Navigating Burnout and Work-Life Balance with Jen Medernach
The Realities of #Burnout and How to Find Your Balance with Jen Medernach
In this episode of The Kelly Wendlandt Podcast, Kelly chats with executive coach and leadership expert, Jen Medernach, about a topic we all face but rarely admit—burnout. From personal growth strategies to regaining control over emotional well-being, this episode offers actionable advice on how to recognize and manage burnout, while balancing the demands of both personal and professional life.
Both Kelly and Jen bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the conversation, and you’ll find yourself nodding along as they explore the importance of self-care, emotional intelligence, and the art of refocusing in a world that often demands too much. Let’s dive into the key takeaways from this must-listen episode.
Acknowledge Burnout: The First Step to Recovery
Jen starts by getting straight to the point: burnout is real, and it’s something every professional faces at some point. For her, the first step is simply admitting it. We’ve all been there—plowing through endless meetings, pushing ourselves for the team, family, and community. But as Jen shares, burnout often manifests when we’ve lost our balance. The work might still be getting done, but we aren’t ourselves. We lose focus, patience, and joy in what we’re doing.
Jen reflects on her own cycles of burnout, revealing how she can now recognize the signs before they spiral. The key, she says, is becoming self-aware and accepting that burnout isn’t a failure—it’s a part of life. “Burnout happens when you’re not balanced,” Jen explains. Recognizing that this imbalance creeps in over time allows us to take action before hitting rock bottom.
Kelly, ever the witty host, interjects with humor about his own moments of imbalance—like watching his EV charger being installed—acknowledging that even he, a high-performing professional, has felt that drained feeling. Both Kelly and Jen make it clear that emotional well-being is vital in leadership, and it’s okay to admit when you’re not at your best.
User Leadership: How Authenticity Can Inspire Others
A recurring theme in the conversation is the idea that showing vulnerability can make you a better leader. Jen shares an anecdote about recognizing burnout in one of her colleagues—a high-achieving VP who wasn’t quite herself in a meeting. Instead of ignoring it, Jen checked in with her afterward, offering a brief moment of connection that made all the difference.
“Burnout is contagious,” Jen notes, explaining how our emotional states influence those around us. When leaders take the time to be transparent about their own struggles, it opens the door for others to do the same. Kelly agrees, pointing out that no one is immune, and it’s essential for leaders to foster environments where people feel safe to talk about their challenges. After all, a team can’t be at its most productive when burnout is lurking beneath the surface.
Jen’s insights remind us that executive coaching isn’t just about achieving goals—it’s about personal growth, emotional well-being, and creating spaces for authentic connection. Leadership isn’t about having it all together; it’s about understanding that every team member, including the leader, is human.
Mastering the Art of Refocusing
So, what’s the antidote to burnout? For Jen, it’s all about learning to refocus—what she calls her “nine hacks.” These hacks help her spot when burnout is creeping in and allow her to get back on track. Her advice is simple but powerful: start by welcoming the fact that you’re feeling off, then ask yourself why. From work stress to personal challenges like caregiving or injury, life throws us curveballs. Accepting that those disruptions are part of the journey helps you manage them with grace.
Jen emphasizes that small changes can make a big difference. Whether it’s sitting outside in the sunshine, taking a moment to cut carrots (yes, really!), or listening to your favorite 80s pop song, these little breaks can recharge your batteries. “It’s not about making time for massive life changes,” she explains, “It’s about taking five or ten minutes to do something that brings you joy and resets your mind.”
Kelly chimes in with his own take on personal refocusing strategies, lightheartedly mentioning how distractions like a new EV toy or strumming a guitar can provide a mental reset. It’s these small moments of self-care that can help us regain our productivity and focus when we feel drained.
Jen’s parting wisdom is especially poignant: “Why don’t we make time for ourselves? We make time for meetings, for work, for other people—why not us?” It’s a question we should all ask ourselves as we navigate the tightrope of career responsibilities and personal well-being.
Ready to Beat Burnout?
The conversation between Kelly and Jen leaves us with one clear takeaway: burnout is inevitable, but it’s manageable. With the right mindset, a little self-care, and a focus on what truly matters, you can regain your energy and lead with authenticity. As Jen points out, being the best version of yourself isn’t just good for you—it’s good for everyone around you.
If you enjoyed these insights, be sure to subscribe to The Kelly Wendlandt Podcast for more great conversations like this one. Whether you’re an executive looking for inspiration or someone simply wanting to improve your work-life balance, Kelly’s got you covered.
And for those looking to dive deeper into personal growth, productivity, or executive coaching, reach out to the team at Logisolve. They’re dedicated to helping you succeed, both in business and in life. Contact Logisolve [here](https://logisolve.com/contact/), and take that first step toward creating a more balanced, productive future.
