#489 Four Work Complaints Everyone Has - And Realistic Ways to Take Back Control

In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore the common complaints we all have about work—and how to respond to them in ways that are realistic. From endless meetings, to never having time to think, they unpack why certain complaints come up so often and how to take small, doable steps forward. They share practical tactics like "co-working meetings," “to-think” lists, and a forgiving approach to navigating the inevitable frustrations of work life—so you can focus less on moaning and more on momentum. 🥇 Sign up for the Skills Sprint here: https://bit.ly/41jasYO ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and intro to the episode 01:00 Why we all complain (and why that’s okay sometimes) 03:00 Common complaints: too many meetings, too much to do, not enough time to think 08:58 Complaint #1: Too many meetings 10:30 Imperfect solutions: Shorter meetings, co-working time, reclaiming your calendar 15:48 Complaint #2: Too much to do 17:00 Zoom in/zoom out to clarify what matters most 19:00 Good enough is great: Adjusting your effort with intention 21:45 Complaint #3: No time to think 23:00 The “To Think” list and first thoughts method 25:00 Using voice notes and self-explaining for fast clarity 26:30 Complaint #4: Senior people are slowing me down 28:00 Reframing communication: work with—not against—bottlenecks 🎯 What You’ll Learn - Why it’s helpful to turn your work complaints into first-person statements - How “imperfect” solutions can be more useful than perfect plans - Practical ideas to manage meetings, workload, and thinking time - Ways to reduce bottlenecks and collaborate better with others 📚 Resources Mentioned https://reclaim.ai/ – tool to block time for focus and reflection When Good Enough Is Great Episode: https://www.amazingif.com/listen/when-good-enough-is-great/ For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email [email protected] More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers: 📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 🏃‍♀️ Join our next Skills Sprint: https://bit.ly/skillssprint2024 📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction 📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices