The Corporate Burnouts Podcast

You picked a career at 18. Did anyone ask what you wanted your life to look like?In Episode 84, Mandy Alt and Mandy Holt dig into why so many people climb the ladder, reach the top and still feel empty. Starting with the college-planning chaos in both of their homes and a viral trend of high achievers walking away from the careers they spent decades building, they unpack why happiness isn't a destination, why midlife feels like a tipping point, and the better questions to ask before (and after) you pick a path.In this episode:Why "what do you want to be when you grow up?" is the wrong questionChoosing a career based on the life you want, not just the titleHappiness is not a destinationMidlife crisis or midlife wake-up call?Reevaluating your career at 25, 30, 35 and 40The random-Tuesday testWhy your job doesn't have to be your passionIt's okay to want money (just know the trade-off)Finding your non-negotiablesEvery career has a costFuture tripping and the "I'll be happy when…" trapWhy waiting until retirement to live is a bad planFor anyone in their 30s or 40s wondering "is this it?", parents helping a teen figure out what's next, and anyone thinking about trading a big paycheck for a life they actually love.New episodes every week for anyone trying to survive (or escape) the corporate grind.

Give yourself one task and eight hours, and guess how long it takes?In Episode 83, Mandy Alt and Mandy Holt dig into why you're more productive when you're busy, and slower than molasses when your calendar is wide open. From a viral three-jobs story (that may have been satire) to waiting tables in the weeds, they break down Parkinson's Law, momentum and the voice in your head that negotiates "twenty more minutes." Then they share the simple ways they create a "good busy" on purpose, without burning out.In this episode:Parkinson's Law: why work expands to fill the time you give itMomentum and why sitting down kills your whole eveningThe self-negotiation trap and procrastinationFake deadlines vs. real commitmentsScheduling something every couple of hours and time blockingAsking your boss to hold you accountableHow deadlines create clarity and cut perfectionismStacking errands when you work from homeKnowing your next three thingsA free tip: how AI is finding businesses through blog postsFor anyone who procrastinates on slow days, anyone who works from home and struggles to get moving, and anyone who wants to finish work by noon and actually enjoy the rest of the day.New episodes every week for anyone trying to survive (or escape) the corporate grind.

If working from home was such a problem, why did it take until 2026 for anyone to say so?In Episode 82, Mandy Alt and Mandy Holt break down the real return-to-office timeline: the 2020 shutdown, the 2021–2022 hot labor market that turned remote work into a hiring perk, the messy 2023 "back to normal" push, and the 2024 layoffs that flipped power back to employers. They get into the theories nobody says out loud, what happens to people hired 100% remote who now live nowhere near an office, and what a commute actually costs once you add it all up.In this episode:A real timeline: 2020 lockdowns to 2026 mandatesThe real estate and power-and-control theories behind RTOWhat happens when you're hired fully remote and then told to relocateThe hidden cost of commuting: gas, time, clothes and childcareWhy "be more productive" isn't a real reason without a system behind itHow to negotiate before you complyThe stats: 91% of Amazon employees unhappy, 80% of companies losing talentFor anyone who got the "come back to the office" email out of nowhere, anyone hired fully remote who's now stuck, and anyone tired of mandates with no real explanation behind them.New episodes every week for anyone trying to survive (or escape) the corporate grind.Also, if you are interested in checking out the fidget tools we talked about on this episode, please go to this website - https://getono.com/ If you find one you like, use this discount code to get 10% off. THECORPORATEBURNOUTSPODCAST10

Burnout isn't just coming for your health. It's coming for your bank account.In Episode 81, Mandy Alt and Mandy Holt get honest about what burnout really cost them: late-night retail therapy, Target runs that always hit $200, delivery apps, paying for chores they couldn't face, and bills that didn't get paid until the water got shut off. They break down why burnout spending is really escapism, how financial procrastination sneaks in even when the money is there, and how to stop the financial bleed without shaming yourself.In this episode:Retail therapy and stress spending as burnout copingGrocery delivery, DoorDash and why simple tasks feel impossibleOutsourcing chores: healthy choice or avoidance?Financial procrastination and paying bills lateAutomating your bills to cut the mental loadSkipped raises and retirement savings on pauseHow to do a 60–90 day burnout spending auditWhy your career can't be your whole identityFor anyone who's burned out and watching their card statement tell the story, anyone who "treats themselves" just to get through the week, and anyone ready to take back control of their money. (Not financial advice, just real talk.)Next week: a brand-new episode for anyone trying to survive (or escape) the corporate grind.

One 30-minute conversation blew up an entire business plan this week — and it started with a ChatGPT prompt at 11 p.m.Mandy and Mandy talk honestly about playing small: staying quiet in meetings when you have the better idea, undercharging because you're "still new," waiting for someone else to tell you you're ready. Mandy Alt shares the $750 website that kicked off her marketing agency and what those years of underpricing actually cost. Mandy Holt breaks down the gut-check question nobody wants to answer: who benefits when you stay small?This one's for anyone in corporate, running a business, or somewhere in between who's been comfortable a little too long.In this episode: the signs you're playing small, where the habit comes from, why imposter syndrome keeps good ideas trapped in your head, the real financial cost of underselling yourself, the "every idea is an ugly baby" rule, keeping a written record of your wins, and the one-size-up challenge to try this week.The prompts from the episode, as promised:"Based on everything I've ever told you, tell me 5 things about me that you've figured out yourself. And don't soften it for me. Tell me straight." And then after it give you your answer, ask it this follow up question. "What pattern do you see in the way that I work now? Predict the next 5 years if nothing changes. Also predict the next 5 years if I fix this one thing."Have a work secret you've never told anyone? Drop it anonymously at thecorporateburnouts.com under the Secrets tab. We'll tell it and we won't tell them it's yours.Follow the show so new episodes land in your feed every Thursday morning.