Episode #12  | Work-Life Balance: Avoiding Depletion For Peak Productivity – Curbing The Predators

 

[00:00:00] INTRODUCTION

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[00:00:00] Taty Fittipaldi: How many times in the week do you wake up like a zombie? And feel dragging your feet to complete simple tasks? Oh, frack those days are not as thrilling as an episode of the walking dead, right?

[00:00:14] Taty Fittipaldi: In today’s episode, we will discuss the fine balance between putting in the right time to complete our work and putting in the right time to focus on wellbeing.

[00:00:25] Taty Fittipaldi: We will also talk about how we fall prey and to what, when we break this balance and how to explore some triggers that affect our behaviors and decisions. Prepare to get your apocalyptic pistols and let’s kill some zombies.

[00:00:42] INTRODUCTION: Hello and welcome to The Leadership Nest Podcast. The podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science to soar the leadership in you. I’m your host, Taty Fittipaldi. As always, our podcast will be [00:01:00] divided into three phases. A story, a lesson, and its application. This way, you can have structure and information while also having some fun.

[00:01:12] INTRODUCTION: This program is brought to you by… by Coaching Expatriates.

[00:01:17] TODAY’S STORY

[00:01:17] TODAY’S STORY: Today’s story.

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[00:01:29] Taty Fittipaldi: In the heart of a lush forest, there lived the diligence squirrel named Laila. Her days were a whirlwind of activity, as she tirelessly gathered acorns for the approaching winter.

[00:01:46] Taty Fittipaldi: She prided herself on her hard work, but often neglected her own wellbeing in the process. One brisk autumn morning, while Laila was deep in the woods, her attention fixed on the acorns [00:02:00] above, she failed to notice the stealthy approach of a starving Fox named Felix.

[00:02:07] Taty Fittipaldi: With her stamina depleted from weeks of nonstop gathering, she lacked the energy and alertness needed to outsmart the cunning predator. Felix, with his eye gleaming with hunger, sprang forward, closing in on Laila, with every leap.

[00:02:25] Taty Fittipaldi: Panic gripped her heart, as she realized she was in grave danger. She darted from tree to tree, but her tired legs faltered, and her decision-making abilities were dulled. Deciding a simple path to escape, was excrutiatingly difficult.

[00:02:45] Taty Fittipaldi: The Fox’s snarls grew closer. And the scape seemed impossible.

[00:02:51] Taty Fittipaldi: Just when it seemed all hope was lost, a blur of fur and feathers swooped down from above. It was Oliver. [00:03:00] A wise old owl, known for his keen perception and quick thinking.

[00:03:05] Taty Fittipaldi: With a swift and calculated maneuver, Oliver distracted Felix, allowing Laila a moment to catch her breath.

[00:03:13] Taty Fittipaldi: As Felix turned his attention to the agile owl, Laila scrambled up a tree to safety. From her perch, she watched in awe, as Oliver outwitted the Fox with a series of cunning maneuvers and graceful dives. In the end, Felix slunk away, defeated and hungry.

[00:03:37] Taty Fittipaldi: Laila descended from the tree to greet Oliver. Her heart filled with gratitude for her feathered friend. Oliver, with a knowing look in his eyes, gently reminded Laila of the importance of maintaining a balance between hard work and self care.

[00:03:54] Taty Fittipaldi: He explained that her exhaustion had made her an easy target for [00:04:00] predators.

[00:04:00] Taty Fittipaldi: And it was crucial to prioritize her wellbeing, to thrive in the forest.

[00:04:05] Taty Fittipaldi: Laila took Oliver’s advice to heart. She continued her diligent work, but now she interspersed moments of rest, relaxation, socializing with her friends. Her fur regained its luster, her energy levels surged, and her decision-making abilities also sharpened.

[00:04:25] Taty Fittipaldi: As the winter descended upon the forest, laila had an ample stash of acorns, but she also had something equally precious. A new found appreciation for the importance of self care. She knew that by maintaining a balance between her hard work and wellbeing, she not only ensured her survival, but also lived a richer and more fulfilling life in the forest.

[00:04:49] Taty Fittipaldi: Laila’s encountere with Felix, and her rescue by Oliver, became a tale passed down through generations. A reminder to all the forest creatures of the [00:05:00] delicate balance between diligence and self care. And the wisdom of never losing sight of one’s wellbeing in the pursuit of success.

[00:05:08] SPONSOR’S NOTE: This episode is sponsored by Coaching Expatriates, a leading global executive development company that helps leaders around the world create happier and more profitable workplaces using the four success pillars in global leadership, an innovative leadership learning methodology. Visit their website at www.

[00:05:29] SPONSOR’S NOTE: coachingexpatriates. com.

[00:05:35] TODAY’S LESSON

[00:05:35] TODAY’S LESSON: Today’s lesson.

[00:05:44] Taty Fittipaldi: You know what’s funny? How we often treat our wellbeing as if it’s some separate entity from our worklife. It’s like, we’ve got this invisible wall between me time and work time. And we’re always trying to balance them out. [00:06:00] But guess what? There is no wall. Because the wall should not be placed in the time dimension. It should be placed on the energy dimension.

[00:06:09] Taty Fittipaldi: You see. How we do one thing is how we do all things. And if we don’t take care of ourselves, We’re probably also not taking good care of anyone else, as well as we could. It’s like those plain safety instructions. When the plane is falling down, we should put our masks first, then help others put on theirs.

[00:06:30] Taty Fittipaldi: Taking care of yourself is more of a mindset. And it’s part of our job description. Even if it’s not written there. If we are not on the top of our game, to work and perform, we’re missing something. Missing something as important as if we’re missing a skill or a tool for the job. But we often don’t realize it or don’t look it that way.

[00:06:54] Taty Fittipaldi: Our energy and wellbeing is a tool for work. Like anything else.

[00:06:59] Taty Fittipaldi: Let’s talk [00:07:00] about the duality of taking care of ourselves and being productive at work. I mean, think about it. When was the last time you had a terrible night’s sleep, and woke up feeling like a zombie. How productive were you that day? I’m guessing not very. Your brain was all foggy. And even the simplest tasks felt like climbing the Mount Everest. It’s like trying to run a Ferrari on empty gas. It just won’t work.

[00:07:33] Taty Fittipaldi: Our mental and physical wellbeing is the fuel that powers our productivity engine. When we are well rested, we think more clearly, we’re more focused, and we tackle tasks with Gusto. So the next time someone tells you to pull an all-nighter, to meet a deadline, just remember that it’s not a badge of honor. It’s actually a one ticket to [00:08:00] productivity burnout.

[00:08:01] Taty Fittipaldi: Now let’s face it: in today’s world, very rarely do I see a boss, demanding their employees to pull an all nighter. Although it still happens. But what I see happening most often is the individual saying that there is no other way, but to pull an all nighter.

[00:08:20] Taty Fittipaldi: And some times, depending on the deadline, what the topic is, the urgency, et cetera, it is indeed the only solution. But if burning the midnight oil is really frequent, frequent as in more than two or three times per week, then there is something wrong.

[00:08:37] Taty Fittipaldi: You are pushing your energy beyond the invisible wall that will impact your wellbeing. You are the one putting the pressure on yourself.

[00:08:47] Taty Fittipaldi: And we will talk about workload management in a future episode, but if the workload is not being properly managed, to the point that you have to overwork all the time, it [00:09:00] means it’s time to change some habits and ways of thinking, that are not serving you, to something that not only serves you, but also empowers you.

[00:09:10] Taty Fittipaldi: Now, I wanted to shift gears a little bit, to go back to our story. Laila had quite the scare, right? When she met Felix, the Fox, and was unprepared for the run. Who is Felix, the Fox in the real life? What are the quote and quote predators in our lives, in similar situations to Laila’s, when we are exhausted, fatigued, and drained?

[00:09:36] Taty Fittipaldi: In the real world, when people are tired, exhausted, and lacking energy, they can become vulnerable to various predators, that can affect their wellbeing and performance. Let’s have a strategic stop here, and list these predators and what science and research have to say about them, before we continue.

[00:09:57] Taty Fittipaldi:  Number one, negative [00:10:00] self-talk. When fatigued, research shows that individuals may be more prone to self criticism and negative self-talk, erouding their self-esteem and confidence.

