How to Stop Work From Taking Over Your Life

How to Stop Work From Taking Over Your Life

Author: Pushkin Industries March 16, 2026 Duration: 43:18

Work doesn’t end when the workday does. Even after we close our laptops, our minds keep replaying awkward meetings, looming deadlines, and unfinished to-do lists. Over time, that “always on” mentality can quietly hijack our relationships, our health, and our happiness.

Dr. Laurie sits down with psychologist and bestselling author Guy Winch (Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life) to explore the science of work stress — and why so many of us get stuck in fight-or-flight mode long after we’ve left the office. 

Plus, Ben Walter, host of “The Unshakeables” and CEO of Chase for Business, shares what he’s learned from working with small business owners who don’t have the option to simply “clock out.”

If you’ve ever felt like work is bleeding into everything, this episode offers science-based tools to help you take your life back.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life

"Burnout: A Review of Theory and Measurement"

"The Relationship Between Workplace Stressors and Mortality and Health Costs in the United States"

"How Small Businesses Drive the American Economy"

"Small Business Facts"

“The Unshakeables”

"Yerkes-Dodson Law Of Arousal And Performance"

“The Use of Imagery to Manipulate Challenge and Threat Appraisal States in Athletes”

“Rebuilding After a Blaze: Luna Gourmet Coffee & Tea”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


We often chase after things we believe will bring us joy-the next promotion, a perfect vacation photo, a bigger house-only to find the feeling is fleeting. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos digs into the surprising psychology behind why our instincts about happiness are so frequently wrong. Dr. Santos, a Yale professor, doesn't just offer vague self-help advice; she translates the rigorous research from her record-breaking university course into practical, actionable science. Each episode feels like a personal conversation, where she breaks down complex studies and shares stories from people who've applied these lessons, revealing how counterintuitive changes in our daily routines and mindset can have a profound impact. This Pushkin Industries podcast moves beyond the surface of wellness trends, offering a grounded look at what genuinely improves our well-being across our social lives, personal health, and cultural expectations. Tuning in, you'll hear not just theory, but the tangible steps you can take to rewire your habits, backed by evidence that often contradicts our modern chase for more. It’s a refreshing take that makes the science of a better life accessible and genuinely useful, episode by episode.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
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