Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:23 — 25.1MB) | Embed
Janice Litvin is one of America’s leading experts on Workplace Wellness and Beating Burnout.
Janice will show us exactly how to help others stop burnout before it starts — with simple, science-based techniques to manage stress, reset our thinking, and build stronger resilience at work and at home.
She’ll give us practical tools we can use immediately, including her signature “pause–reflect–reset” method that has helped thousands of professionals stay calmer, clearer, and more in control.
🌟 Monday Night Live with Derek Arden
Beating Burnout, Managing Stress & Strengthening Human Connection in the Age of AI
Special Guest: Janice Litvin — Wellness Expert, Speaker & Burnout Buster 💥🧠✨
Welcome to another inspiring episode of Monday Night Live, hosted by Derek Arden — and tonight, all the way from Walnut Creek, California (yes, Derek almost placed it south of San Francisco!), we welcomed the brilliant, warm and wonderfully energetic Janice Litvin.
Janice is one of the USA’s leading voices on stress, burnout, emotional wellbeing, and healthy workplace culture. She’s a former President of the NSA Northern California Chapter, a sought-after keynote speaker, and a true champion of helping people pull themselves out of overwhelm before they reach breaking point.
Tonight, she brought her trademark blend of honesty, humour, science and practical tools — and wow, did she deliver. 🚀
🔥 Why Stress & Burnout Are Surging
Janice opened with a simple but powerful truth:
“Everyone is taking everything personally.”
With global issues, political turbulence, climate anxiety, and the constant noise of social media, emotional responses are rising everywhere. Add endless scrolling, comparison culture, and polarised online conversations — it’s no wonder people feel overloaded.
She shared that organisations repeatedly tell her the same thing:
“Our people are overwhelmed. They have too much to do. And we can’t find enough good help.”
This insight, combined with Janice’s 20 years in recruiting, inspired her new talk:
🧩 ‘Recruit to Retain in the Age of AI: The Power of Human Connection’
Her message is clear:
AI is a tool — not a replacement for empathy, communication and emotional contact.
Her Amazon interview story said it all: a brilliant young AI engineer interviewed almost exclusively by bots… until a single human appeared on Zoom — and then an automated rejection arrived shortly after.
A perfect example of tech overshadowing humanity.
👥 Working From Home, Isolation & Human Contact
Janice believes remote work offers valuable freedom — but warns that too little connection increases stress.
Even one day a week in the office helps morale, communication and belonging (though she and Derek agreed the UK’s standard of what counts as a “long commute” is… radically different to the US! 🚆😉).
💡 Harnessing Stress Instead of Being Crushed by It
Janice shared her own hilarious pre-speech panic story — mouth full of “cotton balls”, jittery stomach — but how Patricia Fripp’s coaching helped her channel nervous energy into stage presence.
The formula?
Stress → Awareness → Reframing → Action
Ignoring stress leads to burnout.
Listening to the “little clues” keeps you in control.
She revealed a powerful story about a CEO whose star employee suddenly quit due to complete exhaustion — a wake-up call for leaders everywhere.
👪 Helping Our Children & Younger Generations
Derek asked how we advise our kids and grandkids — many under far more pressure than we were.
Janice spoke about her own son, a hardworking music entrepreneur who pushes himself too hard.
The key message:
Breaks aren’t luxuries — they’re maintenance.
Micro-breaks. Walks. Sunshine. Couple time. Family time. Fresh air.
🧪 The “DOSE” Happiness Chemicals
Janice lit up the room explaining the natural chemicals that lift mood:
- Dopamine – reward, motivation, small wins 🎯
- Oxytocin – trust, connection, warmth 🤝
- Serotonin – mood, calm, wellbeing 🌤️
- Endorphins – feel-good exercise chemistry 🏃♀️✨
Even a smile at a stranger can trigger a burst.
Janice encouraged us to:
“Choose connection at every opportunity.”
🧠 Understanding the Brain: Prefrontal Cortex & the Amygdala Hijack
She explained that the prefrontal cortex handles rational thought.
The amygdala creates fight-flight-freeze responses.
When someone cuts you off in traffic or ignores your kindness, we’re quick to react — unless we pause and consider a more compassionate story.
A powerful reframe that instantly softened the whole group.
👩💼 Women, Negotiation & Setting Boundaries
Janice and Derek revisited last week’s gender-based negotiation discussion.
Many women are raised never to say “no” — but Janice shared a brilliant reframing tool for overloaded employees:
“I’d love to take on this new project. Before we start Monday, let’s review my current workload and adjust deadlines so everything gets done well.”
A calm, professional, confident boundary.
This one is going straight to TikTok. 📱🔥
🎁 Gifts, Books, and One Last Tip
Janice revealed her book “Banish Burnout” is just 99 cents on Amazon this week, and she’s offering a free stress-awareness handout with three levels of burnout clues.
Her final tip for 2026:
Pay attention to the early signs.
Avoidance, trouble sleeping, irritability, difficulty concentrating — these are the warning lights.
Notice them early, take action early, and protect your wellbeing.
🙏 A Huge Thank You
A superb session filled with insights, warmth and practical advice.
Janice Litvin — you’re a star. 🌟