Rest, Recovery, Repeat: What Work Can Learn from Marathon Training

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Jenny and Sarah get real about how the pressure to always exceed expectations at work is quietly fueling burnout, quiet quitting, and toxic workplace culture.

They swap HR stories (some hilarious, some horrifying) about leaders who demand 24/7 peak performance, and the human cost that follows. It’s messy, honest, and painfully relatable for anyone who’s ever felt PTO guilt or caught themselves trying to be “on” all the damn time.

Inside, they break down:

• A reality check on why “exceeds expectations” has replaced “meets” as the new normal, and why that’s a problem
• What marathon training can teach us about peak performance, recovery, and sustainable success at work
• Tips for actually taking PTO without guilt (and why your boss emailing on vacation screws everyone)

This one’s for you if:

• You’re burned out from always overperforming
• You feel guilty about using your PTO (stop that)
• You lead a team and secretly worry they’re about to ghost you

Because guess what? Showing up, doing your job, and then going home? That’s actually enough.

Highlights:
[00:02] School drop-offs, chaotic mornings, and why women’s mornings hit different
[12:30] The corporate hamster wheel: no valleys, only endless peaks
[25:10] Marathon training as a metaphor for work (and why it matters)
[39:45] Why “meets expectations” should actually be the goal
[52:00] Leaders, boundaries, and taking real time off (yes, actually unplugging)
[1:04:20] Why people quit without another job lined up and why that should scare companies
[1:15:00] Sarah’s surprise party, Diet Coke bets, and husbands who think sweaty gym clothes are dinner-ready

Tell us your story

_We know we’re not the only ones. Tell us your own ‘meets expectations’ moment or the time you realized exceeding expectations was slowly killing your soul. __DM us on Instagram. _We might share it (names changed, obviously).

Do this one thing

Before you jump back into your inbox, do a quick gut check: Where could you pull back to ‘meets expectations’ this week and still be a damn good employee, friend, or parent? Start there. Small shifts matter.

Take the conversation further

If this episode hit home, share it with a coworker who’s stuck on the hamster wheel. Or better yet, play it at your next team meeting (we dare you!)and see what comes up.