[00:10:11] Taty Fittipaldi: Number two. Poor decision-making. Exhaustion can impair cognitive functions, leading to hasty or uninformed decisions, that may have negative consequences.

[00:10:22] Taty Fittipaldi: Number three. Lack of focus and attention to detail. Reduced energy levels can result in diminished concentration and higher likelihood of overlooking important details.

[00:10:33] Taty Fittipaldi: For example, the other day that I was truly exhausted and overworked, I did not pay attention at the end of the day that the windows update button meant upgrading to windows 11. I pushed the button, and regretted for the rest of my life. Sorry, Microsoft windows 11 sucks. And it was all because I was tired and not prone to focus and give [00:11:00] attention to detail at that time.

[00:11:02] Taty Fittipaldi: Number four. Errors and omissions. Fatigue can lead to increase mistakes, oversights, and omissions in tasks or work, potentially affecting the quality of the output.

[00:11:13] Taty Fittipaldi: Number five. Poor immunity. Chronic exhaustion weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illness and infections.

[00:11:23] Taty Fittipaldi: Number six. Snappy behavior. Tiredness can make people irritable, and quick to anger, causing conflicts and strained relationships.

[00:11:34] Taty Fittipaldi: Number seven. Issues in communication. Exhausted individuals may struggle to express themselves clearly, leading to misunderstandings and miscommunications.

[00:11:44] Taty Fittipaldi: Number eight. Emotional instability. Lack of rest can result in emotional instability, with mood swings, and heightened sensitivity to stressors.

[00:11:55] Taty Fittipaldi: Number nine. Impaired problem solving. Complex problem solving [00:12:00] abilities can suffer when individuals are fatigued, making it difficult to address challenges effectively.

[00:12:06] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 10. Reduced creativity. Exhaustion can hinder creative thinking and innovation, impacting problem solving and decision-making.

[00:12:16] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 11. Risk of burnout. Chronic exhaustion, if left unaddressed, can contribute to burnout, characterized by physical and emotional depletion.

[00:12:27] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 12. Strained relationships. Fatigue can strain personal and professional relationships due to reduced patience, empathy, and communication skills.

[00:12:39] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 13. Reduced productivity. A lack of energy can lead to decreased productivity, as individuals struggle to stay motivated and engaged in their tasks.

[00:12:50] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 14. Health issues. Prolonged fatigue can contribute to a range of health issues, including insomnia, headaches, and [00:13:00] even digestive problems.

[00:13:02] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 15. Mental health challenges. Persistent exhaustion can increase the risk of mental health issues, like anxiety and depression.

[00:13:11] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 16. Over thinking. Fatigue can lead to heightened levels of rumination and overthinking, causing individuals to dwell excessively on problems and scenarios, often leading to increased stress and anxiety.

[00:13:28] Taty Fittipaldi: Number 17. Overeating as a stress coping mechanism. When energy levels are low and stress is high, some individuals may turn to overeating as a way to soothe their emotions, potentially leading to unhealthy eating habits and weight gain.

[00:13:46] Taty Fittipaldi: If you relate to any of these 17 situations, you are probably not balancing work and wellbeing properly, and are falling prey to one of these Felix, the Fox.

[00:13:58] Taty Fittipaldi: So we have [00:14:00] 17 types of foxes that prey on us whenever we hit that wall of the energy dimension that goes to exhaustion and depletion, and that can ruin the day and our plans.

[00:14:13] Taty Fittipaldi: It is already bad that we’re depleted, but on top of that, we’ll have one of those 17 negative outcomes impacting our days, our projects, our relationships, and so on. To avoid being prey, we must avoid being depleted.

[00:14:31] Taty Fittipaldi: The lesson today is not just about balancing how much work we need to put in and our wellbeing, but also learning that every one of us has a way of thinking or triggers that make us decide to push ourselves a little further, through the wall that leads to depletion.

[00:14:51] Taty Fittipaldi: And if we want to be better leaders, we must learn what these triggers are for us, so that we can avoid them, to [00:15:00] avoid becoming depleted and pray to one of those Felix, that fox, of life.

