The Burnout Recovery Podcast
A podcast dedicated to helping healthcare professionals recover from burnout and build sustainable careers. Host Dr Jo Braid shares evidence-based strategies and real-world tools for thriving in healthcare, emphasizing that recovery has a ripple effect on patients, families, and communities. The show aims to transform healthcare from the inside out, one professional at a time.
Episodes
"Good Luck, Carry On for 30 Years": Why Doctors Need Supervision (with Dr Suzi Hamilton)
Doctors are supervised at every step of training, then told "good luck, carry on for 30 years." Dr Suzi Hamilton thinks there's a better way. Suzi is an emergency physician in Christchurch, New Zealand, who also works in the Chief Medical Officer's team as Director of Workforce Development, and coaches and supervises doctors on the side. Her path here includes a ski-field season, a boat in Antarct
The Phone Is Not the Boss of You
Your phone doesn't need to ring for it to cost you. In this episode, Dr Jo Braid shares a moment from her own coaching session when one glimpse of a lit-up screen quietly pulled her out of the room, and what the neuroscience says about why that happens. This episode covers: The telepressure trap. Why the felt urge to respond immediately predicts worse sleep and higher burnout, even when you never
Allowed to Take Up Space: The Self-Esteem Behind Every Boundary
You can know every script. You can know that no is a full sentence. And you can still say yes — because some quieter part of you doesn't believe you're allowed to say no. This week Jo goes underneath the boundaries series to look at the self-esteem doing the real work behind every hard conversation. THE SIGNAL → Self-esteem = your satisfaction, confidence and self-respect. Not fixe
The Part-Time Paradox: Protecting the Time You Do Have
You cut your hours to protect your time, and that protected time can become the most raided time in your week. Dr Jo Braid shares what a real, full Monday looks like (home visit, clinical letters, her own coaching session, a board meeting) and why chosen switching feels like a rhythm while imposed switching feels like being pecked at. IN THIS EPISODE: Why so many clinicians go part-time, and wher
200 Episodes: What This Podcast Was Actually For
Episode 200. That's the number today — but this one isn't really about the number. Four years ago, I started this podcast while on the inaugural Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program, wanting to share coaching tools without anyone needing to be in a formal coaching relationship. Today's episode is a thank you to everyone who's pressed play since — and a reminder of what this whole t
The Delegation Boundary — Why Doing It Yourself Is Costing You
Registrar to consultant, the job changes shape. Less doing, more being. So why do so many of us keep doing all of it anyway? A coaching story about chasing a patient's scan, a waiting room, and the guilt of asking someone else to help — and why that guilt is worth pushing through. THE SIGNAL 🩺 Patient sent back to the waiting room while the scan gets tracked down — laborious, repeated,
Do Boundaries Clock Off? What Really Happens on Leave
If you're still contactable, are you actually on leave? A watched moment on a family holiday — one work email, and the mood shifted for everyone. This episode looks at why accessibility during leave costs more than we think, and what to actually put in place before you go. THE SIGNAL 📧 One out-of-hours email, and the holiday brain switches off 🧠 Allostatic load: your body doesn't a
No is a Full Sentence - The Boundaries Series Begins
In tennis, the ball is either in or out. No apology required. So why does saying no in real life feel so much harder? This episode kicks off a new 10-part series on boundaries — why they're so hard to hold, and how to actually do it, at work and at home. THE SIGNAL 🎾 In or out: clear, certain, no apology needed 🧠 Why ambiguity drains your prefrontal cortex 💭 The Zeigarnik effe
Beyond the Breaking Point — Recovery Strategies for Different Types of High Performers
Why does the same boundary tool work brilliantly for one person and fall flat for the next? In this episode Dr Jo Braid unpacks why recovery strategies aren't one-size-fits-all, and how to stop forcing yourself into someone else's system. Prompted by a recent workshop with a room of physios and occupational therapists, where one manager's search for focus time revealed just how differently people
The Leadership Wellbeing Imperative: Why Your Team's Health Starts with Yours
