We all know about income tax, sales tax, even luxury tax. But there’s another tax you’ve been paying silently and it may be costing you more than all the others combined.

The emotional tax is the hidden toll you pay every day at work: the overthinking after meetings, the late nights staying “visible,” the self-editing in emails, and the pressure to prove your worth again and again. It doesn’t show up on your paycheck, but it drains your energy, focus, and joy.

In this episode of Unlearning Work, Erin unpacks the concept of emotional tax through personal stories from her own corporate career and real examples from clients across industries. She explores why we keep paying it, the toll it takes on our health and careers, and how we can finally lower the bill.

You’ll walk away with practical unlearning moves to notice where you’re overpaying, shrink unnecessary stress, and reclaim the focus and energy that’s rightfully yours.

What “emotional tax” really looks like in daily work life

Why unclear systems, hustle culture, and fear of judgment keep us paying it

The hidden costs: productivity loss, career invisibility, and burnout

Four unlearning moves to reduce emotional tax: Name it, Shrink it, Clarify agreements, and Build recovery

Emotional Labor — the hidden cost of managing feelings and perceptions in the workplace

Cognitive Load Theory — why constant second-guessing drains attention and memory

Micro-Recovery Science — how small rituals restore energy and resilience

Maria, an operations leader, whose simple emails drained hours due to over-editing

A site manager losing sleep replaying tense meetings with executives

Erin’s own story of staying on late-night calls just to “look committed”

A young manager who silenced her own ideas out of fear of sounding “too junior”

Name the tax: Notice when you’re paying in stress, not actual work

Shrink the task: Break projects into clear, bite-sized steps

Set agreements, not assumptions: Confirm expectations instead of guessing

Build recovery: Add small rituals, walks, breaks, disconnecting to restore energy

Where are you paying the highest emotional tax at work?

What’s one “tax” you could stop paying this week?

How would your work feel different if you designed it to reduce tax instead of tolerate it?

✨ Take the free Work Style Assessment to uncover your natural style and the hidden taxes you may be paying.

💬 Share your results! Tag @erinmerideth and @unlearningwork and use #UnlearningWork to connect with others lowering their emotional tax.

🔗 Download the Unlearning Work App to access quizzes, worksheets, and custom tools for each Work Style.

📥 Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, behavior tools, and habit tracking

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app

⭐ Leave a review if this episode resonated—it helps others discover this work

📬 Join the Work Reimagined Newsletter for exclusive tools and behind-the-scenes insights

📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn for weekly strategies grounded in leadership and behavioral science

 September has always carried a certain energy. Fresh notebooks. New routines. A clean slate. Even if you don’t have kids in school, this time of year feels like a natural reset.

But at work, we rarely give ourselves the same permission. Instead, we drag old habits, stale meetings, and unfinished projects into a new season—and wonder why we feel stuck.

In this episode of Unlearning Work, Erin shares how to harness the back-to-school momentum to reset your systems, rituals, and perspective at work. Drawing on personal stories—including her new season as an empty nester and the lessons learned from losing her husband—Erin explores how to use life transitions as an invitation to rethink how you spend your time.

You’ll leave this episode with a four-step framework, practical examples, and a challenge to create your own “season reset” so you stop spinning in circles and start moving forward with clarity and intention.

Why seasonal resets (like back-to-school) are powerful markers for change

Common workplace challenges that need fresh perspective—stale routines, overloaded to-do lists, and team disengagement

How personal transitions (like becoming an empty nester) mirror professional ones

The four-step reset framework: Identify, Reframe, Ritualize, Anchor

Practical ways to use accountability so your reset lasts

Temporal Landmarks — why our brains crave “fresh starts”

Novelty & Dopamine — how small rituals reignite motivation

Accountability Structures — why systems stick better with external support

A manufacturing team who rebranded their huddles as “Season 2” and boosted engagement

An executive who reframed weekly check-ins as “development dialogues”

Erin’s personal story of reclaiming space as an empty nester and redesigning her evenings with intention

Identify one heavy area — name what feels stale or draining

Reframe it — ask, “If this were a new school year, how would I design it?”

Create a ritual — mark the reset with a symbolic action

Anchor accountability — set up the support that helps it stick

What part of your work feels like “last year’s homework” you’re still carrying?