[00:15:05] Taty Fittipaldi: I could babble all day long, but the reality is that each one of us has different reasons why we pass through this wall. No one knows what’s going on in our heads and why we make the decisions to overwork to the bone, instead of taking care of our wellbeing.

[00:15:24] Taty Fittipaldi: For some, like Alex in episode five, it is the possibility of praise and success. For others, it could be something else. So in the next section, I will invite you to start thinking what your something else is.

[00:15:39] NARRATOR’S NOTE: You’re listening to The Leadership Nest, the podcast that nests stories, knowledge, and science to soar the leadership in you, with your host Taty Fittipaldi.

[00:15:57] TODAY’S TIPS TO APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED

[00:15:57] TODAY’S TIPS TO APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED: [00:16:00] Today’s tips to apply what you learned.

[00:16:06] Taty Fittipaldi: If you closely analyzed this episode, you will notice that we’re providing a nuanced perspective on personal leadership topic. If you want to learn the basics about personal leadership, you can listen more about it in episode five of The Leadership Nest podcast. But just to quickly recap. Personal leadership is one of the four success pillars in the global leadership pillars. And it’s the ability to take care of one’s wellbeing, have an assertive and positive mental game, manage willpower, control stress, and lead a balanced life to exert full personal power. The four pillars of global leadership are personal leadership, which leads self for greater performance. People leadership, which leads people to empower a vision. Organizational leadership, which leads ideas, to create positive business impact. And cultural [00:17:00] leadership, which leads behavior to create an inclusive and happy workplace.

[00:17:05] Taty Fittipaldi: So this episode is all about managing ourselves for greater performance, and what we fall prey to when we don’t.

[00:17:12] Taty Fittipaldi: The lesson today is not just about balancing how much work we need to put in and our wellbeing, but also learning that every one of us has a way of thinking or triggers that make us decide to push ourselves a little further, through the wall that leads to depletion.

[00:17:32] Taty Fittipaldi: So the first tip today is to ponder what your triggers are, and give them a label. For example. I have one label for me and it’s called almost there. When I’m engaging the ‘almost there’ trigger, I’m overworking, thinking that I’ve done so much already, that there is no point in stopping now and not finishing the task I’m working on. This usually translates into another two [00:18:00] extra hours of work. The thinking is that I’m in the stretch run of a marathon, so I better sprint to the finish line.

[00:18:08] Taty Fittipaldi: But very often the finish line being right there is an illusion. What I think is just another 20 minutes, turns out to be two hours of work. And I don’t even notice it.

[00:18:20] Taty Fittipaldi: I want you to think about three to five labels that make you over work. In other words, things that you also do that end up putting you in a place of depletion afterward. Don’t just think about the behavior. As I said, put a label on the behavior. Studies show that when we put labels on behaviors, we can process and deal with them better.

[00:18:44] Taty Fittipaldi: The second step is thinking about an alternative for each of your labels. For example, another label of mine is, my promise. And usually this has to do with me being stubborn about what I said I would do, and not [00:19:00] wanting to deviate from my plans. I don’t want to break a promise to myself. If I said I would deliver something, I want to do it.

[00:19:08] Taty Fittipaldi: It’s in my work ethic.

[00:19:10] Taty Fittipaldi: But that’s exactly the catch! The alternative is to rethink the promise and realize that I’m pushing myself to depletion. The current promise clearly is not realistic. In previous episodes, we talked about managing expectations, right? And we talked about the importance of regular check-ins to reevaluate and renegotiate expectations and commitments. The same thing applies here. We must think about alternatives, for each of our labels, and manage our own expectations and of those around us.

[00:19:45] Taty Fittipaldi: In this previous example, if the promise also involved someone else, I’d have to go back to them and renegotiate. So think about what could be an alternative behavior for each of those labels you created.

[00:19:59] Taty Fittipaldi: Then [00:20:00] the third tip is to catch yourself in the act. Every time you see yourself engaging in one of those labels, think about your alternative and change the way you are thinking and your actions. The reason why I’m giving you these tips today is that science shows that when we think about triggers and alternatives ahead of time, When they happen, it becomes easier to change the behavior, because we already thought it out and have actions in place. Bit by bit we’ll change the behavior, the more we practice a new alternative.