Jen Mederach can be found:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/jen-medernach/posts/?feedView=all
AI Generated Transcript
Kelly (00:00.783)
One and we are live with Jennifer Metternach. Jennifer, how are you this morning?
Jen Medernach (00:05.727)
I am fantastic. How are you Kelly?
Kelly (00:07.79)
I’m good. I have to apologize on the front end to you and to our listeners. I have construction people at the house today. Our car that I referred to as the Black Dog was 21 years old and I had 270 ,000 miles. And so I finally put it away. I put it to rest and we got a new car and we got an EV. So I’ve got electricians that are cutting into the wall in the garage and putting in a
Jen Medernach (00:27.607)
Mmm.
Jen Medernach (00:33.023)
Kelly (00:37.697)
Type II charger is what they call it.
Jen Medernach (00:40.695)
Well, first off, congratulations on going EV. That’s awesome. And then how does it feel putting your legacy to bed there?
Kelly (00:45.953)
Yeah.
Kelly (00:52.194)
You know, I like old things. I am a person who likes old things. I like things at work. I am not generally a new shiny. I like things that I’m comfortable with. And so it was hard, but it was unsafe. my kids, I call them kids, they’re young adults, but they drive the cars still. so…
Jen Medernach (01:16.598)
Yeah.
Kelly (01:16.974)
I didn’t feel like it was safe. was just my brother and I were the last two people willing to drive that car. I had purchased it from my brother 15 years ago. then, so anyway, so there’s construction. And so I’ll be close to the microphone. I have the microphone turned down so that I can avoid. Yeah, this.
Jen Medernach (01:33.313)
That’s fine. I can hear you perfect, so I’m sure everyone else can too.
Kelly (01:37.484)
Great, great, great, great. So I’m excited to talk to you about the topic this morning, being stuck, feeling burnt out and being stuck. when you said you wanted to talk about that, the first thing that really hit me about that is the honesty to even admit that that happens. I I think there’s a lot of executives, myself included,
who don’t admit that happens to ourselves or anyone else. I think there’s an element of saying, by just by acknowledging it, I’m gonna be giving myself and other people around me excuses. So I really, really appreciate the honesty because I think we all, it’s something most of us face from time to time in a career. So tell me about how do you think about it? How did you, you you obviously are honest enough to just.
Jen Medernach (02:22.135)
Hmm.
Kelly (02:36.246)
to just say it out loud. tell me how you think about that statement.
Jen Medernach (02:36.843)
Yeah.
Jen Medernach (02:41.483)
Yeah, well, I tell you, Kelly, first off, thanks. It’s great to see you again. So the state of burnout for me is first admitting that it’s a real thing, not just to yourself, but to others, because I know I’m not alone in it. And I, Kelly, have had many phases of burnout.
through my life. Some have been career related, others have been life related, but burnout for me as I’ve had my cycles of it, and I do believe it is going to come and go through our lives at many times, burnout for me is when I’m not balanced.
I’m not focused and I’m not me. Like, Kelly, you know you, like you know the best of you. You know when you’re shining, you know when you’re on, you know when you’re just, your cup is full and you are just good, right? Like I know that of me too. And I also know when I’m not. And when I’m not, it’s pretty freaking obvious, right? Like I’ll have a day of back -to -back meetings.
you know, and I’ll wrap up the day and I won’t be energized by what I was doing or how I was contributing. You know, I was absolutely drained. And then I would say to myself, Kelly, just plow through. Just plow through, Jen. Just the team needs you. The work needs you. Your family needs you. Your kids need you. You know, your community, volunteer, you know, everyone needs you. And I would reach a tipping point where I have to draw boundaries.
You know, and I have to take care of me because I’m not showing up positive. I’m not showing up being a good mentor. I’m not showing up being a good team member. I’m not showing up being a good wife. My patience is short. My energy is drained. I’m not me. And when I have those moments, I have to look at myself and go, what do I need to do?
Jen Medernach (04:43.187)
And I’ve learned through my life and I’ve, I’ve journaled, I’ve taken notes. I’ve become very self aware of how do I get through those burnout cycles because I know it’s going to happen again. And what I’ve learned, Kelly, is I’ve been able to spot when burnout is starting to creep in and I have the tools and techniques and the tips to stop it and to take care of me and to get myself back to me because I want to be the best I can be every day.