Your team can't help how they feel walking into an uncertain situation. But you have enormous influence over what you bring into the room. In this episode, Jo shares a real story from ward cover — a complex new patient, a team already bracing for the next few weeks, and the deliberate choice to show up supported rather than depleted. She unpacks why leader regulation is contagious (literally
Ferocious Warmth: Why Great Leadership Needs Both Results and Relationships (with Tracey Ezard)
What if the thing standing between good results and a thriving team is just one letter?This week I'm joined by Tracey Ezard — author, facilitator, and creator of Ferocious Warmth — who I met on faculty at a Women in Leadership course in Prato, Italy. Tracey has spent two decades studying what separates great teams from ones that just get by, working across health, education and hospita
Industry Blind Spots: How Your Sector's Success Culture Fuels Burnout
Same burnout. Completely different costumes. Why the pressures driving a librarian, a trainee, and an entrepreneur toward burnout look nothing alike on the surface, and what leaders miss when they assume their own experience is the template. Signal: → Burnout shows up differently by role even within the same institution (physicians, nurses, residents, researchers all differ) → ED trainee
The Stress Spiral: When 'Sleep and Exercise' Isn't Enough
You're sleeping. You're exercising. You're doing all the things. So why do you still feel like you're white-knuckling through the week? In this episode, Dr Jo Braid explores why standard wellness advice can fall short for high performers — and what the science says is actually driving the stress spiral underneath. In this episode:— Why tracking recovery can make the stress response wor
Culture by Design: What Makes You Want to Turn Up to Work?
Culture isn't something that happens to you. It's something you're already participating in — whether you lead a team, belong to one, or sit somewhere in between. This week, Dr Jo shares what a window taught her about workplace culture, why Appreciative Inquiry might be the most underused tool in healthcare teams, and how you can shape the environment around you — regardless of your jo
Systems, Not Willpower: One Cardiologist's Approach to Burnout-Proofing a Big Career with Dr Jennifer Coller
What does it look like to build a big clinical career and stay well doing it? This week Jo sits down with Dr Jennifer Coller — senior cardiologist, regional practitioner, and founder of Pulse Point Academy — to find out. Jen's burnout never stopped her showing up to work. But it quietly hollowed out everything outside of it. What changed wasn't willpower. It was systems, environment, a
The Mid-Year Reset: 4 Signals You're Heading Toward Burnout (And What to Do About Each One)
We're halfway through 2026. And if your year has been relentless with very little genuine recovery built in — this episode is your reset. The most downloaded episode of this podcast ever is "How to Recover from Burnout" — over 2,100 listens. That question never stops being relevant. So today we go deeper. I share the four signals your mind and body send before you crash, and one concre
Your Squad Strategy: Building the Support Network High Performers Actually Need
High performers are exceptional at supporting others. They are often much less exceptional at being supported themselves. In this episode, Dr Jo Braid unpacks why professional isolation is so common in healthcare — and what to actually do about it. You'll hear: Why medical culture trains us to see help-seeking as weakness - The neuroscience of social connection and what chronic isolation doe
The 80% Rule: Why Peak Performers Need to Leave Something in the Tank
You've been told that high performance means giving everything you've got. But what if that's exactly what's burning you out? In this episode — part two of the four-part series The High Performer's Paradox — Dr Jo Braid unpacks the 80% rule: the counterintuitive idea that deliberately leaving something in the tank isn't a sign of weakness or laziness. It's one of the most strategic thi
The High Performer's Paradox: Why Your Greatest Strength Becomes Your Biggest Risk
In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid kicks off a special four-part series exploring the patterns that drive high performers toward burnout - starting with one of the most confronting realisations in high performance: the qualities that make you exceptional can also be the ones that exhaust you. Drawing on personal experience in medicine and coaching, Jo shares how strengths like reliability, analytical t
