How to Go From Anxious Perfectionist to Empowered High-Achiever

How do you do more without burning out? People often ask me how (and why) I do so many things. From running multiple businesses to raising two young children, from the outside I understand how my life can seem chaotic and primed for collapse. But what if my latest “side hustle” isn’t the final nail in the exhaustion coffin? What if it’s the very thing keeping me from burnout? In today’s episode, I get real about the how and why behind my newest business endeavor. Are you one of those people who finds your daily grind exhausting, not because of the physical or mental toll but because some intangible piece is still missing for contentment? Then this hot take might resonate: sometimes adding to your plate - not subtracting - is the key to increasing your engagement. Let’s break down how realigning your priorities may be key to contentment - no matter what era you’re in now: Build a busy schedule that’s actually restorative; Get real about time management and tradeoffs; Why motherhood isn’t a reason to step out of a full life; The science behind getting physical when your job is mostly intellectual. Related Links: Episode 538, Rebalance Your Career Portfolio - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode538 Episode 539, Managing Through the Millennial Career Crisis - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode539 “Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist” by Donna Jackson Nakazawa - https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/books/mind-drama-science-of-rumination/    LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What can you do to improve your executive presence? Perception of your leadership abilities directly impacts your career trajectory, for better or worse. You’ve likely heard of executive presence before, but even though it often comes up in the context of something to improve, it’s difficult for many people to identify a clear path to make that improvement. My guest, Dr. Alexa Chilcutt, is an executive communication expert at Johns Hopkins University and wrote the book, “The Presence Principle.” In it, she offers a 3-step framework to demystify this confusing but vital professional trait once and for all. Alexa joins me on the podcast to get into the weeds about what executive presence is and how we can cultivate it to become more impactful leaders. Give your career trajectory a boost with Alexa’s research-backed perspective: What executive presence is, and what it’s not; Why you don’t have to impersonate the traditional leader archetype to succeed in your career; The impact of initial and enduring impressions; The three-adjectives activity that will pump up your leadership presence progress. Related Links: Connect with Dr. Alexa Chilcutt on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-chilcutt-phd/ Order “The Presence Principle” from Routledge and use the code Pres26 to get a 25% discount until June 17, 2026 - https://www.routledge.com/The-Presence-Principle-Embodying-Executive-Presence-to-Lead-with-Impact/Chilcutt-DuPont/p/book/9781041021964 Sally Williamson, “Executive Presence Is a Top Priority for Leadership” - https://sallywilliamson.com/executive-presence-top-priority-leadership/ Coqual, “Executive Presence Key Findings” - https://coqual.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/26_executivepresence_keyfindings-1.pdf Episode 407, How to Delegate Without Feeling So Bad About It - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode407 Episode 491, Debunking Imposter Syndrome as a Women's Issue - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode491 Episode 447, Job Search Success: How to Optimize your LinkedIn Profile Skills Sections - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode447 Episode 298, How to Maximize Your Time to Get Things Done -  https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode298    LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelup Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does attribution bias have to do with women adopting AI? Research has shown that women are more reluctant to embrace these new technologies than men and that this discrepancy is creating a whole new kind of workforce gap. One big reason for this reticence is a belief that using AI is somehow “cheating.” As an April 2026 study from Lean In shows, this assumption is backed up by a whole lot of concrete evidence. If you’ve been avoiding AI and can’t quite put your finger on why, this episode might shed some light. Women are no strangers to attribution bias, and the ever-growing rise of this tech is a whole new field for unequal expectations to play out on. Workers who use AI tools see big productivity and career benefits. However, we can’t just dive into AI and expect the playing field to even itself out. We must also address the root causes of women’s reluctance and opposition to this new technology. Fight the bias and reap the career rewards by learning more about: The glaring difference in how credit and blame are assigned to men versus women; How competence penalties are unequally doled out for female AI users; The internal factors at play when we see AI as “cheating”; Three ways you can start to push back against the attribution bias and the AI gender gap. Related