Our brain favours stimulus and response because in our primitive days we couldn't wait around to see if something was going to kill us or not; we had to err on the side of caution. Also, thinking takes energy and our primitive brain wants to conserve energy.

Now though, most situations we deal with require rational thought and just responding to events and feelings makes our life harder. It makes us gain weight, drink too much caffeine and drives a wedge between the people we love most.

You could be reaching for the chocolate bar, getting distracted by emails and messages or snapping at the kids. All of these are examples of where we are responding without thinking before we act.

In this episode I will show you how to change if you want to. I say 'want to' because you don't have to change, you get to stay as you are. In my experience, the only people who change are those that want to and have a compelling reason 'why'.

I will show you the 4 easy steps to change which are:

1. Awareness

2. Act

3. Feel discomfort

4. Measure progress

Hope it's helpful.

I've never had anyone come to me in burnout yet who hasn't complained of not being able to switch off.

We think it is a work problem but it's not, it's a brain problem.

It is not even actually a problem, it's just our brain trying to protect us, creating fear if we don't check our emails or do more work and then we reward it by doing it which then perpetuates the cycle.

Suddenly we tell oursleves that we have a job that means we can't switch off but really this is just our ego talking. Our ego needs to feel needed and convinces us that we are indispensable and that if we are not working all the time everything will fall apart.

What we are actually creating is an environment perfect for burnout and exhaustion, not just for us but for everyone that looks up to us and works under us. People do what they see not what you tell them.

The simple truth is that if you don't switch off it will cost you. If you want to keep telling yourself that you can't switch off then just accept the price. That price might be your health, your partner or your relationship with your kids but everything has a price tag and you have to accept it.

When you remove your ego from the equation and allow yourself to switch off you think clearer, make better decisions and are more productive which means you don't have to work such long hours. What does your ego think of that though, if you were coming into work at a reasonable time, finishing at a reasonable time and not working in the evening?

Is there a part of you that wants to be seen as the person that never switches off, that works longer hours than everyone else? Is it secretly a badge of honour? It was for me and I'm glad I got that ego in check because it led me to feel burnt out and resentful.

If you want to learnt o switch off then have a listen to this.

Something a lot of leaders struggle with is delegation. They tell themselves and others that no one else can do their job and end of taking on more which leads to them being overworked, overwhelmed and exhausted.

This has a knock on effect with their family as they become snappier with the kids and too knackered to listen to their wife's day, just flaking out on the sofa but obviously not before they have gone to the gym and smashed themselves in an attempt to rid themselves of the stress and to help them switch off.

The truth is more that they don't trust anyone to do the work and they are afraid that someone will look at the work they have done and criticise it. It's just good old fear!

The thought of delegating work feels them with dread and anxiety and they prefer to take it all on themselves and work in the evenings and on holiday rather than let someone else take the work on.

This problem is easily solved and creates the freedom that most people are looking for. Free from the overwhelm and exhaustion they feel trapped in.

Have a listen and see what you think.

Jonny