What ritual could signal a fresh start for you this season?

Who or what will help keep you accountable to your reset?

 Take the free Work Style Assessment and discover your style today.

💬 Share your results! Tag @erinmerideth and @unlearningwork and use #UnlearningWork to connect with others building brain-friendly systems.

🔗 Download the Unlearning Work App to take the quiz, access your results, and explore custom tools designed for each Work Style.

📲 Subscribe & Stay Connected
📥 Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, behavior tools, and habit tracking
🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app
⭐ Leave a review if this episode resonated it helps others find this work
📬 Join the Work Reimagined Newsletter for exclusive tools and behind-the-scenes insights
📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn for weekly strategies grounded in leadership and behavioral science

You’ve bought the planner, downloaded the app, color-coded the calendar… but a few weeks later, it’s buried under papers or deleted from your phone.

In this episode of Unlearning Work, Erin unpacks why productivity systems often fail — not because you’re undisciplined, but because they weren’t built for the way your brain actually works. We explore the hidden costs of forcing yourself into someone else’s system, the science behind why certain tools click for some but not others, and how to design a workflow that plays to your strengths.

Erin introduces the four Work Style Archetypes, shares real-life examples of how each one struggles and thrives, and gives you clear next steps — from free lessons to plug-and-play worksheets — so you can finally build a system you’ll stick with.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why most productivity tools are designed for one brain type — and how to spot if it’s not yours

The three major costs of forcing yourself into the wrong system

The four Work Style Archetypes and how each can find their best-fit workflow

How to make small, brain-friendly shifts that stick

Where to start if you want a system that fits your real life

Behavioral Science Highlights:

Cognitive Friction – why systems that don’t match your wiring drain more energy than they save

Dopamine & Novelty – why some people start strong and fade fast

External vs. Internal Triggers – how different brains respond to urgency and structure

Real-Life Examples:

An Inspired Starter who abandoned three planners in one year — and what finally worked

A System Strategist who spent hours maintaining a tool instead of using it

A Just-in-Time Performer who turned “last-minute magic” into a repeatable habit

A Thoughtful Planner who cut their prep time in half with a simple template

Try These Unlearning Moves:

Match Your System to Your Archetype – stop copying and start customizing

Shrink the Setup – simplify your tools so they’re easier to keep up with

Automate or Template the Repetitive – save brainpower for high-value work

Run a Weekly Feedback Loop – adapt your system as your needs shift

Reflection Prompts:

Which part of your current system feels heavy or complicated?

What’s one tweak you could make to better fit your natural work style?

If your system was effortless to maintain, what would change for you?

🚀 Join the Conversation!
🎯 Ready to ditch the copycat cycle and build a system that fits your brain? Take the free Work Style Assessment and discover your style today.

💬 Share your results! Tag @erinmerideth and @unlearningwork and use #UnlearningWork to connect with others building brain-friendly systems.

🔗 Download the Unlearning Work App to take the quiz, access your results, and explore custom tools designed for each Work Style.

📲 Subscribe & Stay Connected
📥 Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, behavior tools, and habit tracking
🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app
⭐ Leave a review if this episode resonated — it helps others find this work
📬 Join the Work Reimagined Newsletter for exclusive tools and behind-the-scenes insights
📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn for weekly strategies grounded in leadership and behavioral science

You’re checking boxes, staying busy, and moving fast… but something still feels off.

In this episode of Unlearning Work, Erin unpacks a common trap high performers fall into: doing more—but not doing what matters. We explore how productivity theater, the urgency effect, and avoidance disguised as action are keeping you stuck in motion without momentum.

Erin breaks down the real reason burnout is so widespread (hint: it’s not laziness), the neuroscience behind why we chase small wins over deep work, and how hustle culture trains us to value busyness over purpose.

If you’ve ever ended a week feeling exhausted but strangely unfulfilled—this episode is for you.

Why our brains chase shallow tasks for quick dopamine hits

How hustle culture rewires your sense of worth and productivity

The four major costs of confusing motion with momentum

A client case study that shows how “working smarter” actually works

Four science-backed unlearning moves to help you shift from busy to purposeful

How to recognize and break the false progress loop

Zeigarnik Effect – why unfinished tasks cause tension and small wins feel satisfying

Urgency Effect – how time sensitivity hijacks our attention away from what matters

Behavioral Activation – why small steps can kickstart motivation more effectively than “thinking about it”

A course creator “working” for weeks without launching

A corporate professional avoiding high-impact visibility work

Michelle, a nonprofit leader, who transformed her calendar, her confidence, and her outcomes with one simple question: “What moves the mission?”

