress response, how to complete the stress cycle, and three small but powerful steps to take when you’re overwhelmed and still expected to perform. This one’s honest, human, and for anyone who's ever had to keep going when they really needed to stop.

Keywords: burnout symptoms, stress cycle, parasympathetic nervous system, sympathetic nervous system, how to recover from burnout, workplace overwhelm, emotional exhaustion, boundary setting at work, nervous system regulation, how to cope with stress at work, honest leadership, trauma-informed work, stress management, self-regulation at work, women and burnout, compassionate leadership

What if disaster psychology could teach us how to survive the modern workplace? In this powerful episode, Dr. Kira Mauseth—disaster psychologist, clinical expert, and resilience educator—joins Ellen to unpack the real meaning of behavioral health at work. From the difference between mental health and behavioral health to why traditional leadership tactics often fall short, they dive deep into the habits that create burnout, and the small shifts that can foster recovery, purpose, and hope.

Kira introduces her four-part resilience model (connection, adaptability, purpose, and hope), explains how emotional adaptability makes for better leaders, and reveals why we must stop glorifying the “always on” culture. They also tackle how to create space for boundaries, validate your team without micromanaging, and use problem-solving mindsets—even when you’re in a disaster cascade.

This episode is equal parts science, soul, and seriously useful advice for anyone leading or living through chronic workplace stress.

Don’t forget to grab the free PDF: Boundaries at Work Toolkit

Keywords: burnout recovery, behavioral health at work, emotional adaptability, workplace resilience, disaster psychology, boundaries at work, burnout signs, women leaders, transparency in leadership, active listening, healthy work culture, stress management, resilience at work

What do burnout, bias, and boundaries have in common? They’re not just buzzwords—they’re the building blocks of what’s broken (and what’s possible) at work.

In this episode, host Ellen Whitlock Baker reflects on the first six episodes of Hard at Work and unpacks the biggest themes that keep surfacing—from navigating systemic bias and invisible labor to learning how to say no before you collapse.

Whether you’ve been with the show since day one or you’re just tuning in, this is a powerful moment to pause, connect the dots, and figure out what it all means for you.

Ellen also shares a free resource you can use right now: the Boundaries at Work Toolkit—a downloadable PDF packed with scripts, email templates, and a two-week energy tracker to help you set and sustain boundaries that protect your time and your well-being.

This is your permission slip to stop blaming yourself, start listening to your body, and take one small step toward a better way of working.
Keywords: burnout recovery, workplace boundaries, emotional labor, toxic workplace culture, invisible labor at work, boundary scripts, women in leadership, work-life balance, burnout prevention, emotional intelligence at work, inclusive workplace, professional development for women, resilience at work

In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen sits down with disability advocate and workplace equity champion Greer Procich to talk about what it really means to build inclusive, accessible workplaces—from the inside out. Greer shares her personal journey navigating chronic illness, invisible disability, and burnout in spaces that often expect 100% from employees without offering the support to make that possible.
Together, they dig into what managers should be doing to support their teams, why performance reviews often fail, and how accessibility benefits everyone—not just people with disabilities. If you’ve ever felt unsupported, unseen, or exhausted by the grind of work culture, this one’s for you.

What do you do when your boss has no idea what you actually do—and still piles on unrealistic expectations? And what if a coworker tells you to smile more in meetings? In this episode, we tackle two real workplace dilemmas: how to manage up when leadership lacks strategy, and how to push back against subtle (but damaging) workplace sexism. Featuring listener-submitted questions, real-world scripts, and boundary-setting advice to keep you from burning out.

What if the systems meant to help people are actually making things worse? In this episode, Dr. Crystal Hall, co-author of Anti-Racist by Design, breaks down how behavioral science often ignores systemic racism—and how we can fix it. We talk about what workplaces, policymakers, and everyday people can do differently to avoid performative equity and actually make change stick.