Overcoming stress & burnout: I had a panic attack but still went to the meeting
My therapist said I had to quit!
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"I was late for a meeting, having a panic attack, and debating if I should call an ambulance"
This story comes from my latest guest, Sarah Stockdale. Today, she's the founder of Growclass, and previously led growth teams at Tilt (acquired by AirBnb) and Wave (acquired by H&R Block).
It occurred during a period of insane workplace pressure that essentially put Sarah on a never-ending sprint cycle.
"I was getting into the office at 7:30am. I'd grab a large McDonald's coffee, and stay there working until 7pm. Then, I'd go home still thinking about work, and wake up in the middle of the night to check data."
It wasn't a sustainable pace.
It left Sarah totally burned out. And it started triggering panic attacks, like the one she described during our conversation.
"The worst part? Instead of taking care of myself, I called an Uber and went to the meeting" she shared.
I've also had a stress-induced panic attack in my career. So I understood how easy it is to prioritize work over your health. Though I can't imagine how Sarah must have felt in that moment.
In addition to sharing this brutal moment, Sarah offered 4 pieces of advice to others who may be silently struggling with work-related stress, burnout, or anxiety.
Ground yourself: if Sarah feels herself revving too high, she'll do movements to get back into her body. Her favorites are wall squats, pushups, and going for a walk. Even running her hands under cold water can be helpful.
Find perspective: a few years later, we often don't remember the things that feel so important and stressful in the moment.
Build a support system: part of Sarah's burnout journey was building a team to support her mental health. She hired a coach, a therapist, and started doing Yoga during the day.
Change your environment: through the encouragement of her therapist, Sarah quit her job. And now, has designed a work atmosphere at Growclass, where she's able to manage her stress.
We covered a ton of ground in this conversation. If you've ever struggled with workplace stress and burnout, you'll really relate to Sarah's story.
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