Three Moves That Matter – Prioritize for impact, not output

Shrink the First Step – Make big tasks feel small enough to begin

Time-Box for Depth – Protect blocks of uninterrupted focus

Schedule a “Do Not Work” Hour – Build white space for clarity and recharge

What task are you doing just to feel accomplished—but isn’t actually moving you forward?

What are you avoiding that feels meaningful but emotionally risky?

What would change if you chose depth over volume this week?

🎯 Ready to ditch the shame and build a system that fits your brain? Take the free Work Style Quiz at Work Style Quiz and discover your style today.

💬 Share your results! Tag @erinmerideth @unlearningwork and use #UnlearningWork to connect with others building systems that support how they actually work.

🔗 Download the Unlearning Work App to take the quiz, access your results, and explore custom tools designed for each Work Style.

📥 Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, behavior tools, and habit tracking
🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app
⭐ Leave a review if this episode resonated—it helps others find this work
📬 Join the Work Reimagined Newsletter for exclusive tools and behind-the-scenes insights
📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn for weekly strategies grounded in leadership and behavioral science

In this episode of Unlearning Work, host Erin Merideth tackles a common—but rarely named—struggle: what if you’re not unmotivated or undisciplined… just using the wrong system?

Through the lens of neuroscience and coaching experience, Erin introduces the four brain-based Work Styles that shape how we process motivation, time, and structure. If you’ve ever felt like you “just can’t follow through,” this episode offers both clarity and compassion.

You’ll learn how to recognize your Work Style, reduce friction, and finally build systems that support your brain—not fight it. Listeners are invited to take the free Work Style Quiz to discover their style and start working in sync with their natural wiring.

✅ Why You’re Not the Problem
How most productivity struggles stem from system misalignment—not personal failure

✅ How Your Brain Conserves Energy (and Why That Backfires)
The neuroscience behind habit, motivation, and mental friction—and how your brain tries to help by resisting change

✅ The Four Work Styles
Learn the patterns of:

The Inspired Starter

The Systems Strategist

The Just-in-Time Performer

The Thoughtful Planner
And how each one approaches consistency, planning, and pressure differently

✅ Real Coaching Examples
Hear how understanding Work Style helped leaders and entrepreneurs reduce burnout, follow through on goals, and stop fighting their own wiring

✅ The Quiz That Changes Everything
How a 5-minute assessment can shift the way you plan, prioritize, and perform—based on cognitive fit, not hustle culture

✅ What Happens When You Align with Your Style
From shame to strategy—how naming your style gives you clarity, compassion, and choice in how you work

🔹 You’re not lazy—you’re likely out of sync with how your brain is built to work
🔹 Motivation isn’t the problem—mismatch is
🔹 Naming your Work Style is the first step to building a system that actually works
🔹 Real productivity starts with alignment, not pressure

Your brain isn’t wired wrong—it just hasn’t been given the right tools.
The goal isn’t to change who you are. It’s to stop fighting how you work best.

🎯 Ready to ditch the shame and build a system that fits your brain? Take the free Work Style Quiz at Work Style Quiz and discover your style today.

💬 Share your results! Tag @erinmerideth @unlearningwork and use #UnlearningWork to connect with others building systems that support how they actually work.

🔗 Download the Unlearning Work App to take the quiz, access your results, and explore custom tools designed for each Work Style.

📥 Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, behavior tools, and habit tracking
🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app
⭐ Leave a review if this episode resonated—it helps others find this work
📬 Join the Work Reimagined Newsletter for exclusive tools and behind-the-scenes insights
📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn for weekly strategies grounded in leadership and behavioral science

If motivation were enough, you'd already be doing it.

Episode Number: 13
Host: Erin Merideth
Website: unlearningwork.com

Backed by insights from BJ Fogg (Tiny Habits) and James Clear (Atomic Habits), this episode reveals how to stop waiting for motivation to strike and instead design systems that support consistency, clarity, and progress—especially on the days when you’re tired, busy, or overwhelmed.