Links: LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward Lean In, New research: Women use AI less often at work and get less credit - https://leanin.org/research/ai-women-gender-gap-data HBR, Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work - https://hbr.org/2025/08/research-the-hidden-penalty-of-using-ai-at-work Lean In, The AI gender gap: How women can break through - https://leanin.org/research/ai-women-gender-gap Episode 540, The Double Disadvantage: AI, Women, and the Future of Work - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode540 Episode 542, Why AI is Giving Women the “Ick” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode542 Episode 543, Why Your Resume Isn’t Working (and What to Do Instead) - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode543 Bossed Up: A Grown Woman's Guide to Getting Your Sh*t Together - https://www.bossedup.org/book Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do you manage your anxiety-driven overachieving without losing your competitive edge? There’s a good chance that, if you’re an avid Bossed Up listener, the spiral of the do-it-all overachiever is familiar to you. You’re stressed out, maybe burnt out, and potentially navigating anxiety, too.. Maybe you fear that seeking more balance means losing the drive that makes you successful and sought-after. Dr. Lindsay Pfister-Kerr is a recovering anxiety-driven perfectionist turned coach and the author of “From Perfectionist to Empowered: A Makeover Guide.” She’ll be the first to tell you that you don’t have to choose one or the other. In this episode, she speaks with me about the reverberating impact our perfectionism and stress have on those around us and how we can make moves toward a better balance without giving up our high-achiever status. Lindsay’s insights will give you hope that you can step out of the stress of perfectionism and embrace a more intentional, fulfilling life. Create empowerment without abandoning your ambition: How mindfulness and the right questions can make you better at your job; Small, simple steps that lead to big mindset changes; The stress cycle you create when you’re always operating at 110%; How to recognize toxic perfectionism. Related Links: Connect with Lindsay on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaypfister/ Learn more about Lindsay’s work - https://www.lpkcoaching.com/ Buy “From Perfectionist to Empowered: A Makeover Guide” - https://www.lpkcoaching.com/book Download Lindsay’s 3-minute reset - https://www.lpkcoaching.com/free-resources Episode 333, An Honest Look Into Motherhood and Mental Health - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode333 Episode 494, Matrescence and the Transformation of Motherhood - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode494 Episode 530, Disability Accommodations: What All Leaders Need to Know - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode530 HIRED Job Search Accelerator - https://www.bossedup.org/gethired Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How can a strong value proposition help you stand out in your job search? If you can’t explain how your skills and experience make you perfect for a position, you’ll have a hard time convincing a hiring team to choose you. That’s why, whether you’re looking to rise in the ranks at your current organization or go in an entirely new direction, selling yourself with clarity and confidence is essential.  In this episode, I walk you through building a powerful value proposition, from brainstorming and data collection to getting outside support. You have all the experience you need to write the perfect sales pitch, one that sums up why your past experience and impact make you the best choice for that exciting new job or promotion. Get confident and concise with your value proposition: Why your past experiences play in, regardless of how much you plan to pivot; How to utilize AI as a useful tool, but never as the final say; How to keep your humility from dampening your sales pitch; Using assessments and aptitude tests to beef up your value vocabulary. Related Links: Episode 543, Why Your Resume Isn’t Working (and What to Try Instead) - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode543 Episode 542, Why AI is Giving Women the “Ick” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode542 Episode 540, The Double Disadvantage: AI, Women, and the Future of Work - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode540 Episode 522, Know Your Aptitudes to Direct Your Career with Confidence - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode522   LinkedIn Learning, Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward/ HIRED: A Job Search Accelerator to Land Your Dream Job - https://www.bossedup.org/gethired U.S. Department of Labor career assessments - https://www.careeronestop.org/ExploreCareers/Assessments/self-assessments.aspx?frd=true Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How can you leverage your strengths, values, and AI tools to make the job search a bit less daunting? The job market in 2026 is chaotic and confusing. Job seekers are sending out hundreds of resumes and getting only a few interviews in return. But finding your dream job is still possible, and Sam DeMase can help you make that happen.  Sam is ZipRecruiter’s first career expert, and she goes by “Your Career Bestie” on social media. Our conversation spans everything from the human/AI skill dichotomy to moving on without guilt. Sam shares great advice on navigating current job market trends, the challenges job seekers are facing right now, and approaches you can take to avoid the endless apply-and-get-ghosted spiral so many people are experiencing. Tune in to learn how to transform your job search: The trends employers are looking for in applicants; How you can make the most of an AI agent as you prepare your applications; Why it’s time to “own your superpowers” on your resume; How to avoid “job catfishing.” Related Links: Connect with Sam on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/apowermood/ Connect with Sam on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@apowermood   Follow ZipRecruiter on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ziprecruiter/ LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward Ezra Klein, “How Fast Will A.I. Agents Rip Through the Economy?” - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jack-clark.html Episode 542, “Why AI is Giving Women the ‘Ick’” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode542 Episode 540, “The Double Disadvantage: AI, Women, and the Future of Work” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode540 Episode 539, “Managing Through The Millennial Career Crisis” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode539 Harvard Business School, “Global Evidence on Gender Gaps and Generative AI” - https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/25023_52957d6c-0378-4796-99fa-aab684b3b2f8.pdf Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does using AI to optimize your schedule or do your research give you a distinct sense of unease? There’s something innate keeping women from incorporating new automation tools into their workflows, and it’s not just a lack of interest. Many are describing it as actual repulsion, and I want to understand why. Women are facing a double disadvantage: they’re more likely to lose their jobs to AI, and they’re less likely to get jobs that the AI revolution will create. That significant gender gap deserves much closer exploration. So let’s dig deeper into why so many women are saying no to automated agents and what that means for our impending AI future. Let’s unpack why AI is giving women “the ick” together, including: How the billion-dollar AI industry highlights the invisible nature of “women’s work”; Why women are perfectly positioned to see an often-overlooked truth about AI What the studies say about why women aren’t adopting AI as readily as men; Why the transformation to ideal AI agent manager isn’t going to happen overnight. Related Links: Abi Awomosu, “They Built Stepford AI and Called It ‘Agentic’” - https://abiawomosu.substack.com/p/they-built-stepford-ai-and-called Episode 540, “The Double Disadvantage: AI, Women, and the Future of Work” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode540 Harvard Business School, “Global Evidence on Gender Gaps and Generative AI” - https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/25023_52957d6c-0378-4796-99fa-aab684b3b2f8.pdf Pew Research, “The ‘Leisure Gap’ Between Mothers And Fathers” - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/10/17/the-leisure-gap-between-mothers-and-fathers/ Tressie McMillan Cottom at the Urban Consulate - https://www.instagram.com/reels/DUlNVvmka05/ Listen to “There Are No Girls on the Internet” - https://www.tangoti.com/    Mara Bolis, “The AI Gender Gap Paradox” - https://ssir.org/articles/entry/ai-gender-gap-paradox Anne-Marie Slaughter, “Unfinished Business: Women, Men, Work, Family” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/unfinished-business-women-men-work-family-anne-marie-slaughter/aa05ce9043ac07ad Ezra Klein, “How Fast Will A.I. Agents Rip Through the Economy?” - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jack-clark.html The Conversation, “Grok 4’s new AI companion offers up ‘pornographic productivity’” - https://theconversation.com/grok-4s-new-ai-companion-offers-up-pornographic-productivity-260992 EdX, “How to Close the Gender Gap in AI Jobs” - https://www.edx.org/resources/closing-ai-gender-gap LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For many of us, the standard workday is a constant stream of alerts: messages on the team group chat, texts from your child’s daycare, emails from your boss, co-workers popping by to chat in person. It’s enough to set even the most focused professional on edge. When Alex Gilbert, an expert in neurodiversity advocacy for working adults, started Cape-Able Consulting, she intended to help put an end to masking at the office. She helps individuals and companies create environments where employees don’t have to pretend that hectic, nonstop-notification work environment is actually working for them. You don’t need a diagnosis to feel overstimulated on the job or to put Alex’s tips into action to help improve your workplace—for yourself and everyone around you. Put an end to white-knuckling your way through the workday with Alex’s insights: Why work is even harder for neurodiverse women; The parallels between neurodiversity and high-achieving personalities; How implementing the right AI tools in the workplace can