The Growth Mindset Paradox: When You Forget You're Human
When Dr. Jo received news that her podcast reached the top 3% globally, her first instinct was to credit grit and optimization—but the real truth was much more profound. In this heartfelt finale to our 10-episode block, we explore how healthcare workers become so focused on improving themselves that they lose connection to their own humanity. Discover why reconnecting with yourself as a huma
The Organizational Burnout Audit: What Your Workplace Gets Wrong (And How to Fix It)
In this episode, Dr. Jo explores the organizational factors that drive burnout in healthcare and helping professions. While we've been told to focus on individual resilience and self-care, research shows that workplace systems and structures are the primary contributors to burnout. Dr. Jo shares real stories from healthcare workers struggling with systemic issues and provides a practical "System C
Time Poverty: Why Healthcare Workers Never Have Enough Hours
Healthcare workers are caught in a cycle of time poverty - never having enough hours to meet both work demands and personal needs. In this episode, Dr. Jo shares her real-time experience working a busy rehabilitation locum and how protecting lunch breaks actually improved cognitive clarity and efficiency. Research shows that time scarcity creates a "tunneling" effect that makes us less productive,
The Expectation Trap: When 'Should' Becomes Your Worst Enemy
In this episode, Dr. Jo explores the toxic "should" statements that plague healthcare professionals and fuel burnout. She shares personal stories about breaking free from perfectionist expectations and introduces the powerful concept of "Gap vs. Gain" thinking from Dr Ben Hardy and Dan Sullivan's transformative book. Learn practical tools to distinguish between realistic professional standards and
Specialty-Specific Burnout: Why Your Recovery Strategy Should Match Your Role
Not all burnout is created equal - and neither should your recovery strategy be. In this episode, Dr. Jo explores how different medical specialties experience distinct burnout patterns, from the hypervigilance of emergency medicine to the emotional exhaustion of primary care. Research shows that tailored recovery interventions are 67% more effective than generic stress management programs, yet mos
The Money-Stress Connection: When Financial Pressure Fuels Professional Burnout
In this episode, Dr. Jo explores the often-overlooked connection between financial stress and professional burnout in healthcare. She shares how financial pressure creates a vicious cycle that amplifies workplace exhaustion and discusses the unique financial challenges healthcare professionals face, from student debt to delayed earning potential. Drawing from research on scarcity mindset and cogni
Dr. Ben Condon on Healthcare Innovation: Making Medicine Work Better for Everyone
What happens when a doctor's carefully planned career path takes an unexpected turn? In this compelling interview, Dr. Ben Condon shares his journey from aspiring plastic surgeon to emergency medicine during COVID, and ultimately to healthcare innovation. As Clinical Director at Heidi Health, Ben is now focused on making the healthcare system work better for both clinicians and patients. This epis
Conflict at Work: The Conversation You're Avoiding (And How to Have It)
That difficult conversation you've been putting off at work isn't going away - and avoiding it is actually fuelling your burnout. In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid explores why healthcare professionals who excel at difficult conversations with patients often freeze when it comes to workplace conflict with colleagues. She shares the CLEAR framework for approaching these conversations constructively, al
The One-Percent Rule: Why Tiny Changes Beat Grand Gestures in Burnout Recovery
When you're burnt out, the last thing you need is another overwhelming plan — and in this episode, Dr. Jo Braid explains why the grand reset almost always fails, and what the science says actually works. Drawing on behavioral research, neuroplasticity, and the concept of atomic habits, Jo unpacks why tiny, consistent micro-changes are the most powerful tool in burnout recovery. You'll walk a
The Difficult Colleague Dilemma: When Your Teammate Becomes Your Trigger