✅ Why motivation is a mood—not a method
✅ The behavior formula from BJ Fogg (B = MAP) and how to apply it
✅ How your environment and system design beat willpower every time
✅ 3 science-backed ways to build systems that stick
✅ How a site leader redesigned his overwhelmed Mondays into a repeatable routine

You don’t have to feel motivated—you need a system

Small wins build momentum more than big goals

Shrinking the task and tying it to a trigger boosts follow-through

Systems protect your progress when energy runs low

Shrink the behavior to reduce friction

Attach it to a trigger (habit stacking)

Design for your environment—not your ideal self

Use “If-Then Planning” to prevent failure spirals

Real-life system design examples (calendar blocking, Slack habits, dashboards)

How “Alex,” a site leader, shifted from overwhelmed Mondays to proactive leadership using a 15-minute checklist, pre-set dashboards, and a Friday prep ritual.

📥 Download the fillable worksheet that pairs with this episode
🧩 Walks you through shrinking the task, building a habit trigger, and designing for success
📲 Available now in the Unlearning Work App

“You don’t need more motivation. You need a system that still works when you don’t feel like it.”

🎯 This month inside the Unlearning Work Community: Design Smarter, Not Harder
📸 Show us your system in action—whether it’s a post-it, dashboard, or habit tracker
🪪 Tag @erinmeridethcoaching and use #UnlearningWork

✅ Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, habit tools & coaching prompts
🎧 Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app
⭐ Leave a review if this episode helped you shift your mindset
📬 Sign up for the Work Reimagined newsletter for tools you can use immediately
📱 Follow Erin on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and Facebook

 Episode Number: 12
Host: Erin Merideth
Website: unlearningwork.com

In this episode of Unlearning Work, host Erin Merideth explores the neuroscience behind why we avoid certain tasks at work—and how to finally stop dreading them.

Through the lens of behavioral science and real-world leadership coaching, Erin unpacks the paradox of the Law of Least Effort: even though our brains are wired to conserve energy, we often make work harder than it needs to be through procrastination, perfectionism, overthinking, and identity-driven sabotage.

Whether you’ve got a lingering email you can’t bring yourself to send, or you’re burning hours on a project you’re afraid to finish, this episode offers five clear strategies to help you move through dread without relying on willpower alone.

✅ What Dread Really Is
The emotional and cognitive blocks behind task avoidance—and why it’s not laziness

✅ The Law of Least Effort
How the brain’s desire to minimize effort gets hijacked by fear, confusion, and shame

✅ The 4 Behavioral Patterns That Make Work Harder
Perfectionism, procrastination, decision fatigue, and self-sabotage—and how they show up in real work environments

✅ 5 Practical Strategies That Reduce Dread
Science-backed tools that help you:

Name the resistance

Shrink the task

Timebox your effort

Pair effort with a reward

Reframe your “why” for doing the work

✅ Real-World Workplace Examples
From over-polishing PowerPoints to avoiding leadership conversations—how these behaviors show up across roles, industries, and responsibilities

✅ How to Use Dread as Data
When recurring dread is a signal to reassign, delegate, or redesign your role or workflow

🔹 Dread is a sign your brain feels unsafe—not that you’re lazy
🔹 Avoidance costs more energy than action over time
🔹 Small, intentional shifts restore alignment with how your brain wants to work
🔹 You can work with your nervous system—not against it

Your brain isn’t broken—it’s just trying to protect you.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all effort. It’s to remove the unnecessary friction that makes work feel heavier than it has to be.

🎯 Ready to stop avoiding and start doing—with less pressure? Join the Unlearning Work Community for this month’s focus: From Dread to Done.

💬 Share your favorite strategy from the episode or post a photo of your dreaded task finally done. Tag @erinmeridethcoaching and use #UnlearningWork.

🔗 Download the Unlearning Work App to grab the worksheet that pairs with this episode—and browse other tools that support work clarity and momentum.

