141: 1 Reason Self-Care Doesn’t Work For High Achievers

This week on Call Her BrilliantI learned to do a smokey eye on an 8 year old…and then asleep on the couch at 2:25 in the afternoonHow you start your mornings matters, for your brain, your body, and your businessSo today we’re unlocking what your brain really needs in the morning so you can stop forcing focus and feel in control of your day again

This week on Call Her BrilliantI’m celebrating the ruthlessly dedicated weirdos that are our Olympic champions. And spilling the secrets these obsessive perfectionists know about creating a sharper brain So you can hijack their superpowers and get more accomplished than most people think is humanly possible.Can swearing help you be as mentally tough as Lindsay Vonn? Why this bad habit might be your new back pocket secret if you want to be able to persevere when you’ve had 7 failed business launches in a row...

This week on Call Her BrilliantI have a new favorite word - boreout - that perfectly describes how as hyper-competent gold star collectors we don’t burn out…but we absolutely hit plateaus2025 was the most challenging year of my career. Because it forced me to question a deeply held belief as a kid who grew up following the rules - that you need to master step 1 and 2 before you move to step 3. But as brilliant women, that might not be true. Maybe you need to start at step 7, or even go backwards to step -20. I’ll show you how to decide if it’s time to throw out the baby with the bathwater if you want to elevate your capacity this year.Plus: I’m ignoring the anti-coffee propaganda and doubling down on caffeine in this week’s Brain fact or fluff

This week on Call Her BrilliantI get all my science from the radio. Not really. But the dj did get me convinced I need more analog in my life. I immediately went to my computer and googled and I’m sharing the real research with you!Think you’re a good multitasker? You’re probably wrong. And your smart phone could be to blame. We’re taking on AI in this week’s segment of Neuroscience for 90s kidsPamela Anderson is ditching makeup and going green and I am here for it. Why we should all be dancing in the rain with giant rhubarb leaves for umbrellas if we want to feel more focused

This week on Call Her BrilliantStop delegating! It’s not helping you get more done. And it might be what’s burning you out. Unless you make this ONE brain shift. Is Dolly Parton still working the 9-5? No. At 79-years-old she works 3-7am apparently. I’ll show you how to find your brain’s perfect schedule. And no you don’t have to get up Dolly earlyWhat do I really think of Pomodoro timers. The timer your brain actually runs on. And a tiny habit to feel FOCUSED on demand. 

Creatine elixirs, 4th grade haters, and why you should be LESS efficientThe weird habit I heard about from Spanx creator Sarah Blakely and why all brilliant women should start this tooTHIS Instagram post had Boomer men racing to mansplain why I was wrongMy fellow millennials → Is creatine the magic elixir that’s going to keep us Margaret Atwood sharp and Michelle Obama fit into our 40s and 50s? I share the real answer in a segment called Neuroscience Fact or Fluff

Taylor Swift is brilliantly awkward. What I learned from her sourdough starter.Do you block arts and crafts time every week? If not, it’s time to start. I’ll show you why your brain needs old lady hobbies in 2026 if you want to reach bigger in your business and your lifeTime to break out the magazines and glue sticks. We’re creating vision boards. But not the glitter covered vision boards you see on Instagram. Ones that elite entrepreneurs use to unlock your brilliance on demand. Don’t worry, you can still add glitter, but with a splash of science

I am no stranger to taking on more than is possible to complete. I have big goals for myself and a passion for learning! Which means that I love taking on projects.But sometimes, my to-do list tasks feel like a chore to get through and I feel stretched for time. Does any of this sound familiar?In this episode, I’ll introduce you to the Productivity Formula. This is something I use to help me make tough decisions on how to spend my time and energy.Show Highlights[01:59] - What is the Productivity Formula?[02:34] - We want to spend the most time possible in the Productive Zone.[03:04] - The zone we get stuck in is the Busy Zone.[04:02] - We also want to minimize the Bored Zone and the Stress Zone.[05:27] - The tasks in everyone’s zones are different per person and career.[06:15] - Pay attention to how tasks make you feel.[07:31] - Tasks that we used to love may also slip into feeling like a “should”.[08:42] - It is important to realize when a project is no longer serving you.[09:27] - Give yourself permission to take a break.Subscribe Today!Apple PodcastSpotifyAndroidStitcherRSSLinks | ResourcesIG: @DrNicoleByersFacebook: Dr. Nicole ByersWebsite: Drnicolebyers.comEmail [email protected] Your Daily Productivity ChecklistThe Insider’s Guide to Stop Procrastinating

Sometimes, life throws us a curveball. And other times, it seems like your time is swept away with the day to day stuff and the big projects that you’re excited about gets put off to tomorrow.But, not all tasks are urgent!In this episode, you’ll learn 3 simple steps to pivot when life throws you a curveball. Then you can stay on track with your big goals without going into panic mode.Show Highlights[02:40] - In the Fall, my household had a seemingly never ending stream of illnesses.[04:41] - My schedule was turned upside down and I had to rearrange everything.[06:07] - How can we deal with the unexpected? Key #1: Decide what is urgent.[07:26] - Priorities change. What is important one day might not be the next.[08:04] - Key #2: Decide what you can delegate off your to-do list.[09:22] - Key #3: Decide what you can cut completely.[10:19] - You can color code your tasks and this all takes practice.Subscribe Today!Apple PodcastSpotifyAndroidStitcherRSSLinks | ResourcesIG: @DrNicoleByersFacebook: Dr. Nicole ByersWebsite: Drnicolebyers.comEmail [email protected] Your Daily Productivity ChecklistThe Insider’s Guide to Stop Procrastinating

We all know self-care is important, but it’s usually the last thing on the to-do list for high achievers. It’s hard for us to set our big goals and responsibilities aside and put ourselves first every once in a while.In this episode, you’ll learn why our brains approach self-care as a task or something to check off the to-do list. When that happens, self-care feels like more work!You will also learn a simple strategy to rewire your brain into thinking about self-care differently so you can have the mental resources you need to stay focused on your big goals.Show Highlights[02:15] - My bucket list goal of reading 50 books in a year was achieved in 2022.[03:09] - After a while, reading stopped recharging me and felt like more work.[04:51] - Our brains turn our self-care activity into something on our to-do list.[06:14] - When we check something off the to-do list, we move on to the next thing.[07:22] - Self-care becomes a burden and the joy gets lost.[08:34] - Take a break to remove the internal pressure.[09:41] - Self-care looks different day to day or week to week.[10:25] - Ask yourself how you feel right now when you do your self-care activities.Subscribe Today!Apple PodcastSpotifyAndroidStitcherRSSLinks | ResourcesIG: @DrNicoleByersFacebook: Dr. Nicole ByersWebsite: Drnicolebyers.comEmail [email protected] Your Daily Productivity ChecklistThe Insider’s Guide to Stop Procrastinating