You Are Not A Frog Dr Rachel Morris

Do you give yourself permission to rest? If you’re like many people in caring professions, you worry that taking time out to look after yourself means not spending that time helping others. That thinking may have got you to your position now, but is it serving you, or is it time to update your operating system?
The problem with rest is that we often confuse it with inaction. But rest from work doesn’t have to mean rest from activity. As this week’s guest, Nick Petrie discovered, for high achievers, rest could be going to the gym or Argentinian tango. Nick’s research shows that the way to beat burnout is not to stop doing things altogether, but to find things you love to do, but that are entirely outside of your sphere of work.
Choosing what you do outside of work needs to be done with care, however. If you’re used to working in a fast-paced and competitive environment, a gym where everyone’s visibly pushing themselves to beat their neighbour might not give you the release you need.
But engaging in activities or hobbies that give you a complete break from work and allow you to reconnect with your body and emotions could be instrumental in preventing burnout.
Listen to this episode toDiscover surprising factors that contribute to burnout.Hear examples from high-performing people about the patterns and correlations of burnout across different fields.Find out how people successfully manage burnout by finding activities that let them switch off and recharge.
Episode highlights[00:04:41] Correlations of burnout[00:15:23] Opposite worlds[00:22:46] The risk of finding a world not opposite enough[00:26:22] Six types of opposite world[00:28:47] More correlations of burnout[00:32:31] Sharing in others' experiences[00:36:07] Creating mechanisms for yourself[00:38:11] The burnout curve[00:41:35] Allostatic overload[00:43:25] Three degrees of burn[00:46:08] Catching the warning signs in yourself and others[00:49:11] Nick's top tips
About the guestNick Petrie 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.
LinkedIn | Website
ResourcesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Get Some Air Cover to Help You Set Boundaries – Episode 181How to Avoid Burnout on Repeat – Episode 160The Truth About Burnout – Episode 25Nick’s LinkedIn posts on burnouta href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/presence-mind/202010/what-does-allostatic-load-mean-your-health" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

We all get stressed or overwhelmed with our daily responsibilities from time to time. But we’re not always good at telling them apart. And this is important, because the way out of overwhelm is different form the way out of stress.
Stress is caused when the demands on us outweigh the resources we feel we have to cope. Overwhelm happens when high amounts of stress make us feel like we can't cope with our lives' demands. The way out of overwhelm is non-doing, resting, and letting our nervous system settle down.
Prolonged stress and overwhelm can lead to burnout, which just puts more stress on our nervous system, and makes it harder for us to function. In this quick dip, Rachel offers practical advice to help you take care of yourself, recognise overwhelm, and give yourself the time you need to rest.
Listen to this episodeTo learn the difference between stress and overwhelmTo discover the benefits of non-doing and how it can help you overcome overwhelmFor practical tips on reducing overwhelm in the future
Episode highlights[00:03:19] Mindful play[00:05:03] The F**k it mindset[00:06:58] What will future me thank me for? (midroll)[00:08:16] Permission to stop
ResourcesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:How to Say F**k it and Become Ridiculously Relaxed – Episode 130 with John C ParkinThe Perils of Perfectionism – Episode 22 with Nicky OdgersWhat to Do When You are Overwhelmed – Episode 132 with Gerrie HawesHow to Escape the Drama Triangle and Stop Rescuing People – Episode 75 with Annie HanekomAtlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, by Brené BrownDownload the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.
Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.
Connect with RachelHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:
LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.com
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Mentioned in this episode:
Join our Who Needs a Hero webinar and help your team beat stress.

Confronting anxiety is easier said than done. It’s hard enough with adults, but with children it’s even more tough. Anxiety keeps us safe, but often we over-predict that something bad will happen and under-predict our ability to cope. The key is to learn how to manage anxiety before it becomes a problem.
This week’s guest is educational psychologist Nicky Odgers. She specialises in working with kids who are feeling anxious about attending school. A lot of what she helps kids with applies to adults – things like mapping thoughts and emotions to physical sensations, replacing negative thoughts with more realistic ones, and practicing techniques to help us relax.
Anxiety can interfere with our lives and become a problem if it goes unaddressed. Naturally we want to avoid things that cause us anxiety, but this stops us from learning that we can cope and that the terrible thing we fear may never happen.
Listen to this episode toLearn about anxiety in children and teenagers, and how it can manifest as school avoidanceGain insight into how anxiety affects adults, including healthcare professionals, and how to manage it effectivelyUnderstand the thought patterns, physical sensations, and behaviours associated with anxiety, and how to address them to prevent avoidance and build coping skills
Episode highlights[00:03:46] Epidemic of anxiety[00:09:21] Anxiety as pathology[00:14:00] Thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and behaviours[00:20:54] Safety behaviours[00:23:26] When is it right to step in and offer help[00:29:18] Anxiety in healthcare[00:31:47] How to persuade someone their fears are unfounded[00:34:35] Mind-reading[00:41:03] Teaching people to solve problems[00:45:14] Worry time and worry monsters[00:47:14] Distracting yourself from worry[00:48:24] Helpful safety behaviour[00:49:52] Helping anxious people[00:52:48] Neurodiversity and autism[00:55:58] Nicky's tips for managing anxiety
About the guestNicky Odgers is an educational psychologist with a particular interest in school anxiety. She helps parents and schools to support children and young people to feel less anxious about attending school, to better manage their emotions, to develop their confidence, to initiate and sustain positive relationships and be more successful in their learning.
LinkedIn | Website
ResourcesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerEpisode 22: The Perils of PerfectionismEpisode 181: Get Some Air Cover to Help You Set BoundariesSchool Anxiety Support for Parents – Facebook groupNicky’s information and resource for parents and schools about school anxiety and EBSADownload Nicky's free handout for children, young people, and parentsa...

Do you find yourself thinking "it will be better tomorrow", or believing things will improve in a few months' time “when x happens”?
In this quick dip episode, Rachel reveals how waiting for outside events to occur leads to more problems – because even when tomorrow comes, we’re still the same person facing the same challenges as we were yesterday.
This mindset can lead us to looking for partial solutions which ultimately keep us from solving our bigger problems. But by focusing on our zone of power, we can reclaim agency over the things we can change, instead of waiting on events we can’t control.
If we don’t try and take control, we can end up in a continued cycle of waiting for tomorrow to come. This leads to more stress, burnout, and exhaustion becoming the norm. But when we’re in our zone of power, we’ll find it much easier to deal with what today and tomorrow has in store.
Listen to this episode toChallenge your "it’ll be better tomorrow" mindsetLearn practical strategies for creating urgency and focusing on your zone of powerKnow when to wait and see, and when to take action
Episode highlights[00:02:18] Making it better now[00:03:13] Going down the vortext of busiyness[00:04:20] Urgency to change[00:05:59] What is the burning platform?[00:07:26] Be in your zone of power[00:08:25] If I could wave a magic wand[00:09:36] Ignore things for a period[00:10:38] Watchful waiting[00:12:01] Take action
ResourcesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:What Happens When We’re Really Listened to – Episode 180, with Tom DillonHow to Use Power Language to Keep Your Boundaries Strong – Episode 179
Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.
Connect with RachelHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:
LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.com
Find out more about our training
Mentioned in this episode:
Join our Who Needs a Hero webinar and help your team beat stress.

One way or another, menopause affects everyone at some point. If you’re not experiencing symptoms yourself, you almost certainly know or work with someone who is. That’s why understanding its effects and being able to offer support and compassion is so important.
Women going through menopause can experience a wide range of physical, psychological, and hormonal symptoms. These symptoms often go unnoticed or ignored, which can impact confidence and increase anxiety. Lack of confidence or temporary difficulty in making decisions can lead to organisations losing talented, experienced women who thought they were experiencing cognitive decline. By perpetuating the stigma and embarrassment around menopause, we prevent women from seeking help and support.
But there are resources and solutions available to help women manage their symptoms and continue to thrive at work - and Dr Claire Kaye joins us this week to talk through what we can all do.
It starts with becoming more aware of the symptoms of menopause and recognising when they’re affecting us or our colleagues.
If you’re looking for support with menopause, lifestyle changes like sleep hygiene, exercise, and nutrition can help. There are also medications available, but coaching can have a huge impact.
We can educate ourselves and others about the symptoms and resources available, and seek out support from in-house Menopause Ambassadors, as well as support groups. If you’re experiencing menopause or perimenopause, coaching and medical support is available.
Listen to this episode toUnderstand more about the physical and mental symptoms of menopause, and how they can affect people's work and personal lives.Learn about the importance of awareness, education, and support for people going through menopause, especially in the workplace.Discover resources and strategies for managing menopause symptoms, including lifestyle changes, medication, coaching, and group support.
Episode highlights[00:03:14] What is the menopause[00:12:18] What can women do to help themselves?[00:18:35] Caring for yourself[00:30:12] Is it a midlife crisis?[00:32:14] What we tell kids about the menopause[00:33:49] Invisibility[00:37:19] Claire's tips[00:45:46] Rachel's tips
About the guestDr Claire Kaye, an executive career coach who specialises in career development and perimenopause and menopause in the workplace. She works with women who are experiencing symptoms of the menopause and helps them find ways to thrive while maintaining their careers and personal lives.
LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Website
ResourcesBalance: free menopause and perimenopause symptom tracker appTHRIVE Weekly PlannerMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Episode 117: The Surprising Power of Self Coaching (and How to Do it Well)Episode 124: How to Change When Change is Scarya href="https://youarenotafrog.com/episodes/107/"...

So many of us are caught up in a vortex of busyness. We end up working harder and harder without doing anything that re-energises us, all because we feel like we have no other choice.
As healthcare professionals, we feel like rest is a reward for good behaviour, but it's a basic human need, and a professional responsibility. Why? Because rest makes us better at our job, and – frankly – we deserve it.
In this quick dip episode, Rachel explores ways we can give ourselves permission to rest and remind ourselves that it's not something we need to earn. When we give ourselves that space, our wellbeing and productivity will improve.
Nobody else is going to give us the time or permission, so we need to do this for ourselves. It will inevitably come with some guilt, but we can acknowledge that, then put our own wellbeing first and make it a professional priority.
Listen to this episode toLearn about rest and how it affects our brainsUnderstand the different zones that we operate from, and how they impact our performanceGet tips on how to prioritise rest and make time for it in your daily life
Episode highlights[00:02:22] What happens when we rest[00:04:34] Threat zone, drive zone, and rest zone[00:06:04] If we fail to rest[00:07:18] Why we find it so hard to rest[00:08:30] Giving ourselves permission[00:11:23] Summary
ResourcesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerRachel’s previous Facebook Lives:What puts you into the corner?What to do if you get ambushed in a meetingMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Why We Become Terrible in a Crisis – Episode 167
Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.
Connect with RachelHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:
LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.com
Find out more about our training
Mentioned in this episode:
Join our Who Needs a Hero webinar and help your team beat stress.