In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid tackles one of the most requested — and least talked about — topics in healthcare burnout: the colleague who makes an already demanding job feel almost impossible. Drawing on her own experience as a doctor of over 20 years, alongside research on workplace incivility and the neuroscience of threat response, Jo explores why certain people trigger us so deepl
The Recovery Roadmap: Your Personal Burnout Prevention Plan
In this episode, Dr Jo explores how to create your personal burnout prevention plan using fire readiness parallels—from recognizing early warning signs to building defensible space around your time and energy. She breaks down the critical 80/20 reality: 80% of burnout stems from systemic workplace factors, not personal failings, and shares how to distinguish between organizational and indivi
Energy Audit: Where Your Mental Energy Really Goes
In this episode, we explore where your mental energy really goes and why healthcare professionals feel so depleted. I share the story of Kate, a coaching client running her own allied health clinic while navigating the demands of the sandwich generation, and the profound exhaustion she experienced. We dive into the neuroscience of cognitive load—including how the brain uses 25% of our body's
The Perfectionism Paradox: When High Standards Become Self-Sabotage
Dr. Jo shares her raw, honest experience as a locum doctor in a Sydney trauma hospital, where perfectionist expectations led to sleepless nights, self-doubt, and rumination over clinical decisions. She explores the crucial difference between adaptive perfectionism that drives professional growth and maladaptive perfectionism that fuels burnout and anxiety. Drawing on Stanford WellMD research and n
Micro-Recoveries: The 5-Minute Reset That Actually Works
Feeling exhausted before your day even starts? In this episode, Dr. Jo shares how a simple 5-minute morning micro-recovery can transform anticipatory dread into intentional energy. Drawing from Stanford neuroscience research on the "physiological sigh," she explores evidence-based techniques that shift your nervous system from stress to calm in minutes. Through a real coaching story and practical
The Comparison Trap: Social Media and Professional Inadequacy
In this episode, Dr. Jo shares her personal struggle with social media comparison when she started her coaching business five years ago and how she overcame the constant feeling of professional inadequacy. She explains the neuroscience behind why social comparison activates our threat-detection systems and becomes a significant burnout trigger for healthcare professionals who are already operating
Digital Boundaries: When Your Phone Becomes Part of the Problem
In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid explores how our devices can become sources of chronic stress and burnout for healthcare professionals, sharing a personal story about digital overwhelm while building her coaching business alongside her medical practice. She dives into the latest neuroscience research, explaining how notifications simultaneously trigger dopamine cravings and cortisol spikes, while "a
When Work Follows You Home: Breaking the Mental Load Cycle
Do you ever feel like your brain never gets a break? In this episode, Dr. Jo explores the invisible cognitive burden that healthcare professionals carry and how it's damaging the relationships that matter most. Drawing from Stanford WellMD research showing that over 40% of physicians report work negatively impacting their personal relationships, discover practical strategies to break the mental lo
Moral Distress vs. Moral Injury vs. Burnout - Know the Difference
Are you experiencing burnout, or is something deeper happening when you feel that gut-wrenching sensation of knowing what's right but being unable to do it? In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid draws from her experience chairing an expert panel at the MPLA conference in 2025 to clarify the crucial distinctions between moral distress, moral injury, and burnout. Understanding these differences isn't just a
Communication and Self-Care: Preventing Medical Complaints Before They Happen
Welcome back to another episode of The Burnout Recovery Podcast! I'm absolutely delighted to share my conversation with Anthony Mennillo, Head of Claims and Legal Services at MIGA - Medical Insurance Group Australia, who has spent over two decades walking alongside doctors through their most challenging professional moments. As someone who has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that medica
The Burnout Recovery podcast Mini Episode: Help Shape 2026 + Win $50!
