You Are Not A Frog

As a medical professional, facing high-stress situations every day might make you think you can handle anything. But the truth is, decisiveness isn't always what you want when things go wrong. Not every crisis is the same. Sometimes, the best course of action is to take a step back and come back to the crisis later.In this quick dip episode, we uncover why we become terrible in a crisis, even as healthcare professionals. We explore how we typically react to stressful situations and their consequences. Then, we discuss strategies to ensure you've left the stress zone before you handle your crisis. It all begins with self-awareness and self-apprehension.Before anything, it's crucial to take a pause. If you want to know how to develop good crisis management skills for yourself and others, this episode is for you. Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Discover why being in our stress zone makes us terrible at dealing with crises.Learn the best course of action when you're backed in

How often do you answer honestly when asked are you ok? Many people often say I’m’re ok even when you really aren’t. In truth, we aren’t ok. In today’s world, you’re faced with high-stress jobs, societal pressure and the uncertainty of the new normal. As we come out of the recent crisis, changed and unsure of who we are, it’s harder than ever to be ok.You have to recognize and accept when you’re not ok. In this episode, James Spice joins us for a conversation about what it means to be a human being who isn’t really ok. He asks the real questions that can help us become more aware of who we are and how we really feel. With his simple tools and strategies, you can learn to cope with not being ok and find out who you are after you’ve drastically changed from before.If you’re ready to accept that you’re not ok, you can learn what to do next when you tune in to this episode of Your Are Not a FrogHere are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Understand the impact of the recent crisis you and the

Do you ever feel like someone else is running your life? Do you find yourself just following a set of instructions in everything you do? Without realising it, we often permit other people to control our lives. It's like living a life we don't enjoy on autopilot without questioning it The thing is, it's not too late to design your own flight plan. You have the power to take control and lead the life you want to live.In this quick dip episode, we highlight the importance of designing our own flight plan. We explain why working happier with your best interest in mind is the true key to success. You only have one life, and it is fully yours. Don’t let others take control of your happiness and success. Follow what it is that your heart truly wants.If you want to design your flight plan and start taking control of your life, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Uncover why working harder doesn’t lead to happiness.Know what it’s like to take control of your time

Can you keep cool when you receive a complaint about your work?Complaints are part and parcel of every profession. No matter how common they may be and how hard you work to avoid them, the anxiety that you’ll get one is always there. It’s even more nerve-wracking if you work in healthcare. Often, complaints come with threats of referral to a professional regulator. All of a sudden, your career might be on the line.This week, Dr Annalene Weston of Dental Protection Australia joins us to discuss how to stop taking complaints personally. We talk about the thought process that comes with patient complaints and discuss strategies on how to depersonalise and best deal with them.If you want to know the mindset shift that will change how you deal with complaints., listen to our full conversation in this episode of You Are Not a Frog.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Learn the root of practitioners’ fear of receiving a complaint.Find out how you can shift your mindset around getting comp

Too often, we say yes to every request and every demand, even when it's not what we want. It's not about people-pleasing. It's about your values. But ask yourself, is it worth it? Is sacrificing your peace and well-being a worthy cost of validating your internal dialogue? In a world that applauds the grind, learning to say no will keep you grounded. Setting boundaries helps you care for yourself. When you care for yourself, you can look after others to the best of your ability.In this quick dip episode, we uncover the root of the problem of our struggle with saying no. We flesh out the people-pleasing tendencies and internal shame around setting boundaries. Your value does not equate to how hard you work and how much you give yourself to other people. Set yourself free from the internal stories and scripts you’re telling yourself. Once you do, you can get clear on what truly matters.If you want to know how to start saying yes to yourself, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should l

How do you make decisions? Is it from a deep place of knowing and intuition? Or is it merely out of fear? Making big decisions (or even small ones) can understandably be stressful and anxiety-inducing. But being stuck in fear-based thinking is a prescription for misery - and for living a life doing stuff you don’t actually want to do. This week, Henri Stevenson, Executive Coach and Shapes trainer, joins us to discuss how to stop making decisions based on fear and anxiety. We break down how many of us fall into this pattern and then share simple strategies to get our egos out of the way and base our thinking on freedom and love.If you want to stop making decisions based on fear and live in alignment with what you REALLY want, listen to our full conversation in this episode of You Are Not a Frog.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Discover how to tell the difference between decisions made from intuition versus fear.Learn how to stop making decisions purely through fea

We need boundaries. In fact, you might have already set some of your own. But ask yourself: how often do you let those boundaries crumble?It’s not unusual for professionals in high-stakes industries to give in to other people’s demands, even if it means losing the boundaries they set. That’s not healthy — so why do we do it?In this Quick Dip, we explore the challenges doctors and other professionals face when trying to enforce their boundaries. The problem isn’t in knowing when to say no or what boundaries to put up. We delve into various real-life scenarios and discuss how power language can help reinforce boundaries effectively.Stay tuned to this episode if you want to know the problem with boundaries and how to overcome it.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Understand the importance of power language.Learn how to embrace consequences and regain control.Discover how the amygdala can undermine your boundaries.Episode Highlights[00:28] Boundaries for High-Stress Professionals[02:

No one wants to burn out. When you experience burnout, you might find yourself thinking much more slowly and your productivity drops. Many high-stress professionals often feel guilty and ashamed for struggling with burnout. Unfortunately, the demanding and high-stress environment these days makes burnout much more likely to happen again and again. So what can you do to avoid experiencing burnout in the future?In this episode, Dr Claire Ashley joins us for a conversation about the very real issue of burnout. We talk about what happens in our brains during burnout. She dives into the 12 stages of burnout and how we can use to recognize when we’re starting to burn out. Find out what you can do so that you can go back to work and how you can change things so you’re healthier and less likely to burn out all over again.If you want to avoid burnout from repeating, listen to our full conversation in this episode of You Are Not a Frog.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Find out how guilt

What criteria do you use when prioritising the tasks on your to-do list? Do you just put them in the order you get them? Maybe you pick the ones that seem the most urgent?Here’s an alternative: do the ones that are the easiest first. Not everything worth doing needs to be difficult!In this quick dip episode, we talk about the reality of our limits. In a high-stress job, getting everything done in one day is nearly impossible. And that's okay! What's important is putting your focus where you can be most effective. You may have heard of the urgent-important matrix for prioritising, but we're taking it up a notch using the impact-effort matrix. We will teach you how to define the impact you want to create and acknowledge the reality of the effort needed to make that impact.Stay tuned to this episode if you want to know how prioritising your life might require completely different criteria from what you thought.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Learn why prioritising your tasks base

Professor Chloe Orkin & Dr Nuthana Bhayankaram of the Medical Women's Federation join us in this episode to discuss sexism in medicine. We share first-hand experiences and explore why it remains a glaring issue today. We then discuss some strategies for action and what we can do to improve things.If you want to know what the glass ceiling, glass cliff, and glass slippers are and how to avoid them, listen to our entire conversation in this You Are Not a Frog episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:How does sexism manifest in the medical world?Learn the barriers to progress for medical women. Discover what we could do on an organisational and individual level to advocate for equality.Episode Highlights[04:01] Sexism in Society[06:48] Medical Women's Federation[08:18] The Growth of Representation of Women in Medicine[10:22] Working in a Male-Dominated Hierarchy[15:33] On Speaking Up[17:44] Barriers to Progress for Women[23:06] Why Women Don’t Apply[25:38] Women’s Househo

When you're dealing with a stressful situation, your first instinct might be to act immediately to solve it. Unfortunately, acting immediately often means you don't think your actions through. Acting rashly can worsen the situation, making it even more stressful. Fortunately, there's a better way to respond to stress. All you have to do is take a few seconds to press the pause button.In this quick dip episode of You Are Not a Frog, you'll discover the power of pressing pause in the middle of a stressful time. Rachel shares some of her own difficult experiences and how pausing could've helped her react better. She talks about how our brains can respond to stress and what we can do to ground ourselves and go back to rational human thinking. Face stressful situations as the person you want to be when you use the power of pressing pause. Discover how pausing can help you deal with stress when you take a moment to pause with us and tune into this quick dip episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen

For high-stress professionals like us, one of the biggest obstacles to making a change in our lives or pursuing our great ideas is time. You might feel overwhelmed by the change you want to make or afraid of what other people would say. It's your choice not to let these reasons stop you from changing your life.Robbie Swale changed his life by using 12 minutes of his week. He joins us in this conversation to discuss an amazing realisation he had: you can achieve so much by taking a little bit of your time. He discusses the challenges of nurturing your great ideas and how to overcome those obstacles. Robbie also dives into the four phases of creating something new and the importance of starting.Don't let your great ideas go to waste. Learn how to change your life in 12 minutes when you tune in to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Find out the main excuses your mind can come up with and learn how you can overcome them.Discover how small and steady can help you win the

As healthcare professionals, we know what we need to do for our physical and mental well-being. So why aren’t we doing it?Often, the first thing we give up when we get busier is something that makes our lives happier. We've normalised giving up our basic needs to make room for productivity. No one bats an eye at it anymore. But is living your one shot at life like this really worth it at the end of the day?In this quick dip episode, we talk about the one thing you can do right now for your well-being. The biggest barrier to well-being is not knowledge; it’s setting aside time to do it. It will feel uncomfortable, but we don’t have to give up the thing that makes us happy to make room for busyness. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself burned out before you realise what’s happening.If you want to know how to start prioritising your well-being as you get busier in life, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Understand how not to fall into the bottom of the vortex

Whether we like it or not, meetings are essential in running an organisation. But when was the last time you attended a  meeting without feeling bored? Meetings are supposed to help us get work done more effectively. It's an opportunity for us to raise issues and make important decisions. But despite their importance, very few of them are done well. How, then, can we transform our meetings from bad and boring to helpful and interesting?Dr Carrie Goucher joins us in this episode to discuss the basics of a good meeting. She also explains how to disagree with other people in meetings while maintaining good relationships. Then, we lay down simple and practical actions making meetings shorter, more productive, and better.If you want to know how to start running engaging and effective meetings, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Learn how to plan meetings beyond just hygiene factors.Discover how to engage and encourage people to speak their minds during

Do you constantly feel guilty about unfinished tasks at the end of the day? Do you keep finding yourself wanting to improve how you manage your time?Your to-do list is not a fixed and immovable bucket. It’s a river of opportunities that you have a choice and control over. How would you choose what things to fish out of this river wisely?In this quick dip episode, we discuss shifting our mindset about our to-do list from a bucket to a river. We only have a limited amount of time in the world. Instead of trying to do the impossible of managing our time, we need to start learning how to manage the opportunities we take. We have the power to choose what we take out of that river. So think differently about what you want to pull out, and choose wisely.If you want to know how to think differently about your to-do list, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Understand why it’s impossible to manage time.Learn why you should think differently about your bucket list

Why is it that doctors work themselves to the point of burnout and stress and making themselves sick? In a system that seems to demand perfectionism in healthcare workers, medical professionals aim for impossibly high standards. What happens when they can't meet the standards they set for themselves?Dr Sandy Miles joins us in this episode to explore the concept of shame and how we respond to it. She also explains why shame breeds perfectionism in healthcare workers. After explaining the concept of shame, we also share practical, actionable tips to overcome shame and have a healthier response to it. If you want to know how shame fosters perfectionism in healthcare workers, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:What exactly is shame, and how does it manifest in our daily lives? Learn common responses to shame and how to overcome it healthily. Understand why shame causes perfectionism in healthcare workers.Episode Highlights[03:31] Introducing

Everyone praises those who work hard — so it’s not unusual for people to think that it’s good to push your limits and do as much as you can.But what’s the best thing to do when you’re tired and exhausted? Should you see how far you can go, or take a break?In this short episode, we discuss embracing our limits as a choice. With so many things out of control, we need to discern when to take a rest because work will never stop for us. We also discuss how you can start to recognise warning signs. Remember, people don’t go from okay to complete burnout overnight, it’s a long process.If you want to know how to embrace your limits and live a happier life, stay tuned to this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Why do we need to embrace our limits and take a break more often?How can we recognise our limits and take action before burnout forces us to stop? Understand that we don’t need to feel guilt and shame about our limits. Episode Highlights[00:28] Learn to Embrace You

Convince change to happen.You've got great ideas for change. It's just a matter of putting these plans into motion. However, change needs to be something where everyone works together. You can't just tell someone to do this or that. Because of this, change can be a challenge. But don't let this discourage you! With the right message and space for a conversation, you can convince the people around you to make change happen.In this episode of You Are Not a Frog, Toby Moore joins us for a conversation about communicating ideas and convincing people to change. We dive into creating a message that connects with people. You'll find that sharing what you want, why you want it, and how you'll do it can become a call to action. Discover how you can put your great ideas into motion through conversation and a better communication strategy.Don’t stop your ideas from changing the world! Tune in to this episode to find out more about convincing your audience.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

How have you been living your life so far? Most of us have worked hard all our lives to be successful. Whilst hard work is commendable, it can start to define your life. Instead, how about we try to work happier so that we can find fulfillment in everything we do.In this quick dip episode, Rachel talks about what to do when working harder isn’t working anymore. She explains why working harder is actually counterproductive and why it can fail us. Rachel also shares simple but powerful tips to flip your mindset and adopt a healthy work ethic. Work hard at your job, but work twice as hard in looking after yourself. That is how you can create a life worth living.If you want to know how to work happier instead of harder, tune in to this episode!Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Discover why working hard is failing you instead of leading you to success.Learn why you should write a ‘to be’ list instead of a ‘to do’ listUnderstand the importance of embracing your limits.Episode Hig

The stress and worry we felt during the pandemic didn’t disappear in 2022. As medical practitioners, having a myriad of problems and uncertainties on our plate has simply become part of the job. But after over a hundred episodes, our conversations here at You Are Not A Frog have shown that we can make choices that help us to cope with and even overcome stress, anxiety and worry. So let’s wrap up another fantastic year by rediscovering the best bits of our podcast episodes on stress and worry. We revisit our favourite conversations on breaking the anxiety cycle, doubts and fears, and the power of ‘f**k it’.Happy Holidays, dear listeners! Let’s end this year and start 2023 right by learning how to beat burnout and work happier.3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Listen to the most talked-about YNAF episodes.Rediscover tips and tricks for living a healthier and happier life.Recount simple techniques for dealing with work-related burnout. Episode Highlights[02:01] Episode 119: Dealing wi