Send us Fan Mail What if burnout has less to do with how much is on your plate, and more to do with the state you’re in when you walk into your day? This episode gives you a practical way to recover without disappearing on a retreat for a week. Kerrin Watson-Smith guides you through a short reset built around three steps: move, reflect and connect. You can do it with us at your desk, on a walk, or in the car. You’ll learn how to spot when you’re running on empty, what recovery really looks like for a business owner, and the smallest dose of rest that still makes a difference. It might be three slow breaths. It might be an alarm on your phone with a gentle chime. Either way, it’s a habit you can start today. This is the second episode of 1% Better, our limited series that runs across four episodes this year. Before each one, Kerrin and I run the same 5k together on camera, then walk straight into the studio, still catching our breath, and hit record. Since episode one, the goal has grown. I’ve signed up for the Auckland Marathon, and Kerrin is running Melbourne. That means 42.2 km each, and plenty of lessons about everything that happens off the road. Training your legs turns out to be the easy part. The sleep, the recovery and the head noise when the business gets loud are much harder. Kerrin Watson-Smith is the founder of Chi-Me, my running coach and a good friend. She’s also the one who pulls me back when things get hard and my instinct is to go harder. In this conversation, she explains what constant stress does to your decisions, your sleep and your body, and why the people who insist they don’t have time to stop are usually the ones who need it most. I own up to the burnout I hit before my trip to the Philippines, the health issues that just wouldn’t resolve, along with my old habit of firing off a heated email before thinking twice. Kerrin also shares what kept her going deep into Comrades, when she dedicated each of her final kilometres to a different person and a different reason for being there. What stayed with me most is that the pause doesn’t fix anything on its own. The difficult email, the hard conversation and the pressure are all still waiting for you. What changes is the person who meets them. Kerrin calls it choosing who walks through the door, and it’s a choice you can make every morning before the demands of the day start making it for you. If you’ve been pushing through and calling it fine, this is the episode to slow down for. In this episode: 42:21 A guided reset to choose how you start your workday 45:07 Move, reflect, connect: the three steps to meeting pressure from a steadier place 54:31 Why your body steps in when your mind won’t slow down 58:13 Why drifting during a mindful moment isn’t failure 59:22 The smallest dose of rest that still counts 01:03:33 Why the people who say they don’t have time need it most 01:10:30 The recovery mistake driven people make most often 01:18:37 What kept Kerrin going deep into Comrades 01:25:49 The lie high performers tell right before they burn out 01:30:52 Why heart prints matter more than followers About Kerrin: Kerrin Watson-Smith is the founder of Chi-Me, a structured mental fitness framework built to help people strengthen psychological resilience and sustain performance without burning out. Her work bridges movement, mindfulness and practical mental training, built around four pillars: self-esteem, clarity of goals, social connection and wellness. With a background in sport and psychology, she believes mental fitness should be trained with the same intention as physical fitness. A three-time Comrades runner and Ironman finisher, she now lives in Perth, where she coaches and runs, and where this series began. Connect with Kerrin: Instagram: @thatgirlwhoruns | @chi_me_australia LinkedIn Email: inspire@chi-me.co.za With thanks to the sponsors behind this exclusive series: • Cuppa Cartel, the coffee fuelling our conversations. Enjoy a special rate on all coffee beans with code TRBLC at checkout. • Chi-Me, Kerrin's mental fitness framework. • Design Studio Perth, the branding studio behind the show. • Beam Theory, dentist designed, enamel safe teeth whitening. • MyGene, personalised genetic testing and healthspan programs. • Project Rhino KZN, protecting rhino populations across KwaZulu-Natal. Discover your brand's potential with a free Brand Discovery session at http://designstudioperth.com.au/brand-discovery About Tracy: Tracy Fryer is the Director of Design Studio Perth, a branding and marketing agency dedicated to helping clients grow with confidence through brand strategy, identity, websites and marketing. As the host of The Real Biz Life Chronicles, Tracy brings raw, insightful conversations that push entrepreneurs to embrace bold growth, develop strategic branding, and lead with unapologetic confidence. Her approach is refreshingly real, blending deep expertise with a passion for authenticity, creative excellence, and business success. Connect with Tracy Fryer: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok | Design Studio Perth Follow The Real Biz Life Chronicles: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube Email us at info@therealbizlifchronicles.com
