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When work takes up so much space in our days and our minds, that’s when burnout can start to creep up on us. We become so engrossed in our jobs that it’s hard to switch off, which makes us tired and less effective both in and outside of work.
In this remix of episode 188, Nick Petrie talks about finding your “opposite world” to beat burnout. It’s an activity or identity that’s the polar opposite of what we do at work, which requires different skills and mindsets.
For example, if your job is highly logical and mentally taxing, an opposite world might involve physical activity or creative arts – something that engage your body and heart instead of your mind.
To find our opposite world, identify activities that are truly different from your work tasks. Experiment with various options like dance, nature walks, or playing a musical instrument. Regular spent in your opposite world will give you a mental and emotional break from work.
Show links
More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
- Surprising Ways to Avoid Burnout – Episode 188, with Nick Petrie
- How to Avoid Burnout on Repeat – Episode 160, with Dr Claire Ashley
- The Biggest Mistakes People Make When They are Heading for Burnout – Episode 222
Download the episode’s podsheet. You can use it for reflection and to submit for your appraisal as part of your CPD.
About the guests
Nick is a researcher and speaker on leadership, resilience and burnout prevention. Nick helps organisations prepare for the future by creating solutions that help leaders be more adaptable, resilient and strategic. He holds a Masters degree from Harvard University and is the author of the book Work Without Stress: Building Resilience for Long Term Success.
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Reasons to listen
- To discover how opposite worlds can help you beat burnout
- To learn practical examples of activities that can help you switch off from work effectively
- To understand the importance of having multiple identities and how it can contribute to your overall wellbeing
Episode highlights
Introducing opposite worlds
The risk of finding a world not opposite enough
Six types of opposite world
Episode transcript
[00:00:00] Rachel: What do you do to really switch off from work? Well, often we go to the gym or play a musical instrument, but often we bring aspects of our work life into these hobbies that we’ve got, like being really competitive or being goal-driven or having to be perfect when we learn a new skill. [00:00:17] Back in October last year, I spoke to Nick Petrie who research has been out. And what he found was that a loss of the activities that people do outside of work don’t actually recharge their batteries, because they have too many…
