Many of us can admit we work too much, and some may say we’re workaholics. In fact, we all come from a long line of ancestors pushed to work long hours all in the spirit of rugged individualism and achieving the next big thing. Whether it was by choice or not, we’ve been conditioned to chase production over knowing our own self worth and resting.

But these are different times. In our ongoing discussion related to how our workplaces can serve our whole selves better, we realize that the hours we spend at work pulls us away from the people and things that matter most in our lives. And, we’re seeing that it is taking a big toll on our physical and mental health, which we’re becoming less willing to sacrifice in today’s world.

Our workplaces and mindsets are going through a great reset. People all over the world are beginning to understand that work-life harmony is beneficial and generative for all of us. We are learning how to set boundaries that enable us to play, live, rest, and explore, that in the end will make us more engaged and productive at work. On the other hand, organizations can increase worker autonomy, or how much control one has over how they do their work, and provide greater flexibility, or the ability to work when and where is best for them. Organizations who have achieved these goals have seen workers more likely to succeed and stay at their jobs for longer, leading to increased quality of work and profits.

In this episode, Kevin Shah and Amy J. Wilson will go deep on this topic and explore how we got here, what it’s like now, and ways that we can increase boundaries, autonomy, and flexibility to live the lives we have imagined. They explore what’s possible now, and in the future in a world that is focused more on empathy and compassion over profit and exploiting our most valuable resource: its people.

Reference Materials:

Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html

Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/connection/index.html

The Twenty Questions from Workaholics Anonymous: https://workaholics-anonymous.org/10-literature/24-twenty-questions

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-Change-Create-Understanding-World, a guide to create positive transformation where we work, live, and play. Grab a copy anywhere books are sold or the audiobook on Audible.

Kevin A.K.A Captain Empathy is the Founder and CEO of Jaago (means to wake-up in Hindi). Jaago’s vision is to create a world where people seek to understand one another by making empathy a daily habit. He is a tech leader and IOT (Internet of Things) pioneer and expert. He brings practical experience, lived experience, and his transparent growth journey to the podcast.

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• Amy at @realamyjwilson or Linktree: