The Mental Offload Podcast

In an always-on culture, where work is more and more "greedy" about wanting our time and availability, how can we achieve balance? At the Mental Offload, we've created a framework for achieving balance. It has 4 elements, that work together to support – or undermine – your balance. Your time, your team, your systems, and your mindset.  Your balance will only be as good as the weakest of these 4. I...

Gratitude. It's touted as the solution for so many of the ills of modern living. And the promise is a good one: more contentment, more mindfulness of the good things (and good relationships) in our lives. Sounds wonderful, right? Except when it's used as a way to paper over our legitimate complaints, unfairness and bias, or disparities in the mental load. There's a whole industry built on gratitud...

If you've achieved big things personally or professionally, chances are you're highly competent. And although this is a major asset, it can also be a trap.  Have you ever been told that you "don't seem like she needs help"? Or heard that your high standards are the problem? This is common for Overcompetent women: high-achievers who do things to a higher standard than most people. And so they often...

In the throes of parenting, it might seem normal to be sleep deprived. Many of us say we need more sleep, but aren't getting it. And it may seem like there's no way to get more…unless we start to shortchange our "me time".  In some households, that might look like general sleep debt, affecting all adults in the household. In others, it opens up the start of household inequality, where you're chron...

Who do you turn to for career advice? Some people turn to friends outside of work, others put all the responsibility in the hands of their leaders. These might seem like solid options they can think of as they consider their professional development. But it's important to understand the limits of how friends (and peers) can support us in our development.  And we need to be mindful not to treat a b...

There's that old adage that "behind every successful man, stands a great woman." But behind every successful woman stands… what exactly? In most cases, there's a team. And while more women are open about this than they were in the past, women are still absorbing messages that the "ideal" is one that leaves them doing it all. Time to turn down that noise. In this episode, you'll learn: How the nucl...

Who doesn't have too much to do these days? There's usually too much stuff coming in for the 24 hours in a day. That can lead us to try to "just do it," trying to power our way through our to-do list. In this episode, we discuss why an "order taker" approach to getting things done usually backfires - leaving us exhausted and spread too thin. And why setting better priorities is the key to operatin...

How do you lead others through a time of layoffs, reorganizations, and end of year reviews? And how can you better support colleagues who may have just gotten the most difficult work news of their lives? Is there a "right" way to lay off an employee? Or to deliver a challenging performance review? Sometimes as leaders, we need to deliver bad news to good people. And we're often not given the guida...

What is imposter syndrome? And why does it seem to disproportionately affect high-achieving women?  When we're thrown into something new, whether by choice or by chance, it's natural to have some self-doubt. But sometimes the voice of those doubts can become way too loud for comfort. Women are more likely to grapple with Imposter Syndrome, and are often told we need to "fix it" in order to become...

Mom Guilt seems to lurk everywhere. Especially if you're a working mother. Work long hours? You're supposed to feel guilty about not being a good enough mother. Missing meetings when your kid is sick yet again? You're supposed to feel guilty about not being a good enough employee. How to escape from the guilt trap? Is it even possible?! In this episode, we go deep into Mom Guilt and shame, what ca...

Corporate leaders would tell you that women "lose" their ambition once they have children. The solution they offer: women need to lean in!  The only problem with that narrative? That crisis of ambition is…largely a myth. Some women opt out, but many feel forced out. And some are stuck in a state of analysis paralysis about how to proceed.  It's time for some real talk about women's ambition and th...

In many corporate environments, our days can feel like whack-a-mole: overscheduled, overstretched, too much time in meetings to tackle the important work. Add kids to the mix, and it can feel like there's no way to win. Is the idea of "having it all" a mirage, a dream that can never be attained? We'll confront the structural and cultural changes that are obstacles on the path to having it all. And...

The Mental Offload is here in podcast form! This is the podcast for women who want to excel as leaders without sacrificing a fulfilling family life. In the trailer, you'll hear about upcoming episodes tackling ambition, Mom guilt, and imposter syndrome. Hosted by Shawna Samuel, Yale MBA and Certified Feminist Coach.