UN/DO – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the WorkWell Podcast, where work meets life! Hosts Dulcie and Yemisi bring humour, heart, and over 20 years of friendship to tackle the big challenges we all face at work - like burnout, perfectionism, and feeling stuck. With honest conversations, practical strategies, and a dash of storytelling, they’ll help you navigate your career and thrive in life. Plus, don’t miss the Your Best Year Yet challenge to kickstart 2025 with purpose. Subscribe now to work well and live even better!

Episode summary

Welcome back to the WorkWell Podcast! This week, Dulcie and Yemisi dive headfirst into that nasty "P-word" - perfectionism. They break down how perfectionism manifests, why it’s holding us back, and what we can do about it. From societal pressures to self-imposed standards, they explore how striving for perfection keeps us stuck and why embracing progress is the true game-changer.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re falling short despite your best efforts, this episode will help you stop chasing perfection and start making meaningful progress.

What we talked about:

- The five faces of perfectionism: self-oriented, other-oriented, socially prescribed, overt, and covert.

- How perfectionism impacts mental health, productivity, and relationships.

- Why societal norms, social media, and achievement culture fuel the perfectionist trap.

Tips for overcoming perfectionism:

1. Spot and challenge perfectionist thoughts: Face your inner critic with facts.

2. Set realistic goals: Use SMART or PACT frameworks to create achievable plans.

3. Embrace imperfection: Progress is better than perfect. Celebrate the small wins!

4. Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness—you're only human.

5. Reframe failure: Learn to see missteps as growth opportunities.

Try this: Good Enough Exercise

This week, pick one task where you feel pressure to be perfect. Define what “good enough” looks like, take one small action, and reflect on how it feels to focus on progress instead of perfection.

Resources mentioned:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://amzn.to/3W0EDBD

Self-compassion worksheets by the Center for Clinical Interventions - https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking-after-yourself/self-compassion

Headspace app - https://www.headspace.com/

Connect with us:

We’d love to hear how you’re shifting from perfection to progress! Email us at hello@thisisworkwell.com or share your stories with us on social media. Search for @thisisworkwell on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Next week’s episode:

Resilience is the name of the game. Join us as we discuss how to bounce back and move forward when life throws its curveballs.

Final note

If you enjoyed this episode, hit subscribe so you never miss a new one. While you’re at it, leave us a five-star rating or review - it helps more people discover the show and join the WorkWell journey. Let’s build a community that works well, together. 💛

www.thisisworkwell.com

Episode summary

Welcome to the Workwell Podcast! In this debut episode, Dulcie and Yemisi tackle the long-debated concept of “work-life balance.” Spoiler alert: they’re not fans. Instead, they’re here to introduce you to a better approach - work-life integration. Through candid conversation, personal stories, and a hefty dose of humour, they explore why traditional ideas of balance often fail and how integration allows for more harmony in both work and life.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to keep work and life in perfect compartments, this episode will help you breathe easier and find smarter, more authentic ways to live and work.

What we talked about:

- Why does work-life balance feel like an impossible juggling act?

- The shift to integration: blending personal and professional priorities to create harmony.

- How the pandemic reshaped our understanding of work, life, and showing up as our real selves.

Tips for integration that actually works

1. Define your priorities: Identify your top three personal and professional goals, then look for overlaps.

2. Understand your energy: Take a chronotype quiz to determine when you’re at your best (link below!).

3. Set boundaries: Create intentional transitions between work and personal time.

4. Be flexible: Life happens. Sometimes, one part of life needs more attention than the other - and that’s okay.

5. Use tech wisely: Let your calendar and reminders work for you, not against you.

Try this: one small step towards integration

This week, take 10 minutes to define your top three personal and professional priorities. Look for one small way to align them. For example, could you combine a work meeting with a walk or spend your commute reflecting on personal goals?

Resources mentioned:

Leading the Life You Want by Stewart Friedman - https://amzn.to/49VCBIu

When by Daniel Pink - https://amzn.to/49UqPhL

Stewart's Four Circles exercise - https://www.myfourcircles.com

Chronotype Quiz - https://sleepdoctor.com/sleep-quizzes/chronotype-quiz

Connect with us
We’d love to hear your thoughts on work-life integration! Email us at hello@thisisworkwell.com or share your stories with us on social media. Search for @thisisworkwell on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Next week’s episode:
Perfectionism - we’re coming for you. Tune in as we discuss how striving for perfection holds us back and why progress is the real superpower.

Final note
If you enjoyed this episode, please hit subscribe so you never miss a new one. While you’re at it, leave us a five-star rating or review - it helps more people discover the show and join the WorkWell journey. Let’s build a community that works well, together. 💛

www.thisisworkwell.com

This week’s dilemma:

“I don’t want to give up on being the kind of boss I believe in. But I also don’t want to feel like a mug.”

In this minisode, we respond to a long-time leader wrestling with a modern challenge: how to hold people accountable without falling back on outdated, authoritarian styles of leadership.

Peter has spent two decades leading with clarity, compassion, and care. But lately, with shifting expectations, missed deadlines, and a whole lot of ambiguity, he’s starting to question whether he’s being too soft, or just trying to lead in a system that hasn’t caught up yet.

If you’ve ever tried to lead with integrity but felt tempted to “lay down the law,” this one’s for you.

Got a work dilemma?

We’re answering real-life listener dilemmas all season long. Send yours to dilemma@thisisworkwell.com - anonymous, always.

Visit www.thisisworkwell.com for more tools, courses, and upcoming events

Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn: @thisisworkwell

Leave a five-star rating or short review to help others find the show

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

Welcome to UN/DO - the podcast where we rethink work, rest, and play. Hosted by Dulcie and Yemisi, this season is all about unlearning the rules we’ve been handed and doing life on our terms. If you’re done shrinking, settling, or running on fumes…you’re in the right place.

This week, we’re talking about something a lot of us quietly long for: creativity. Not to perform. Not to monetise. But to feel alive again.

Whether you stopped creating because of shame, self-doubt, or just the busy-ness of life, this episode is here to remind you: you’re not uncreative, you’re just out of practice. And it’s never too late to begin again.

In this episode:

• Why so many of us stopped creating in the first place

• The myth that creativity = talent, output, or utility

• What psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered about joy and creative flow

• Why Hayao Miyazaki is our forever inspiration

• Our signature UN/DO practice - one thing to unlearn, one thing to do differently

Check out Yemisi’s amazing artwork!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayakincreates/ 

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/ayakincreates/ 

Website: https://yemisiolusanya.com/ 

Books mentioned:

• The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

• Creativity by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

• Creative Confidence by Tom & David Kelley

Explore these and more in The WorkWell Library - https://www.thisisworkwell.com/library

Got a work dilemma?

This season, we’re answering your real-life dilemmas in short minisodes.

Got something you’d love us to unpack? Email us at dilemma@thisisworkwell.com and don’t worry, we’ll keep you anonymous.

Enjoying UN/DO?

If this episode gave you a little spark of inspiration, send it to someone who might need it too.

• Leave a quick review or five-star rating as it helps more people find us.

• Head to www.thisisworkwell.com for free tools, upcoming events, and more

• Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn: @thisisworkwell

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

This week’s dilemma:

“I don’t want to become that person who complains about their colleague all the time. But I’m not sure how much longer I can swallow it.”

In this minisode, we respond to a listener dealing with a subtle but relentless undermining dynamic at work. She’s sharing credit, staying calm, doing the work, while her colleague interrupts, dominates, and rewrites the narrative.

Even worse? When she finally brought it up to her manager, she was met with a shrug and a smile: “That’s just Sasha”.

If you’ve ever felt erased in plain sight or been told to “stay positive” while someone else takes up all the space, this one’s for you.

Got a work dilemma?

We’re answering real-life listener dilemmas all season long. Send yours to dilemma@thisisworkwell.com - anonymous, always.

Visit www.thisisworkwell.com for more tools, courses, and upcoming events

Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn: @thisisworkwell

Leave a five-star rating or short review to help others find the show

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

Welcome to UN/DO - the podcast where we rethink work, rest, and play. Hosted by Dulcie and Yemisi, this season is all about unlearning the rules we’ve been handed and doing life on our terms. If you’re done shrinking, settling, or running on fumes…you’re in the right place.

This week, we’re talking about productivity, specifically the trap of busyness as a badge of honour. We dig into how the cult of doing more took hold, why it leaves so many of us burned out, and how working smarter starts with asking better questions, not moving faster. If you’ve ever felt like your worth is tied to your output, or that you’re “doing everything right” but still exhausted, this one’s for you.

In this episode:

• The hustle culture lie: why busy ≠ better

• How over-optimising turns humans into machines

• Why rest should be built in, not earned

• What the 4-day work week reveals about real productivity

• Our signature UN/DO practice - one thing to unlearn, one thing to do differently

Books mentioned:

• Rest by Alex Pang

• Essentialism by Greg McKeown

• Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee

Explore these and more in The WorkWell Library - https://www.thisisworkwell.com/library

Work Smarter with The Work Rewrite

If you’re feeling the productivity pressure and want to reset the way you work, check out The Work Rewrite - a 40-day audio course to help you reclaim your time, energy, and attention.

• Designed for busy people. Just a few minutes a day.

• 10% off for podcast listeners with the code WORK10

Learn more at www.thisisworkwell.com/workrewrite 

Got a work dilemma?

This season, we’re answering your real-life dilemmas in short minisodes.

Got something you’d love us to unpack? Email us at dilemma@thisisworkwell.com and don’t worry, we’ll keep you anonymous.

Enjoying UN/DO?

If this episode gave you permission to slow down and still feel proud, share it with someone who might need that too.

• Leave a quick review or five-star rating as it helps more people find us.

• Head to www.thisisworkwell.com for free tools, upcoming events, and more

• Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn: @thisisworkwell

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

This week’s dilemma:

“I genuinely thought we had a connection, but now I feel like I’ve made a fool of myself.”

In this minisode, we respond to a listener who built a real connection with a colleague, until things suddenly got weird. The inside jokes and meme swaps have turned into short replies and cold shoulders, and now she’s left wondering: Did I overshare? Did I get too close? Or was it never what I thought it was?

If you’ve ever blurred the lines between work and friendship and then had to navigate the fallout, this one’s for you.

Got a work dilemma?

We’re answering real-life listener dilemmas all season long. Send yours to dilemma@thisisworkwell.com and we'll keep it anonymous, always.

Visit www.thisisworkwell.com for more tools, courses, and upcoming events

Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn: @thisisworkwell

Leave a five-star rating or short review to help others find the show

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

Welcome to UN/DO - the podcast where we rethink work, rest, and play. Hosted by Dulcie and Yemisi, this season is all about unlearning the rules we’ve been handed and doing life on our terms. If you’re done shrinking, settling, or running on fumes…you’re in the right place.

This week, we’re talking about boundaries but not just the ‘say no more’ kind. We’re reframing boundaries as strategy: a way to protect your energy, your time, and your joy. If you’ve ever said yes out of guilt, stayed available to feel “nice,” or worried that setting a limit might make you look bad… this one’s for you.

In this episode:

• The cultural messages we’ve been taught about being “nice,” available, and accommodating

• Why boundaries are often harder to set for women, people of colour, and junior staff

• Why kindness is not the same as niceness

• Research that shows boundaries reduce stress, improve relationships, and boost job satisfaction

• Our signature UN/DO practice - one thing to unlearn, one thing to do differently

Books mentioned:

• Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab

• Radical Candor by Kim Scott

• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Explore these and more in The WorkWell Library - https://www.thisisworkwell.com/library

Got a work dilemma?

This season, we’re answering your real-life dilemmas in short minisodes.

Got something you’d love us to unpack? Email us at dilemma@thisisworkwell.com and don’t worry, we’ll keep you anonymous.

Enjoying UN/DO?

If this episode gave you the nudge you needed to protect your peace, share it with someone who needs the same reminder.

• Leave a quick review or five-star rating as it helps more people find us.

• Head to www.thisisworkwell.com for free tools, upcoming events, and more

• Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn: @thisisworkwell

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

This week’s dilemma:

“I feel like I’m playing a character at work. And I hate it.”

In this minisode, we respond to a listener navigating the complicated, coded politics of speaking up as a Black man in a predominantly white, middle-class workplace.

His company claims to value inclusion but when he challenges ideas, he’s met with silence, side-eyes, and labels like “intense” or “too passionate.” Now he’s wondering: Is it worth it? Or is this just the cost of being visible while Black?

If you’ve ever second-guessed your voice to stay employable, palatable, or “professional,” this one’s for you.

Got a work dilemma?

We’re answering real-life listener dilemmas all season long. Send yours to dilemma@thisisworkwell.com - anonymous, always.

Visit www.thisisworkwell.com for more tools, courses, and upcoming events

Follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn

Please leave a five-star rating or short review to help others find the show

© 2025 WorkWell. All rights reserved.

This podcast and all associated content are the intellectual property of WorkWell. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any part of this episode, including audio, show notes, or related materials, without express written permission. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.