Feeling constantly drained despite giving your all at work? You're likely paying a tax you never agreed to – not in dollars, but in energy, sleep, health, and joy. This eye-opening episode reveals the hidden "silent tax" that disproportionately affects professional women and fuels burnout.We unpack three insidious ways this tax manifests: First, through the impossible double bind where women must navigate contradictory expectations (too soft or too tough? too ambitious or not ambitious enough?). Second, through unpaid expectations like being "voluntold" to organize office celebrations or act as the emotional sponge for your team – responsibilities that consume your energy but never appear in your job description or KPIs. Third, through the exhausting need to constantly prove your credibility in rooms where men are automatically assumed competent.The cost? Chronic exhaustion, sleep disruption, stress-related health flare-ups, and that persistent feeling of running on empty. One particularly revealing anecdote shared involves being asked by a senior male colleague to "be a doll" and fetch coffees during an important board meeting – highlighting how even accomplished women face these demeaning expectations that rob them of opportunities and energy.But there's hope. The most radical act of leadership available is to stop paying this silent tax by setting unapologetic boundaries, choosing where your energy actually matters, and refusing to subsidize broken systems with your health. Burnout isn't a personal flaw – it's a systemic issue perpetuated by invisible expectations. Are you ready to declare you're done funding it?Share this episode with a friend who needs this wake-up call, and visit balanceinstitute.com to discover the toolkit that has helped thousands of women create lives where career, relationships and health all thrive together.To view the Transcript from this week's episode, visit our Balance & Beyond Podcast webpage: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcast/2025/111Thank you for joining us today on the Balance and Beyond Podcast. We're so glad you carved out this time for yourself!If you’re keen to dive deeper into our world, here are our socials where you can discover more about the toolkit that has helped thousands of women create a life of balance. Website: www.balanceinstitute.comPodcast Website: https://www.balanceinstitute.com/podcastEmail:
[email protected]: https://au.linkedin.com/in/stonejoanneFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterbalanceinstitute/Instagram: @betterbalanceinstitute Thanks again for tuning in, and we'll see you next time on the Balance & Beyond Podcast!
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