I want to give whatever I can give. Be smart, be productive, be healthy, be happy. You know, and honestly, the truth is, and I know this can kind of be a bumper sticker, but like live your best life. Like we got this one, as far as I know, like this is it.
right, at least in this state of mind with this body and everything. It’s like, I just want to give and shine and be the best of me. And I tell you, there are more executives and leaders in the world that are afraid to face that truth. But I tell you, when you’re authentic and you do open up a bit about humanity in the workplace, that just makes you a better leader. I feel I’m a better leader because I’m transparent about that.
Kelly (05:34.005)
you
Kelly (05:46.923)
you
Kelly (05:50.559)
you
Kelly (05:54.732)
Do you think, and you’re in a position where you get to hang out with executives and leaders and people who are high achieving, do you think it impacts everyone you work with? Do you think everyone feels burnout from time to time?
Jen Medernach (06:10.603)
Yeah. Yes. Yes. As a matter of fact, earlier this week, I was with another VP and we came from a meeting and I could tell the way she was showing up in the meeting, like she wasn’t her, like something was going on. And so after that meeting, I pinged her and I just said, got a minute.
She said sure and she came in and she I could tell she was just frazzled. She was just distracted and all that She was what what do you need? And I said, I just want to check in and say how ask. How are you doing? Because you who I know You just seem off in that meeting you you were short you were interrupting people You’re typically an amazing listener and problem solver and you just like went cut to the throat and I’m like, are you okay?
And we just took five minutes. She’s like, no, I’m not. And we had five minutes of just, I listened to her and I just said, well, we’ll get through this. How can I help? So I think everyone experiences burnout. Every executive can experience being not focused and not balanced and not themselves. And you can sense that, right, Kelly? You can sense it when you work with someone and they’re off. And that infects.
That infects everyone else around them. It’s contagious. It really is. And so how can we stop that contagiousness of not being who we are and spread the who we are, which makes us all better and more productive and smarter? And we can make better decisions and be innovative and creative and think differently. When we’re not at our best, we can’t do that.
Kelly (07:57.022)
How do you, you’re clearly a really motivated person. And so if it’s happening to you, it’s happening to all of us. It does happen to me, by the way. So I’ll readily admit that. I don’t think I’m, I don’t openly admit that, but there are times where it does. How do we avoid it? How do people avoid it? What can you do? Are there things in your personal life you can do? there, like, is it?
up to each person, know, we all some people like to be alone at times, some people need people around them. Like, what what do you when you’re feeling burnt out? Where do you start to get the refocus and say, how do I prioritize the things that make me the best version of me I can be?
Jen Medernach (08:45.301)
Yeah. Well, I’m right now I have a, I call them hacks and I have nine hacks that I have learned that work for me, that work for me. And I’m, I’m talking to people about it and I’m just giving it, giving away saying, Hey, this is what worked for me. And the first step, Kelly is knowing that you can’t stop it. The first step is expect it.
There are going to be times you’re going to be off and you’re not going to be you and you’re not going to be balanced. So what do you do? You first off, welcome it, go, okay, you’re back. Here you are. And I’m going to stop and I’m going to question. Then I’m going to question it and go, why now? Cause there’s a reason it’s happening now. I in 2025 planning at work? Is that incredibly stressful for me right now? Yeah.
Did I just get news about my aging parent and I’m gonna have to do some some caretaking and doctor appointments and running them around and that’s gonna be a burden on my life. Yeah. Yes Did I get injured and Normally, I would go take care of myself and run and walk outside and now my knee I have to take four weeks off because of my knee, you know, so life stuff happens
Kelly (10:05.993)
Do you have insight into my life? Did you look at my list of things I have going on? How did you come up with that short list there?
Jen Medernach (10:13.527)
It’s my short list. And here’s the thing, Kelly, too. I love that you just said that because we think we’re so alone in this, like it’s not happening to anyone else. And I’ll tell you, the more you talk about it, the more you’re like, gee, that’s me too. That’s me too. Right? So what do you do about it? You start, Kelly, and this is how…
This is just how I view life and how I view work and all that. If you look at the big piece of it all, it’s super overwhelming. Like 2025 planning, an aging parent, an injury to your body, know, whatever it is that life changed. You look at the big picture and it’s just overwhelming. You’re like, how do I get started? What I know is you chunk it and you start into small little bites. So for me, when I’m feeling burned out, you know what I go and do? I go and sit on my stoop and I look at my garden.
And two weeks ago there were monarch butterflies that were flying through our neighborhood. And I would go out for five, 10 minutes in between a meeting or I took my lunch. I wouldn’t take my lunch at my computer, which I normally would and plow through my emails and get ready for the next meeting. I would take 10, 15 minutes with my lunch, sit on my stoop and I’d watch the butterflies because I know fresh air and breathing.
and the sun on my face helps me fill myself back up. Example. Another example is if I have to just distract myself and not think about work. This sounds weird, but I go and I cut carrots.
I realized this during COVID. Like I just had to like get away from whatever I was doing, get my brain off of something I was doing and go do something that I needed to focus on, like a really sharp knife and a really hard carrot. And if I cut a bag of carrots for 10 minutes, like I could just unplug and bring myself to a different place. you know, all the way from taking personal vacations, you know, but sometimes you can’t find those small little
Jen Medernach (12:22.903)
You know, those big events to go away and take a break and go to Yellowstone or Door County or sit by Lake Superior or go biking on a trail. We don’t have that, but all we have are these five minutes, these 10 minutes, these 15 minutes. Some people like Coach Go and Walk Their Dog. You know, some people call a friend. You know, you just find what are those little things that fill you up? Listening to music. I have a soundtrack.
that I listen to music and I just, there’s some songs that can just kind of like, help me realize like everything’s gonna be okay. And if I need a little jolt, I listen to 80s pop to be transparent. I love my 80s pop. A little Wang Chung will get me ready for that next meeting. those are things for me and Kelly when I coach and mentor people, I always say, so what’s the Kelly?
What are those small little Kelly moments? it going and stringing on your guitar? Is it going and fiddling with your new EV toy? Is it going and talking to one of your kids and asking them about their day? I don’t know, but you know you and I know me. And finding little small ways to fill that cup back up and take care of yourself can help with the burnout. Because I tell you, I’m on a mission. I’m on a mission.
83 % of employees, and this was a McKenzie Health study that was done last year, 83 % of people, employees at work, feel emotionally drained. 83%. And emotionally drained is a symptom of burnout.
Now people, and I know you, me, and other people, like we do really hard work and we work really, really hard, but it doesn’t have to be so hard. If we make time for all these meetings and all these things and all these other people in our life, why are we not making time for us? Why are we not taking five to 10 minutes for us? Because Kelly, I believe you are the number one most important priority in your life. You are.
Jen Medernach (14:34.485)
Because if you’re not the best at Kelly, how can everyone else around you be the best of them?
Kelly (14:41.066)
Is there any time that you just say, know what, I should just leave this. It’s gotten too counterproductive. I’m not happy. Where does that come in?
Jen Medernach (14:52.983)
Yeah. So as a matter of fact, that happened to me earlier this year. I had an amazing opportunity to work at an area in our company, Mergers and Acquisitions. And I did that for 18 months and I learned tons, tons. It was a part of work and business that I had no visibility to. I did it for 18 months and
And it was a grind. And I had to take some moments because I was not balanced. And I was not showing up the best of me in that role. And I had to sit back and I had conversations with HR and my boss and the network that I have around at Thomson Reuters. And I just said, hey, I’m looking for what’s next because I’m kind of tapped, you know? And I’m a connector. I love getting stuff done.
love growing things, love accelerating things. I’m a puzzler, love working with teams. Like keep your eyes open. Three months later, and I just kind of kept that invitation out to the world, right? Because I was not feeling me. And I know I was not showing up the best of me in this role.
And the way it happened was through my network at work, an opportunity came up that was absolutely perfect about growth and acceleration and connecting and taking a team with an agile mindset. it was absolutely perfect. And so I applied for the job. A month later, I got it. I’ve been in it for eight weeks and I’m having a ball, having a ball because I’m playing to my strengths again. But what I had to do was admit to myself,
I’m not in a good place. Right? Like, I need to make the change. I’m not going to wait for the change to happen to me. I’m not going to wait for another reorg. I’m not going to get wait. I’m not going to get told like, here’s where you need to go. It’s like, no, what is the work I love? What is the work I want to do every day? And I just started talking to people, opened that up. Wasn’t afraid like, my gosh, if my boss finds out I’m not happy or I want to do something else, I’m going to get fired. Like, no.
Jen Medernach (17:11.413)
No, you just have honest conversations with yourself and you have honest conversations with the people in your life and at work. And it’s like, yeah, I am looking for the next thing. Shouldn’t we all? Shouldn’t we all be wanting to look for that next thing to grow and learn and develop and be better? So yeah, Kelly, was not feeling me earlier this year, but now I’m back and I’m like, good. It’s amazing to be back in a role where I’m like, let’s do this.
Like, I can do hard work, but I’m having fun as I’m doing it too, and I’m taking care of myself.
Kelly (17:47.952)
Jen Medernach, always a pleasure to talk to you. These are great insights. Everybody feels what you’re talking about. So thank you very much for sharing with us this morning. And I look forward to having you on some time again and continuing this conversation.
Jen Medernach (18:06.731)
Thank you, Kelly. Have a great day, everybody.