[00:20:36] Taty Fittipaldi: If this type of mental exercise is tough for you, and you see yourself often putting too much pressure on yourself and over working, then get an experienced coworker, mentor, our coach to do this exercise with. It’s really important to know your labels and alternatives ahead of time, so that when you catch yourself in the act, you have an [00:21:00] ACE in the back of your pocket and can quickly use it.

[00:21:03] Taty Fittipaldi: Or if someone else catches you in the act, which is a good segway for my last tip.

[00:21:10] Taty Fittipaldi: Find someone to help you catch yourself in the act. Get an accountability partner to poke you every time you are displaying this unwanted behavior.

[00:21:20] Taty Fittipaldi: I have two accountability partners: my husband, and believe it or not, my dog. Whenever I’m pushing myself past 8:00 PM, my dog comes bark at me, almost like saying, it’s time to stop! So when he does that, it’s easy to catch myself in the act. I then use one of my alternatives, and we have a happy ending. At least, for another day.

[00:21:46] KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:21:46] KEY TAKEAWAYS: key Takeaways

[00:21:56] Taty Fittipaldi: , number one. It’s important to balance how much time we put into [00:22:00] our work and how much time we put into our wellbeing, so that we can keep our energy levels up and stay productive.

[00:22:07] Taty Fittipaldi: Number two. There are 17 Felix, the Fox in real life, that prey on us, whenever we are depleted. The more depleted we are, the easier time they’ll have to pray on us. Each of these 17 things has awful consequences in our lives, relationships, projects, and overall objectives. To avoid being prey, we must avoid being depleted.

[00:22:33] Taty Fittipaldi: Number three, the lesson today is not just about balancing how much work we need to put in and our wellbeing, but also learning that everyone of us has a way of thinking or triggers that make us decide to push ourselves a little further, through the wall that leads to depletion.

[00:22:53] Taty Fittipaldi: Number four. To act on this lesson, science shows that we have to clearly identify what [00:23:00] our actions and behaviors are, by putting a label on them. Then, we have to think about alternative possibilities or behaviors ahead of time. And then, try to catch ourselves in the act of that very behavior. And engaged the alternative behavior or action. Bit by bit, we can change the behavior, the more we practice a new alternative.

[00:23:24] Taty Fittipaldi: Number five, having an accountability partner to point out our behaviors when overworking is decisive in helping us change this behavior. It’s important to have an accountability partner, who will poke us and point out that we’re doing something we decided to change. This reminder is super helpful.

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[00:23:46] HIGHLIGHTS

[00:23:46] Taty Fittipaldi: This brings us to the end of this leadership Nest episode. I hope you have enjoyed learning about ways to avoid depletion due to overwork, so that you can stay productive and energized on a regular [00:24:00] basis. Tune into our episode next week, when we will chat about how missing information can lead to assumptions and bad decisions or misunderstandings.

[00:24:10] Taty Fittipaldi: Wherever you are in the globe, this is Taty Fittipaldi wishing you a beautiful day.

[00:24:16] Taty Fittipaldi: If you have any questions, you’d like us to answer in a future episode of this show, just go to speakpipe.com/tatyfittipaldi or click the link in the show notes, to leave us a brief audio message.

[00:24:34] Taty Fittipaldi: Make sure to visit us on our website www.theleadershipnest.com, where you can subscribe to our show anywhere podcasts are streamed, so you never miss the fun.

[00:24:47] Taty Fittipaldi: While there, if you find value in our show, you can also subscribe to our global leadership weekly newsletter from Coaching Expatriates®, where we deliver bite-sized lessons on global leadership, [00:25:00] decision-making, and cultural competence to help you learn how to think, relate and strategize in a whole different way as a global leader.

[00:25:09] Taty Fittipaldi: If you liked our show, you might want to check her online global executive leadership program. A nine week leadership development and learning system, that will help you lead internationally while making financially conscious and impactful business decisions.

[00:25:24] Taty Fittipaldi: Taty Fittipaldi is also available for private coaching. See the websites for more details at www.coachingexpatriates.com/executive-coaching.

[00:25:37] Taty Fittipaldi: Thanks for joining us this week on The Leadership Nest podcast. Be sure to tune in next week for our next episode. Until the next time, keep nesting.

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