106: Evie Brockwell - Burnout, Boundaries & Breaking the Hustle Cycle
Why so many of us just can't go on
Evie Brockwell unpacks why 92% of PMs are crispy-fried and close to burnout – and why "just meditate more" isn't the answer. We dissect toxic sprint culture, ADHD-friendly boundary hacks, and why treating burnout like a product churn problem might save your sanity (and your career).
🕒 Timestamps
00:02:28 - The Burnout Recipe
High-driven PMs + chaotic orgs = guaranteed burnout. It’s not your fault – it’s the cult of "ASAP" as a personality trait.
00:11:38 - Boundaries Aren’t B.S.
Why "I’ll just answer this Slack at 10 PM" destroys teams – and how to weaponize app blockers, second phones, and "No." as a full sentence.
00:18:46 - Leah’s ADHD Warfare
"Losing parking tickets is my superpower." Tactical tips for neurospicy PMs: rigid routines, external accountability partners.
00:27:28 - Leaders: Stop the Overwork Olympics
Why celebrating "Peter works 80-hour weeks!" backfires – and how to spot promotion-induced burnout traps.
00:40:41 - The Feedback Lie
"Improve your quant skills" vs. "Be more reliable" – why managers secretly crave PMs who say "This launch can wait".
00:46:26 - Burnout Doesn’t Care About Your Gender
Surprise! Men suffer equally – they just hide it better. The real divider? Whether your boss thinks "hustle" is a compliment.
00:52:14 - Exit Strategies
When to fix the org vs. flee – and how job hunting (even casually) boosts your boundary-setting muscles.
🔥 Hot Takes
"Burnout is a product problem – treat it like churn."
If 72% of users quit, you’d fix the UX. Why blame PMs when 92% are drowning?"Your 'high performer' is a liability."
Promoting hustle addicts to leadership? Congrats – you just weaponized burnout.
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Season 4 of the Product Tea
We spill the tea on how to go to Market through Product-led Sales and Product-led Growth in B2B and the realities of senior leadership.