Architecture Business Club with Jon Clayton

Jon Clayton discusses the issue of burnout with career and wellbeing coach Anna Wolas. The conversation digs into what burnout is, how to recognise its signs, and how it differs from stress. Anna explains the reoccurring nature of burnout and its connection to a misalignment between personal values and external expectations. She also outlines common causes of burnout, such as organisational changes, unrealistic workloads, and lack of recognition. Anna shares her DCP framework (Discover, Create, Perform) that helps professionals recover from burnout, prevent it in the future, and activate their full potential. Through practical strategies and real-life success stories, this episode aims to equip architects and business leaders with the tools they need to thrive in their careers without succumbing to burnout.
Today’s Guest
Anna Wolas is a Career & Wellbeing Coach who helps architects and leaders achieve (& earn) more. Anna's approach helps reduce stress, prevent burnout, and create a sustainable, values-driven definition of success.
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Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction
01:22 Understanding Burnout
02:02 The Burnout Cycle
05:30 Burnout vs. Stress
06:27 Healthy Stress Management
09:27 Signs of Burnout
09:45 Physical Symptoms of Burnout
10:04 Psychological Symptoms of Burnout
10:32 Behavioural Symptoms of Burnout
11:00 Occupational Symptoms of Burnout
11:25 Personal Symptoms of Burnout
11:51 Common Causes of Burnout
11:56 Organisational Factors
12:42 Personal Factors
13:07 Lack of Recognition
13:47 Fear-Based Performance
14:15 Conflict in Relationships
14:34 Overcoming Burnout
14:55 Ineffective Solutions To Burnout
18:45 Effective Strategies For Burnout
18:55 The DCP Framework
19:34 Step 1: Discover
22:32 Step 2: Create
25:00 Step 3: Perform
28:03 Success Stories Of The DCP Framework
28:11 Case Study: High-Level Professional
29:15 Achieving Clarity
30:55 Promotion and Beyond
31:55 Main Takeaways
32:21 Act Now
33:32 Final Thoughts
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Key Takeaways
Burnout is a cycle, not just tiredness
You need to understand that burnout isn't the same as feeling stressed. Stress can actually help you get things done if you have time to rest afterwards. But burnout happens when stress goes on for too long without recovery. It keeps coming back again and again if you don't fix the real problem. Burnout means you're living by other people's rules and goals instead of your own. When this happens over and over, your body and mind get worn out.
Spot the warning signs early
You can notice burnout in five main areas of your life. Physical signs include feeling tired all the time, headaches, and sleep problems. Mental signs include brain fog, forgetting things, and feeling hopeless. You might also get more emotional, angry, or eat differently. At work, you lose your passion and make more mistakes. In your personal life, your relationships suffer and you feel like you're not doing well anywhere. The sooner you spot these signs, the easier it is to fix the problem.
Quick fixes don't work - you need a proper plan
Taking holidays, doing more exercise, or waiting for a project to finish won't solve burnout on their own. Even changing jobs won't help if you don't fix the real causes. You need a proper strategy that helps you understand yourself, create healthy boundaries, and use your real skills and strengths. Don't wait to deal with burnout - the longer you leave it, the harder it becomes to fix.
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Connect with Anna Wolas on LinkedIn 🤝

Jon Clayton reflects on the challenges and achievements of 2025, highlighting milestones in his podcasting journey and personal life. Jon shares his Christmas break activities, introduces a new service aimed at enhancing your online presence, and outlines exciting updates for the Architecture Business Club in 2026, including fortnightly episodes, YouTube content, and potential sponsorships. He invites listeners to contribute their thoughts and challenges to shape future content, all while offering a special gift to kick-start the New Year.
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Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Personal Highlights of 2025
02:48 Christmas Break Activities
03:34 Exciting New Service Announcement
03:50 What's New for Architecture Business Club in 2026
05:41 Special Gift for the New Year
07:42 Engage with Us and Share Your Challenges
08:21 Wrapping Up and What's Next
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Key Takeaways
It is good to look back and learn from the past year. Jon shares both the hard times and the happy moments from 2025 - it’s normal to have ups and downs.
Trying new things and making changes can help you grow. This show is adding video episodes, changing how often episodes come out, and offering new services - being open to change can bring new opportunities.
Staying connected with your audience is important. Jon invites you to share your challenges and ideas, and encourages you to subscribe and join in, so you can be part of this community.
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Subscribe on YouTube (for upcoming video episodes!) 📺
Send a Voicemail to the show (we listen to every message!) 📢
Curious about podcasting? Click here to book a chat with Jon 🎧
Follow or Connect with Jon on LinkedIn 🤝
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👇 And if you enjoyed this episode…
Please leave a 5-star review or rating wherever you listen to podcasts, and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode.
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Next Episode
Jon is joined by Tim Lewis to explore the difference between AI and Automation.

Jon Clayton delivers a brief special episode to thank listeners for their support. He shares notable statistics from 2025, including the release of 52 episodes, the 100th episode celebration in September, and record downloads in October. He also recounts the top three episodes of the year based on download numbers, highlighting listener favourites. Jon encourages you to take a break from the podcast to enjoy the festive season.
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Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction and Holiday Greetings
00:35 Podcast Achievements and Milestones
01:29 Top Episodes of 2025
02:57 Future Plans and Guest Invitations
03:54 Holiday Sign-Off and Advice
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Key Takeaways
Keep Going, Even When It’s Hard
If you keep working on something, like making a podcast every week, you can reach big goals. You might even do better than most people if you don’t give up.
People Like to Hear Real Stories
When you share true stories about your life or work, others want to listen. You can help people by telling them what you have learned and what you have gone through.
Take Time for Family and Friends
It’s good to stop working sometimes and spend time with people you care about. You should enjoy special days, like Christmas, with your family and friends.
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Subscribe on YouTube (for upcoming video episodes!) 📺
Send a Voicemail to the show (we listen to every message!) 📢
Curious about podcasting? Click here to book a chat with Jon 🎧
Follow or Connect with Jon on LinkedIn 🤝
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👇 And if you enjoyed this episode…
Please leave a 5-star review or rating wherever you listen to podcasts, and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode.
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Next Episode
Tune in next week for a New Year's episode previewing 2026.

In this episode of Architecture Business Club, hosted by Jon Clayton, productivity mentor Louise Miller joins to discuss a new definition of productivity that focuses on doing what's important rather than doing more in less time. Key topics include the importance of creating space over relying on systems, how productivity begins before taking action, and why recognising capacity can prevent burnout. The episode also explores practical strategies like taking a pause to reassess goals and the benefits of changing environments. Louise's insights are aimed at helping business owners achieve more with a sense of fulfilment and well-being.
Today’s Guest
Louise Miller is a productivity mentor, the founder of Make It Happen Club and host of the Unfrazzle podcast. She’s on a mission to change the world by helping her clients change the world. She partners with coaches, consultants and community-builders who have a big, exciting vision, helping them land their ideas in reality, reach more people and make a bigger impact, whilst being kind to themselves along the way.
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Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction to Productivity
00:42 Meet Louise Miller
01:30 Challenging Traditional Productivity
02:26 The Importance of Doing What's Important
03:21 The Busy Trap
04:34 Productivity Before Action
04:45 The Treehouse Analogy
09:32 The Progress Cycle
10:56 Space vs. Systems
11:47 The Chaos of Systems
14:23 The Emotional Weight of Productivity
15:52 The Vicious Cycle of To-Do Lists
17:04 Six Pillars of Productivity
17:44 The Life-Friendly Approach
19:01 The Rhythm of Productivity
19:30 The Neuroscience of Productivity
22:50 The Real Reasons for Not Getting Things Done
25:23 The Power of the Treehouse
29:49 Final Thoughts and Resources
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Key Takeaways
Prioritise Space and Reflection Over Constant Action
True productivity is not about relentless activity or doing more in less time, but about creating space to pause, reflect, and make intentional choices. Taking time to step back. Louise’s “treehouse” analogy allows for clarity, better decision-making, and prevents the cycle of busywork and burnout.
Focus on What’s Important, Not Just What’s Urgent
Productivity isn’t simply ticking off tasks. Instead, it’s about identifying and working on what truly matters, rather than being caught up in the “busy trap”. This means aligning your actions with your values and long-term goals, and letting go of tasks that do not serve your bigger purpose.
Systems Are Secondary to Self-Awareness and Capacity
While productivity systems and tools can be helpful, they are not a cure-all. If you’re overwhelmed or unclear, new systems will only organise your chaos. The real key is self-awareness: understanding your own needs, capacity, and life context, and building a rhythm of regular reflection. Productivity is personal. Experiment to find what works for you, and don’t feel broken if someone else’s method doesn’t fit.
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Subscribe on YouTube (for upcoming video episodes!) 📺
Send a Voicemail to the show (we listen to every message!) 📢
Connect with Louise Miller on LinkedIn 🤝
Take Louise’s Productivity Quiz 🖥️
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