📥 Download the Unlearning Work App for worksheets, habit tools, and coaching prompts
🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app
⭐ Leave a review if this episode helped—every bit of feedback helps more listeners discover the show
📬 Sign up for the Work Reimagined Newsletter for exclusive insights and tools
📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn for weekly leadership strategies and behavior change tips

🎙 Episode Title: From Reality TV to Real-World Leadership: Lessons in Drama, Conflict, and Performance
📅 Episode Number: 11
🎧 Host: Erin Merideth
🔗 Website: unlearningwork.com

In this episode of Unlearning Work, host Erin Merideth takes a surprising look at how the world of reality TV can teach us to rethink leadership, teamwork, and performance. By unpacking what drama and conflict really do in a high-stakes environment, Erin shows how leaders—and anyone at work—can use healthy tension and narrative to fuel engagement and innovation.

Explore the science of why drama hooks us in, why healthy conflict is essential for creativity, and how you can invite these insights into your work—no matter your title.

✅ Drama as Fuel, Not Distraction

How reality TV uses conflict to engage and energize audiences

The Arousal Theory of Motivation—why heightened emotion grabs attention and drives focus

✅ Conflict as a Catalyst for Innovation

The difference between affective conflict (personal drama) and cognitive conflict (idea-based tension)

Behavioral research by Charlan Nemeth and Kathleen Eisenhardt on why healthy dissent leads to better outcomes

✅ Performance Beyond the Numbers

The power of narrative framing—how sharing the real story builds trust and meaning

Tapping into self-determination theory to make work feel personal and purposeful

✅ Bringing It to Your Role—No Leadership Title Required

Why informal influence matters: how anyone can use curiosity and openness to invite healthy conflict

Action steps for creating safety and energy around new ideas, even if you’re not “the boss”

✅ Balancing Drama and Psychological Safety

How to create a space where people feel safe to speak up and challenge ideas

The role of psychological safety in turning drama into innovation

🔹 Conflict isn’t something to fear—it’s often a sign of real engagement and creativity.
🔹 Sharing the true story of the work—tension, emotion, and all—creates belonging and motivation.
🔹 Whether you’re in charge or not, you can spark curiosity and deeper conversations.

🎯 Ready to let bring the drama”? Join the Unlearning Work Community for our June Challenge: Drama as Fuel – Turning Tension into Creativity

💬 Share your reflections with us on social media or in the Unlearning Work Community.
🔗 Visit unlearningwork.com to dive deeper into tools and resources that support effective feedback.

📲 Download the Unlearning Work App for easy access to leadership tools, habit trackers, and new episodes.
📥 Get Exclusive Insights via the Work Reimagined Newsletter.
🎧 Subscribe to the Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app.
⭐ Leave a Review if you found this episode valuable—it helps others find the show!
📲 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIN for more practical tips on leadership and behavioral change.

Episode Title: Clarity Over Chaos: Making Decisions When You’re Stuck in Your Head
Episode Number: 10
Host: Erin Merideth
Website: unlearningwork.com

In this episode of Unlearning Work, host Erin Merideth explores the messy middle of decision-making—those moments when you're stuck in your head, spiraling in uncertainty, and waiting for the “perfect” answer that never seems to come.

Using insights from behavioral science and her work as a leadership coach, Erin introduces the concept of decision hygiene—a practical, proven way to clean up mental clutter, reduce bias, and build clarity, even when you’re overwhelmed or emotionally drained.

If you’ve ever delayed a choice, doubted your instincts, or gotten trapped in analysis paralysis, this episode will give you the mindset shifts and tools you need to move forward—with intention.

✅ Why We Get Stuck in Our Heads
→ The real reason overthinking happens (hint: it’s not because you’re indecisive)
→ How decision fatigue and cognitive overload derail your clarity

✅ What Decision Hygiene Really Is
→ A framework from Daniel Kahneman to reduce bias and create decision-making structure
→ Real-world leadership examples that show why systems matter more than willpower

✅ The 5-Step Clarity Framework

Name the Real Decision
→ Identify the fear behind the choice and clarify what you’re actually deciding

Set a Decision Deadline
→ Use time constraints to stop the spiral of perfectionism

Define Success Ahead of Time
→ Create your own aligned metrics instead of chasing external validation

Make Space for Emotion—but Don’t Let It Drive
→ Honor your fears, but take small, aligned action anyway

Do a Pre-Mortem
→ Strategically plan for what might go wrong—then build safeguards

✅ Reframing Clarity vs. Certainty
→ Clarity is about alignment—not guarantees
→ Why chasing “the right answer” often leads to inaction

