Workplace Therapy with Dr. Abby Medcalf

33. Perfectionism at Work: When Your High Standards Start Sabotaging You

You care deeply about doing good work. You have high standards. You notice details other people miss and you hold yourself to a level of quality that, honestly, has served you well. And somewhere along the way, that same quality that made you good at your job started making your job miserable. Today I want to talk about perfectionism at work, not as a character flaw or a humblebrag, but as a specific nervous system pattern that has a real cost and a real solution. Because the version of perfectionism that's quietly sabotaging you isn't about standards, it's about fear. And those are two very different things. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/perfectionism-at-work [https://abbymedcalf.com/perfectionism-at-work] Grab the free Perfectionism Reset Tool, your quick guide to catching the pattern in real time and redirecting it toward the work rather than your worth: https://abbymedcalf.com/perfectionism-reset-tool [https://abbymedcalf.com/perfectionism-reset-tool] Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack [https://abbymedcalf.com/substack]. You'll get... ✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes ✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations ✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby _________  Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!  https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/  [https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/%C2%A0] 👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries] 👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook] 👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book  [https://abbymedcalf.com/book%C2%A0] ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives [https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/] where you’ll find past episodes. Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/resources [https://abbymedcalf.com/resources]  Say hello on social: Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving [https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving [https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd]  YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube [https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

32. How to Give and Receive Feedback at Work Without Your Nervous System Losing It

Feedback is supposed to be one of the most useful tools at work. It's how we grow, how teams improve, how managers develop their people, how problems get surfaced before they become disasters. And yet most people either dread receiving it, avoid giving it, or deliver it so carefully that nothing useful gets communicated. Today, I’ll tell you the reason feedback is so hard (spoiler alert: it’s not a communication skills problem, it’s a nervous system problem), and how to give and receive feedback with ease. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/feedback-nervous-system-at-work [https://abbymedcalf.com/feedback-nervous-system-at-work] Download the free Feedback Reset Card, your guide to preparing to give and receive feedback without your nervous system running the show: https://abbymedcalf.com/feedback-reset-card [https://abbymedcalf.com/feedback-reset-card] Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack [https://abbymedcalf.com/substack]. You'll get... ✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes ✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations ✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby _________  Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!  https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/  [https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/%C2%A0] 👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries] 👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook] 👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book  [https://abbymedcalf.com/book%C2%A0] ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives [https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/] where you’ll find past episodes. Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/] A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop] Say hello on social: Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving [https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving [https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd]  YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube [https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

31. Stop Waiting for Your Boss to Notice You

You can’t control your boss. You can’t change their personality, override their decisions, or make them manage you the way you wish they would. But you can absolutely influence how the relationship works, how much visibility you get, how well your needs are understood, and how much your contributions actually register. That’s what managing up is. It’s not manipulation. It’s not going around your boss or undermining their authority. It’s the deliberate, strategic work of building a relationship with the person above you so you can do your best work and they can do theirs. Today, I’m walking you through exactly how to do it. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/managing-up-at-work [https://abbymedcalf.com/managing-up-at-work] Grab the free Managing Up Starter Kit, your guide to understanding your boss’s working style and communicating in ways that actually land: https://abbymedcalf.com/managing-up-kit [https://abbymedcalf.com/managing-up-kit] Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack [https://abbymedcalf.com/substack].  You'll get... ✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes ✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations ✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby _________  Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!  https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/  [https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/%C2%A0] 👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries] 👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook] 👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book  [https://abbymedcalf.com/book%C2%A0] ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives [https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/] where you’ll find past episodes. Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/] A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop] Say hello on social: Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving [https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving [https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd]  YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube [https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

30. Office Gossip and Rumor Mills: How to Stay Out of It Without Becoming Invisible

Someone pulls you aside after a meeting. They lean in. They've got something to tell you about a colleague, a decision that's coming, a rumor making the rounds. And you feel it, that pull. The slight quickening. The part of you that wants to know. Office gossip is one of those workplace dynamics that almost everyone participates in to some degree and almost no one feels good about. Today I'm going to tell you what's actually going on when gossip circulates, why it's so hard to stay out of it, what it costs you when you don't, and how to navigate it in a way that keeps you connected without compromising your integrity or your reputation. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/office-gossip-rumor-mills-at-work Download the Gossip-Free Playbook, your one-page guide to staying connected and informed at work without the reputation cost: https://abbymedcalf.com/gossip-free-playbook [https://abbymedcalf.com/gossip-free-playbook] Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack [https://abbymedcalf.com/substack]. You'll get... ✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes ✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations ✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby _________  Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!  https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/  [https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/%C2%A0] 👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries] 👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook] 👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book  [https://abbymedcalf.com/book%C2%A0] ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives [https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/] where you’ll find past episodes. Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/] A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop] Say hello on social: Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving [https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving [https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd]  YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube [https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

29. Conflict With a Coworker? Here's How to Actually Fix It

Conflict with your boss has a clear power structure. Conflict with someone you manage has a clear direction of authority. But conflict with a peer? That's the one nobody really teaches you how to handle, because it sits in the most ambiguous territory at work, two people at roughly the same level, no one with formal authority over the other, and a problem that isn't going away. Today I'm going to show you why peer conflict is uniquely hard to navigate, what's actually driving it most of the time, and a four-step approach for resolving it without blowing up the relationship, going over someone's head unnecessarily, or letting it fester into something that affects your whole team. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/peer-conflict-at-work [https://abbymedcalf.com/peer-conflict-at-work] Download the Peer Conflict Prep Sheet, your guide to preparing for the conversation before you walk in: https://abbymedcalf.com/peer-conflict-sheet [https://abbymedcalf.com/peer-conflict-sheet] Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack [https://abbymedcalf.com/substack]. You'll get... ✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes ✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations ✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby _________  Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!  https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/  [https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/%C2%A0] 👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries] 👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook [https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook] 👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book  [https://abbymedcalf.com/book%C2%A0] ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives [https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/] where you’ll find past episodes. Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/] A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop [https://abbymedcalf.com/shop] Say hello on social: Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving [https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving [https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd [https://www.tiktok.com/@abbymedcalfphd]  YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube [https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]