Life in the Balance
by Mark Agars
Looking to take control of your work-life reality? Success at work should foster, not interfere, with leading a healthy and fulfilling life. Join Dr. Mark Agars for the Life in the Balance Podcast as he shares what science, best practices, and life experiences can teach us us about prioritizing healthy work-life goals, setting boundaries, and learning to thrive in all aspects of our personal and professional lives.
Episodes
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Ep. 35 Managing the holidays.
Dr. Agars talks about the challenges and opportunities that confront us at the holidays and discusses paths for maintain harmony and balance with the people we love.
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Ep. 36 Managing Grief
Dr. Agars is joined by Clinical Psychologist Dr. David Chavez to talk about the process of managing grief.
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Ep. 37 Internalized Capitalism
Dr. Agars discusses the consequences of internalizing capitalistic values and the pressure that comes with defining our personal value primarily through work, productivity and achievement. Why is this so common and why is it so hard to make priorities of health, relationships, community, and…
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Ep. 38 Managing Chronic Illness in the Workplace
Dr. Agars is joined by special guest Heather Carrasco who shares her experiences of finding health and balance among work, family, and life, while managing a chronic illness diagnosed in early adulthood. Heather shares her story and together they discuss the research and realities of workers...
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Ep. 39 Motherhood and Academia
Dr. Agars is joined by friend and colleague Dr. Lisa Looney to discuss the experiences of navigating an academic career and being a mom! Dr. Looney is a mom of four and a Professor of Child Development - how did she manage all of that! Join us to hear her story and a discussion of some of the...
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Ep. 34 Saying No, Part II
Saying no is hard - so we needed another show dedicated to figuring it out. Dr. Agars is joined by workaholism expert Dr. Gino Howard as they unpack how to develop the skill of saying no.
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Ep. 33 It's Ok to Say No
Why do we say yes to jobs and responsibilities that we really don't want to take on? Pressure? Ego? Poor Boundaries? In this episode Dr. Agars talk about the problems with saying yes too much, explores why we do it, and talks about steps to take to learn so say no when we mean it!
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Ep. 32 Focus on the Problem!
In this episode Dr. Agars discusses the trap of solving symptoms instead of the underlying problems. Listen in as he discusses strategies for identifying which problems are really just symptoms of something larger. When we attack the real problem we can make real change.
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Ep. 31: Stay-at-Home Dad or Executive Chef
In this episode Dr. Agars interviews his childhood friend Gary about being a long-time stay-at-home dad. Join us for a fun discussion around how that happened, what made it work, and why he tells everyone he is an executive chef!
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Ep. 30 Finding Balance During Late Career and Retirement with Dr. Ken Shultz
In this episode, Dr. Agars interviews author and aging, work, and retirement expert, Dr. Ken Shultz. What does balance look like in late career and retirement phases of life? How can we be smart about navigating these moments? Dr. Shultz shares his answers!
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Ep. 29 Life in the Balance Q&A! Dr. Agars responds to listener questions
In this episode Dr. Agars responds to your questions on a range of work-life matters. Do you feel guilty when you prioritize family over work? Are you a parent looking for tips? Trying to invest in a hobby but can't fit it in? Let's talk about it!
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Ep. 28 Presenteeism (*cough cough*): Working when we're sick
In this episode Dr. Agars talks about our "working while sick" problem. He shares his own struggles to break away from work when feeling ill, and talks about why this is such a common struggle and the importance of taking steps to change our response when our body is telling us we need a break.
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Ep. 27 A little Life in the Balance Backstory
Listen in as special guest and former co-Host Dr. Casey Leier turns the tables on Mark and asks him questions about his own work-life battles and some history about Life in the Balance.
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Ep 26. Work and family balance messages from CEOs
Leaders are key to helping employees find a healthy integration of work and family. What do CEOs think about work and family balance? The god, the bad, and the better stay single.
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Ep. 25 Its about relationships
Healthy relationships are key to managing the work-life interface. Listen in as we talk with relationship expert Dr. Kelly Campbell.
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Ep24. Its Time to Rest!
In this episode we talk about the meaning of rest and discuss how to think about rest strategically and preemptively to avoid burnout and to support healthy work-life balance.
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Ep21. Changing our lens.
In this episode Dr. Agars talks about how the way we define work-life challenges in our minds can determine whether or not we develop healthy solutions and how we view new ideas. Is the 32-hour work week a threat to productivity or is it a way to lean into more healthy work norms? Framing matters.
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Ep20. Men, women and work-life balance: We are not the same
Work-life challenges exist for everyone, but the experiences for women and men are often quite different. In this episode Dr. Agars talks about how gender norms and expectations impact work-life management, including how differences around unpaid work (i.e., household responsibilities) often…
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Ep22. Burnout? Get out!
In this episode Dr. Agars talks about the continued prevalence of burnout, warning signs to be looking out for, and learning steps to take to prevent burnout in our own lives.
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Ep23. Guest Dr. Gino Howard chats about Workaholics
In this episode, Dr. Agars interviews new faculty member at CSUSB and expert on workaholism, Dr. Gino Howard. They discuss the dangers of workaholism, the traps that lead into it, and ways to prevent the negative health and well being consequences of being a workaholic. They also discuss the...
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Ep19. Finding work-family balance as a parent
In this episode, Dr. Agars talks about finding work-family balance as a parent and answers questions from working parents who are struggling.
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Ep18. Work-life balance and low-wage workers. We must do better.
In this episode, Dr. Agars discusses the work-family challenges faced by low-wage workers. His discussion highlights the absence of employer supported work-life policies and practices for low-wage and part-time workers, and reveals the increased challenges created by the limited support, lack of...
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Ep17. Setting Goals for Healthy Balance
In this episode, Dr. Agars talks about using the principles of goal setting as a way to help make real and lasting change related to a healthy work-life balance.
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Ep16. Say, what?: Dr. Agars responds to listener questions about work-family balance
In this episode, Dr. Agars answers listener questions about their own efforts to manage work, family, life, and health.
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Ep.14 Self-Awareness and work-life balance. Give yourself a present.
In this episode Dr. Agars talks about the importance of self-assessment and identifying our priorities so that we can more intentionally and honestly manage our responsibilities in healthy ways.
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Ep11. It happens fast - Life Balance for Teens
Teens today are busier than ever. The pressures to achieve in school, and to actively participate in music, sports, and a million other extra-curricular activities seem non-stop. Many parents are worried about how their child is handling it all, but do not know what to do. Listen in as I talk…
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Ep12. New Academic Year, New Ideas: Reframing Our Work Life Priorities
Its a new academic year and we're kicking off with new episodes. Let's take a moment to assess our work-life goals and priorities, and talk about how to change the way we define success and think about what work - life balance really means.
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Ep7. It’s a new year and we ain’t never going back
In this episode we tackle the new year. What changes are coming? What will you do differently? How can you make real change and start living life in the balance? We talk about what you need to do and we share plans and goals for change in our own lives.
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Ep6. Secrets of my success.
In this episode we talk about how we define “success” at work. Money, power, and status come quickly to mind, but what about health, happiness, and loving relationships? Can a successful career include all these things? We’ll talk about why that is so hard and what you can do about it!
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Ep5. From ”Burnt Out” to ”Turnt Up”
In this episode we tackle the growing problem of workplace burnout. What is causing this and how do we protect ourselves and get back to thriving at work and at home?
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Ep4. Speak up! Stay calm and balance on.
In this episode, we talk about how to negotiate with your boss to get the work-life arrangement that works for you. We all have work-life challenges but far too often we stay quiet and wait for solutions that never come. Speak up! Let them know your needs and get the work-life balance that works...
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Ep 3. Quit my way to the top.
In this episode, we unpack the workplace phenomenon quiet quitting. What is it and why does it have so many people questioning long-help expectations about work? We’ll discuss what this means for you and your organization, along with solutions to foster an equitable work environment.
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Ep1. And so we started...
Managing work and life can seem impossible. In the inaugural episode of Life in the Balance, hosts Drs. Mark Agars and Casey Leier bring research and practical insights into a relatable and occasionally humorous discussion of the underlying challenges and optimistic struggles we face as we strive...
About this show
Looking to take control of your work-life reality? Success at work should foster, not interfere, with leading a healthy and fulfilling life. Join Dr. Mark Agars for the Life in the Balance Podcast as he shares what science, best practices, and life experiences can teach us us about prioritizing healthy work-life goals, setting boundaries, and learning to thrive in all aspects of our personal and professional lives.
Hosted by
Mark Agars