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 pract…

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 discover…

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 c…

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 l…

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 …

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 modellin…

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,…

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 i…

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 storyte…

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 Ancho…