Hey amazing listeners! After 160+ episodes together, I want to make sure The Burnout Recovery Podcast is creating content that truly serves YOU in 2026. Whether you're a healthcare professional, someone passionate about workplace wellbeing, or you just love practical strategies that work - your feedback will directly shape what you hear on this podcast. What's in it for you? ✨ One lucky resp
The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: Focus on What's Working
What if the key to transforming your workplace culture isn't fixing what's broken, but amplifying what's already working? In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid shares insights from her Stanford WellMD Director of Wellbeing Course and explores how Appreciative Inquiry can shift team dynamics from problem-focused to possibility-focused conversations. Drawing from real examples and research-backed strategies
Post-Holiday Burnout: Understanding Dopamine Crashes and Recovery
Feeling flat and unmotivated after what should have been a restorative break? You're not alone. In this episode, Dr. Jo explores the science behind post-holiday blues, including the role of dopamine crashes and why healthcare workers are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. She shares practical, evidence-based strategies for gradual re-entry, maintaining holiday elements in daily routine,
The Patient Complaint That Taught Me About Resilience
In this episode, Dr. Jo shares a personal story about stepping into a locum position where she inherited a "difficult" patient situation involving family complaints and communication challenges. Rather than approaching the interaction defensively, she chose curiosity over preconception and discovered that the family wasn't difficult—they were scared and feeling unheard. Through this experien
Work as the Means, Not the End: My Mum's Lesson That Saved My Career
In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Jo Braid shares a conversation with her mother that fundamentally changed how she views career success and professional identity in healthcare. Through her mother's journey from university lecturer to teaching retirees, Jo explores how healthcare professionals can avoid the dangerous trap of tying their self-worth to professional achievements. Drawing on resear
When Meaningful Work Becomes Too Much: The Gratitude Paradox
In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid explores why healthcare workers and helping professionals often struggle with gratitude despite doing meaningful work. She breaks down the neuroscience behind how chronic stress and burnout literally rewire our brains, making it harder to experience positive emotions like appreciation. Dr. Braid explains the concept of "toxic gratitude" - when societal press
The Two-Breath Reset: Why I Keep This Tool in My Pocket
Feeling overwhelmed before that big meeting or presentation? In this episode, I share my go-to stress management technique that can shift your entire nervous system in under 30 seconds. You'll discover the science behind the physiological sigh - a simple two-breath pattern that Dr. Andrew Huberman introduced me to - and learn how it activates your parasympathetic nervous system to bring instant ca
Getting to Work on Time: The Boundary That Changed Everything
In this December episode, we explore how protecting your morning routine and arrival time creates a foundation for better boundaries in both professional and personal settings. Learn why getting to work on time isn't about perfectionism—it's about honouring your commitments to yourself and modelling healthy boundaries for others. We dive into creating a realistic, sustainable morning routine
The 70% Club: Why Burnout Statistics Actually Give Me Hope
In this episode, Dr Jo explores why the latest burnout statistics in healthcare actually give her hope, revealing that 69% of healthcare professionals are experiencing burnout - making it a systemic issue, not a personal failing. She breaks down the key drivers affecting all healthcare disciplines, from increasing patient complexity to overwhelming administrative burdens, and explains why being pa
The Hobby That Reminded Me Who I Am
In this episode, Jo explores the critical importance of rediscovering your identity beyond your medical profession and the transformative power of personal hobbies in burnout recovery. She shares her own journey back to social tennis in Orange, NSW, and how this simple hobby reminded her who she is when she takes off the white coat. Jo discusses the dangerous trap of "White Coat Syndrome" - where
Finding Your People: Support Systems That Actually Work
In this episode, Dr Jo Braid explores two powerful professional support systems that have transformed her own burnout recovery journey. She shares her experience as a facilitator of Schwartz Rounds at Bathurst Health Service, explaining how these monthly forums create healing through shared storytelling and witnessing rather than problem-solving. Jo also discusses the value of indep
The Sleep Experiment That Changed Everything
Discover how one night shift nurse transformed her sleep and beat burnout with a simple 30-day experiment that prioritized sleep consistency over duration. In this episode, we explore the "Sleep Architecture Experiment" and reveal four game-changing strategies for shift workers, including the Anchor Sleep Method and strategic light exposure timing. Learn advanced sleep hygiene techniques like the
Your Unique Value: Why the Healthcare System Needs YOU Specifically
In this powerful 10-minute episode, we tackle the imposter syndrome that's plaguing healthcare professionals and explore why your unique combination of experiences, perspectives, and skills makes you irreplaceable in healthcare. We dive into how self-doubt often affects the most caring professionals and why your struggles and background aren't separate from your professional value—they ARE y
Non-Productive Rest: Why Netflix Isn't Recharging You
What if the way you're trying to "rest" is actually making your burnout worse? In this episode, we follow Sarah, a resident doctor who spent hours every night binge-watching Netflix, thinking she was taking care of herself - only to wake up more exhausted than ever. We explore the fascinating science behind why passive consumption isn't real rest, how your brain's natural cleaning system only work
The Day I Realised I Was the Toxic Colleague
In this deeply personal episode, I share the story that changed everything - the moment I realised I had become the toxic colleague I once feared. What You'll Learn: How burnout transforms good people into toxic colleaguesThe 6 key drivers that create toxic workplace culturesWhy complaining becomes a survival mechanism in broken systemsThe unconscious ways we perpetuate harmful workplace dynamics
Imperfect Consistency: Why Your 5-Minute Walk Matters More Than Your Colleague's Marathon
In this deeply personal episode, I share my story from early 2021 - juggling three kids under 10, a private clinic, and hospital shifts during COVID uncertainty - when a colleague's marathon post on Instagram sent me spiraling into comparison and self-doubt. I explore the transformative concept of "imperfect consistency" and why your five-minute walk matters more than someone else's marathon when
Breaking the Rumination Loop: 4 Ways to Actually Leave Work at Work
Learn why your brain keeps cycling through work thoughts even when you're physically home - it's called rumination, and there's real neuroscience behind why it happens. You'll discover four practical strategies to break this mental loop: the Brain Dump Transition, Physical Transition Rituals, the "Worry Window" technique, and Present-Moment Anchoring that actually signal to your nervous system it'
🎉 Celebrating 150 Podcast Episodes! Saying No to Extra Shifts
🎉 Milestone Alert! We've reached episode 150 of The Burnout Recovery Podcast! Join Dr Jo Braid and a special guest (her 9-year-old son Lachy) as they celebrate this incredible milestone together.In this heartfelt episode, Dr Jo shares her personal journey from being the "yes doctor" who worked two jobs simultaneously - full-time as a rehabilitation medicine registrar plus evening GP house calls -
From Stress to Success: How Trust Changes Your Brain Chemistry for Healthcare Professionals
Discover the Trust Triangle framework that's improving how healthcare professionals build stronger relationships with patients, families, and colleagues. Based on neuroscience research, this episode explores how trust operates through three pillars - Logic, Authenticity, and Empathy - and why your brain releases oxytocin when genuine connections are made. Dr Jo Braid shares practical strategies to
From Stirred Up to Stronger: What Difficult Patients Teach Us About Self-Care
When a patient's unexpected verbal attack left me shaken after a routine clinic appointment, I had a choice: let it fester or use it as a learning opportunity. In this episode, I share how asking for support and creating transition rituals transformed a difficult interaction into personal growth. You'll discover three practical steps to process challenging patient encounters without letting them p
Beyond the Surface: How Music Opens Doors to Mental Health Conversations
In this powerful RU OK? Day episode, singer-songwriter Lynda Manwaring joins Dr. Jo Braid for an intimate conversation about using music as a pathway to mental health healing and authentic connection. Lynda shares her personal journey from bottling up emotions to embracing vulnerability, including how the loss of her closest friend to mental health challenges inspired her to speak openly about the
When 70% Feel Like Frauds: Breaking the Imposter-Safety Paradox in Healthcare
Ever wondered why you can feel like a fraud even when your workplace encourages vulnerability? This episode explores the fascinating intersection of imposter syndrome and psychological safety—two psychological phenomena that are crucial for healthcare professionals but rarely discussed together. You'll learn the key differences between internal imposter syndrome and environmental psychologic
Mental Health is Your Superannuation: Chelsea Pottenger's Blueprint for Burnout Prevention
Chelsea Pottenger, founder and director of EQ Minds, shares her deeply personal journey from corporate high achiever to mental health advocate after experiencing severe postnatal depression that led to a five-week psychiatric hospital stay. She reveals how this life-changing experience inspired her to dedicate her career to helping others achieve high performance without burnout through mindfulnes
Conquering Imposter Syndrome Building Inner Strength for Healthcare Professionals
After 20 years as a doctor and hundreds of hours coaching healthcare professionals, Dr Jo Braid knows that imposter syndrome hits our field particularly hard. In this episode, she shares why 70% of healthcare professionals feel like frauds despite their expertise, and reveals the three daily practices that transform your inner critic into your inner coach. You'll discover how to rewrite the story
Beyond Learned Helplessness: Creating Your Foundation for Sustainable Wellbeing
In the final episode of our Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing series, Dr. Jo Braid explores how true wellbeing comes from within by addressing the learned helplessness patterns common in healthcare and sharing her personal journey of learning to ask for help. Discover how to build inner safety, cultivate inner trust, and break free from the belief that your actions don't matter.Resources:Work wit
Tuning into Wellness: Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing Series
In Episode 2 of our Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing series, Dr. Jo Braid introduces powerful micro-moment techniques that function like tuning pegs for your nervous system. Learn science-backed tools that take less than a minute each but can shift your entire state from overwhelm to calm, anywhere and anytime.Resources:Work with Dr Jo: https://tidycal.com/drjobraid/power-hourFrom Survive t
The Rhythm of Recovery: Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing series
In the first episode of our Music, Mental Health and Wellbeing series, Dr. Jo Braid explores how breaks function as preventative medicine for your brain and shares a transformative personal story from her days as a junior doctor. Discover why embracing life's 50/50 emotional reality and understanding the science of oxytocin can revolutionize your approach to wellbeing. Resources:Work with Dr. Jo:
The Power of the Pause: Why I'm Taking Two Weeks Away
Dr. Jo Braid announces a two-week pause from podcast recording while travelling with family, demonstrating the four pillars of burnout recovery in action. She explains how this intentional break embodies connection by prioritizing deep family relationships, sleep through allowing her nervous system to truly rest, movement as joyful rather than obligatory, and mindset by releasing guilt around step
Cognitive Load Decoded: Why Your Brain Feels Fried and How to Fix It
In this powerful episode, we explore how cognitive overload acts as a hidden precursor to burnout, revealing the neuroscience behind why your brain feels constantly overwhelmed. You'll discover the three types of cognitive load and learn to recognize the early warning signs before they derail your well-being. We dive deep into practical, evidence-based strategies you can implement starting with yo
The Burnout Recovery Podcast - Waking Up Grateful - Dr. Sunny Smith on Transforming Medical Culture Through Coaching
In this powerful episode, Dr. Sunny Smith shares her transformative journey from full-time professor at UC San Diego to building a multimillion-dollar coaching business serving women physicians worldwide. After a life-changing bicycle accident in Tahiti left her immobilized and reflecting on life's priorities, Sunny discovered the power of coaching and created the most effective physician wellness
Mid-Year Check-In: When Foundations Create Flow
Join Dr Jo Braid for a vulnerable and empowering mid-year check-in as she shares her personal journey through the first half of 2025, including achieving 150% of her annual speaking goals and how her word of the year "simplicity" has created effortless flow in her life. Discover how living by the four foundational pillars - Mindset, Movement, Sleep, and Support - enables authentic success without
Vulnerability and Professionalism: Why They're Not Mutually Exclusive
