The Simplifiers Podcast

Hosted by Mary Baird, PHR

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Mary Baird, CSEP - Creative Entrepreneur, Business Coach and Undercover Superhero has one goal in mind...to simplify your life. Each episode breaks down topics in business + life and SIMPLIFIES them! Interviewing smart people from all over the world, we will discover new insights, simple action items and spark fresh ideas to help you DO. THE. THING! in an educational, informational and entertaining way. Cash flow, simplified. Productivity, simplified. Becoming a vegan, simplified. Sort my life out, simplified. Whether you're just starting a small business or seeking simplicity and clarity in a NOISY world, tune in for advice and inspiration on creativity, marketing, mindset, branding, fear, motivation, sales, wellness and deep contentment. Episodes are released every Tuesday and Friday, for simplicity sake.

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4 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 42444 min

424: How to squash burnout at work - with Michelle Hartley (ALL-STAR)

Just checking in… How are you doing? No like, really. On a scale of 1-10 (10 = on the brink), are you feeling a bit frazzled, stressed, or overworked? Answer honestly, friend. How are you feeling these days? My all-star special guest today is Michelle Hartley and she's simplifying how to squash burnout at work. You see, this insidious little thing called burnout can sneak up on you while you're not looking. And if you've been pounding away the triple iced coffees and burning the candle at both ends, you might not have noticed how it's wearing down your body, mind, and spirit. But the good news is… you can do something about it. *NOTE: This episode originally aired on June 18, 2024. Here's how. My all-star special guest today is Michelle Hartley and she's simplifying how to squash burnout at work. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What the tell-tale signs are that you're about to hit burnout soon. The biggest misconception people have about burnout recovery and how to squash it in a different, more simpler way. What the three phases to burnout recovery are and how to take good care of yourself in each phase. How to ask your manager and/or HR team for support before/during/after you experience burnout and how to overcome the fear of speaking up. Also, if you're a people leader who notices someone is struggling on your team, she shares what you can do to proactively support them through it and help them get back to thriving. …and ultimately, the truth is that many people who suffer from burnout do it again and again… Michelle shares how you can begin to see the warning signs sooner in order to stop the cycle, or at least slow it down. Q: Are you ready to learn how to squash burnout at work? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/424-how-to-squash-burnout-at-work---with-michelle-hartley-all-star

June 9, 2026Episode 42339 min

423: How to not crash out at work - with Hiba Tanvir

Let's be honest. Work can bring out parts of us we don't always love. The sharp email. The tense meeting. The moment you feel your face get hot and your patience leave the building. The instant when one more request, one more change, one more "quick question" feels like the thing that might finally push you over the edge. And in those moments, it can feel like your brain has gone offline. You're not thinking clearly. You're reacting. You're defending. You're spiraling. You're trying not to say the thing you'll regret later. In other words… you're trying not to lose your ish at work. My special guest today is Hiba Tanvir and she's simplifying how to not crash out at work. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What emotional dysregulation can look like at work, and why it doesn't always show up as a big dramatic blow-up. The early signs we might notice in ourselves or others before we reach that breaking point. What to do in the moment to regulate your nervous system before you react. When someone does crash out at work, what belongs to the manager, what belongs to the individual, and how both can respond with more care and accountability. What it means to "lend your calm and your cortex" when someone else is dysregulated. How her "Play & Pause" methodology can help us create just enough space to choose a better response. And in her chapter on emotional intelligence in the AI era, Hiba connects emotionally intelligent leadership to hope. So we talk about how leaders can use: Self awareness - being aware of your needs, strengths and weaknesses Self management - what do I need in order to regulate? Social awareness - empathy and compassion for others, and reading the room - "empathy in action" Relationship-building - working together with others …to help people feel steadier, safer, and more hopeful at work. And why that is something AI simply cannot replace. Q: Are you wanting to not crash out at work? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/423-how-to-not-crash-out-at-work---with-hiba-tanvir

June 2, 2026Episode 17029 min

B170: How to reset your energy (guided visualization)

Time for a guided visualization exercise: How to reset your energy. Because maybe you are halfway through the year and already feeling tired. Maybe the first half of the year asked a lot of you. The meetings. The decisions. The constant change. The budget pressure. The AI conversations. The team needs. The invisible emotional labor. The things you handled that no one else even saw. Maybe you have been holding it all together for everyone else. Your team. Your family. Your clients. Your organization. Your people. And somewhere along the way, your own energy got pushed to the bottom of the list. So this episode is an invitation to pause. Not to perform wellness. Not to force positivity. Not to pretend everything is fine. Just to pause. To breathe. To notice what your body knows. To ask yourself what needs to be restored before you keep going. Because here's the truth, dear friend: You are not a machine. You are not your calendar. And you are (certainly) not your inbox. You are a human being. And human beings need rest. They need space. They need sunlight. They need breath. They need permission to begin again. And so… to kick off the month, today is another guided visualization episode, which we release on the first Tuesday of every month this season. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this guided visualization exercise: How to reset your energy. You can do this, I believe in you. It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b170-how-to-reset-your-energy-guided-visualization

May 26, 2026Episode 42245 min

422: How to make workforce training stick - with Ryan McCrea

Here's the thing about workforce training… Most companies are not short on content. They are not short on slide decks. They are not short on smart people teaching smart ideas. But the real question is this: Does the training actually stick? Because we've all been in those sessions where everyone nods along in the room… maybe even feels inspired for a minute… and then Monday happens. The inbox fills back up. The meetings stack up. The old habits come roaring back. And suddenly, that great training moment becomes just that. A moment. So how do we help busy adults learn in a way they can actually remember, apply, and turn into real behavior change at work? My special guest today is Ryan McCrea, and he's simplifying how to make workforce training stick. Here's how. My special guest today is Ryan McCrea and he's simplifying how to make workforce training stick. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What micro-sized learning is, and why it works so well for busy adults at work. What helps people actually retain new information, including the power of relevance, repetition, and real-world application. How AI can support learning without weakening critical thinking, human skills, or good judgment, including the AHAH Method: A = Ask the right question H = Human first A = AI second H = Human last What it takes to turn training into real behavior change on the job, not just a great learning moment in the room. And the role managers play after training, including how they can reinforce learning, coach in 1:1s, and recognize positive behavior change when they see it. Q: Are you wanting to help make your workforce training stick? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/422-how-to-make-workforce-training-stick---with-ryan-mccrea