✅ Real Coaching Examples from the Field
→ How high-performing professionals use this framework to make calm, confident moves
→ The difference between feeling ready and being ready

🔹 Clarity doesn’t mean certainty—it means alignment
🔹 You’re not making a forever decision—you’re making a next decision
🔹 The brain avoids risk by default—so waiting to “feel sure” often leads to staying stuck
🔹 Confident decisions are built on process, not perfection
🔹 Trust grows when you act in alignment with your values—even in uncertainty

This week’s Unlearning Work Action Challenge:
✅ Pick one decision you’ve been avoiding
✅ Walk through the 5-step Clarity Framework
✅ Share your “real decision” question in the Unlearning Work Community or DM Erin

Let’s normalize uncertainty. Let’s practice decision hygiene. Let’s stop waiting for the perfect moment—and start moving with clarity.

🎯 What decision are you ready to stop overthinking?
💬 Share your reflections and next move with us in the Unlearning Work Community.
🔗 Need support? Download the Unlearning Work App for the free worksheet that pairs with this episode.

📄 Download the worksheet for this episode inside the Unlearning Work App (Apple & Google Play)
📚 Inspired by the work of Daniel Kahneman on decision hygiene
📥 Subscribe to the Work Reimagined Newsletter for bonus tools and reflection prompts

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app
📲 Download the Unlearning Work App for weekly actions, podcast worksheets, and exclusive tools
📥 Get the Work Reimagined Newsletter straight to your inbox
⭐ Leave a review—it helps others find the show
📱 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn for daily leadership insights

Episode Title: Should Happens: How Language Shapes Our Work and Creates Self-Sabotage
Episode Number: 9
Host: Erin Merideth
Website: unlearningwork.com

In this episode of Unlearning Work, host Erin Merideth breaks down how one simple word—“should”—shapes our work, limits our leadership, and sabotages our side hustles.

Drawing on behavioral science and client stories, Erin explores how “should” statements often mask fear, judgment, or unmet needs. Whether you're saying “They should know better” at work or “I should be further along” in your business, the language we use creates the pressure we feel—and the patterns we repeat.

This episode is your guide to spotting those “should” traps and replacing them with clarity, compassion, and aligned action.

✅ What “Should” Really Means
The psychology behind the word and how it reflects hidden beliefs, expectations, and unspoken rulebooks

✅ The Four Types of “Shoulds”

Moral & Ethical Judgment

Cultural or Generational Norms

Emotional Needs in Disguise

Personal Thinking & Projection

✅ Why “Should” Shows Up Differently at Work vs. In Your Side Hustle
How workplace structure and team dynamics shape “should” language
Why entrepreneurial spaces trigger different forms of self-pressure

✅ Behavioral Science Insights
How “should” activates the brain’s threat response
Why vague, internalized expectations lead to avoidance, burnout, or overwork

✅ Real Client Examples
From “I should be charging more” to “They should just figure it out”—what’s really going on beneath the surface

✅ Reframes that Work
Practical shifts to turn judgment into clarity, and shame into strategic action

✅ Leadership Self-Check Framework
How to spot hidden “shoulds” in your team culture and communication—and what to say instead

🔹 “Should” language creates invisible pressure—and often unrealistic expectations
🔹 Self-awareness is the first step to shifting your inner dialogue
🔹 Clear, values-aligned language fuels better leadership and less self-sabotage
🔹 You don’t have to drop all your “shoulds”—just start noticing and reframing them

Most of the time, no one agreed to the rulebook you’re following.
Pause. Ask. Reframe. You get to choose what story shapes your next step.

🎯 Ready to let go of your “shoulds”? Join the Unlearning Work Community for our May Challenge: Stop ‘Shoulding’ and Start Leading Clearly.

💬 Share your reflections with us on social media or in the Unlearning Work Community.
🔗 Visit unlearningwork.com to dive deeper into tools and resources that support effective feedback.

📲 Download the Unlearning Work App for easy access to leadership tools, habit trackers, and new episodes.
📥 Get Exclusive Insights via the Work Reimagined Newsletter.
🎧 Subscribe to the Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite app.
⭐ Leave a Review if you found this episode valuable—it helps others find the show!
📲 Follow Erin Merideth on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIN for more practical tips on leadership and behavioral change.