This week's episode explores the powerful connection between vulnerability and professionalism in healthcare, inspired by a transformative wellbeing session at Bathurst Health Service. Dr. Jo shares how allied health professionals and hospital executives created a culture of rewarded vulnerability by openly discussing their daily emotional experiences and boundary-setting challenges. You'll discov
Burnout Recovery Podcast - Rhythm Disorders - What Jet Lag Taught Me About Burnout Recovery
Dr Jo Braid shares insights from her recent holiday recovery, drawing fascinating parallels between jet lag and burnout recovery. Discover how the same four pillars that help your body adjust to new time zones can transform your approach to burnout recovery. Key Topics Covered: Why jet lag and burnout are both rhythm disorders How the four pillars (mindset, movement, sleep, support) apply to both
Smart People in Dumb Systems: Mastering Your Emotional Blueprint with Dr. Carlo Bellini
In this illuminating episode, Dr. Carlo Bellini shares his journey from practising physician to healthcare transformation expert, revealing powerful insights about emotional blueprints and their connection to burnout. Carlo introduces his framework for achieving high agency behaviours, emphasizing how understanding our "shame-free wants" and expanding our emotional range can prevent burnout before
Pacing Your Way to Wellness: The Marathon Approach to Burnout Recovery
In this empowering episode, Dr Jo Braid explores why burnout recovery requires a marathon mindset rather than a sprint approach. You'll discover practical strategies across the four pillars of recovery—mindset, movement, sleep, and support—that create sustainable healing. Learn how small, consistent actions lead to profound transformation and why celebrating every milestone matters on
Creating Psychologically Safe Workplaces: The Future of Physician Wellbeing
In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Susannah Ward shares powerful insights on physician wellness and the emerging role of Chief Medical Wellness Officers in preventing burnout among doctors. We explore innovative systemic approaches to healthcare worker wellbeing, including anonymous reporting systems for workplace issues and dedicated wellness leadership positions with executive support. Dr. W
Emotions in the Workplace
In this episode of the Burnout Recovery Podcast, Dr. Jo Braid explores the critical role emotions play in our professional lives and challenges the outdated notion that emotions should be checked at the door when we arrive at work.Key points covered: Why emotional awareness is essential for workplace effectiveness and wellbeing The science behind emotions at work and their impact on performance P
Building More Batteries: Brain Health Strategies for Burnout Recovery with Dr. Em Wong
In this illuminating episode of the Burnout Recovery Podcast, Dr. Jo Braid welcomes Dr. Em Wong, an internal medicine and women's health specialist with expertise in integrative health from Hong Kong. Dr. Wong brings her unique perspective as a physician, author, educator on brain health, and multimedia artist to share powerful insights on the connection between healthy aging and burnout recovery.
Consistency over Perfection: The Science of Sustainable Progress
In this episode, we explore the transformative concept of "imperfect consistency" - prioritising the act of doing rather than the pursuit of perfection. We contrast perfect inconsistency (waiting for ideal conditions) with imperfect consistency (showing up regularly regardless of conditions) and examine how this approach can decrease your inner critic while building confidence. The episode unpacks
The Pebble in Your Shoe - How Small Irritations Lead to Burnout
In this episode, Dr. Jo Braid explores how small daily irritations—the "pebbles in your shoe"—can significantly impact wellbeing and contribute to burnout when left unaddressed. Drawing from insights at the recent Psychological Safety Summit, she shares how seemingly minor issues like "not having somewhere to store my bag" can create constant cognitive drain through what researchers ca
Supporting Well-Being During Unsettled Times in Healthcare
In this episode of The Burnout Recovery Podcast, host Dr. Jo Braid reflects on the recent junior doctor strike in New South Wales, highlighting the importance of creating systemic change to address the unsustainable demands placed on healthcare workers. Dr. Braid shares her approach to leading her rehabilitation team through uncertainty with calm, intentional collaboration, and resilience, drawing
From Army Officer to Mental Health Advocate: Sally Orange's Journey to Inspire Change
In this episode of The Burnout Recovery Podcast, host Dr. Jo Braid has an inspiring discussion with mental health advocate and endurance athlete Sally Orange, MBE. Sally and Jo met years back during their university degrees through the Royal Army Medical Corps. Sally shares how her transition from a military career, due to mental health challenges, reshaped her identity and how she now uses endura
