“Learning to tap into human potential by working smarter and not harder allowed me to achieve my goals without waking up tired every day. I could enjoy life and my family—travel and exercise more.”

- Ana Melikian

In this episode, I join Jenny Lynne at the Death of a Workaholic podcast to discuss unlocking human potential by working smarter—not harder. We explore my journey with dyslexia and how my relationship with work was shaped when I was around nine years old.

We discuss the pivotal moment that woke me up to the necessity of shifting my relationship with work. We also highlight how having clarity of priorities makes it easier to say “yes” and “no” and underscore the power of taking pauses.

This episode was rebroadcast here at the Mindset Zone with explicit consent from Jenny Lynne Erickson, the host of The Death of a Workaholic podcast.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Working hard at nine years old

How having dyslexia led me to develop a work ethic I’m proud of

How my relationship with work showed up in my career later in life

My diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer

How I learned to work smarter and not harder

Making peace with saying “no”

Human compassion and how people supported me while I sought treatment for cancer

Slipping back into old habits and looking at human potential from a different perspective

The Eisenhower Matrix and how I started working smarter

The importance and power of taking pauses

What micropauses are and how they help us reevaluate everything in our lives

Tricks to integrating micropauses in our daily lives

My definition of success

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Sometimes, it can be hard to recognize the deposits you’ve made over the years of working hard and that you can ask for something in return.” - Jenny Lynne Erickson

“The thing about situations like a cancer diagnosis or a divorce is that, suddenly, priorities become very clear, and what we say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to becomes easier because of that clarity.” - Ana Melikian

“ ‘Between stimulus and response is the space where we have the power to choose our response, and in our response lies our growth and freedom.’ But for us to see that space, we have to learn how to press the pause button.” - Ana Melikian

Resources Mentioned:

Original Episode: Death of a Workaholic Podcast Episode 06 - Work Smarter, Not Harder - Ana Melikian

Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Book: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

The interviewer:

Jenny Lynne Erickson is an entrepreneur, business advisor, writer, and the host of the Death of a Workaholic podcast. A keynote speaker on work-life integration, hustle culture, and leadership, Jenny Lynne is on a mission to guide entrepreneurs and leaders beyond workaholism and toward reorganizing their businesses. Jenny Lynne also serves as the Idea Activator behind ACThoughtful Consulting LLC, an organization that changes the odds for micro-businesses and helps them start and sustain their impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia University, St. Paul.

Connect with Jenny Lynne Erickson:

Jenny Lynne Erickson Website

ACThoughtful

Podcast: Death of a Workaholic

Jenny Lynne Erickson on LinkedIn

Jenny Lynne Erickson on Facebook

Jenny Lynne Erickson on Twitter

Email: [email protected]

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