level the playing field for every employee; Whether or not you need to disclose your diagnosis as you advocate for your needs. Related Links: Connect with Alex on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-gilbert-ceo/ Cape-Able Consulting - https://www.capeableconsulting.com/ The I Am Cape-Able Podcast - https://www.capeableconsulting.com/iamcapeablepodcast Episode 315, “How to Talk About Disability or Chronic Illness in the Job Interview” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode315 Episode 390, “How To Manage ADHD In The Workplace” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode390 LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s no secret that AI is transforming the workforce. Countless op-eds and studies have been published in the past few years, but wherever you stand on using AI, one thing is abundantly clear: women’s jobs are at risk. Furthermore, there’s a double disadvantage at play that we aren’t talking about enough: the AI revolution is threatening the jobs many of us do, and most of us don’t benefit from the new jobs it’s creating. That phenomenon is calling us to an action we might not want to take. We need to get familiar with AI. Not to become staunch proponents, and not to help our companies hand our hard-earned jobs over to the robots. Instead, in this episode, I argue that educating ourselves is how we’ll maintain our agency and level up in the workplace. Find out why getting AI-savvy doesn’t mean giving up your professional advantage: Why AI transformation is expected to impact women more; Why we don’t seem to be reaping the benefits of that transition; How you can take control of the AI impact on your career. Related Links: Matt Schumer, “Something Big is Happening” - http://linkedin.com/pulse/something-big-happening-matt-shumer-so5he International Labour Organization, “Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure” - https://www.ilo.org/publications/generative-ai-and-jobs-refined-global-index-occupational-exposure Anthropic, “Labor Market Impacts of AI: A New Measure and Early Evidence” - https://www.anthropic.com/research/labor-market-impacts   Harvard Business School, “Global Evidence on Gender Gaps and Generative AI” - https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/25023_52957d6c-0378-4796-99fa-aab684b3b2f8.pdf Deloitte, “Women and Generative AI” - https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2025/women-and-generative-ai.html Little Black Book, “Women Don’t Need Rescuing”: Navigating the AI Gender Gap in an Industry That’s Obsessed” - https://lbbonline.com/news/ai-gender-gap-advertising World Economic Forum, “How AI is worsening workplace gender gaps and how we can course correct” - https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/05/how-ai-is-worsening-workplace-gender-gaps-and-how-we-can-course-correct-7828b8eae9/ Tressie McMillan Cottom at the Urban Consulate - https://www.instagram.com/reels/DUlNVvmka05/ LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’re disillusioned with your current job, you’re far from alone. Turns out, a whole generation is looking for a better road to career “success.” In the face of all this well-deserved disillusionment, I sought out the person behind the trending “millennial career crisis” hashtag to really get to the bottom of what the phenomenon is and why it seems to be affecting my generation especially.  Janel Abrahami is a career coach whose background in organizational psychology and corporate HR, and her own career crisis, make her the ideal advisor and spokesperson for forging a better path. Janel argues that, thanks to a heap of daunting factors, a “successful career” looks a lot different than it did in our parents’ day. She joins me to break down her six pathways that help us take back ownership of our careers in the face of despair and disillusionment Retake control and design your own success: Six pathways that let you choose your own adventure; Why career dissatisfaction seems to be hitting millennials hard right now; The importance of resting before we jump and strategizing before we build; The broken social construct facing everyone working today. Related Links: Connect with Janel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelabrahami/ Learn more about Janel - https://janelabrahami.com/ Follow Janel on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/janelabrahami/ Subscribe to the weekly newsletter, “Going Places” - https://janelabrahami.beehiiv.com/ Episode 535, “The Women’s Ambition ‘Gap’ is a Myth” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode535 Episode 538, “Rebalance Your Career Portfolio” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode538 Episode 528, “Start Planning Your First Mini-Retirement” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode528 LinkedIn Learning Course, “Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forward HIRED: A Job Search Accelerator to Land Your Dream Job - https://www.bossedup.org/gethired “The Art of Gathering” by Priya Parker - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-art-of-gathering-how-we-meet-and-why-it-matters-priya-parker/6cf339d7407925e3 Jim Carey’s story about his father’s career choice - https://youtu.be/FSY-hDlx5yk?si=0PupcGJzx2LCNBLu&t=19 Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.