Episode Overview

Podcast: Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Episode: BITESIZE | 5 Simple Daily Habits to Reduce Stress & Avoid Burnout (#593)
Host: Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Date: November 7, 2025

In this bitesize episode, Dr Rangan Chatterjee distills practical wisdom on avoiding burnout with five simple, free, and accessible habits. Drawing from his own experience as a doctor, parent, and author, Dr Chatterjee explains how small daily changes can increase resilience to stress, boost energy, and help regain a sense of control over modern-life overwhelm. The episode is excerpted from a previous solo episode (#329).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Do Something You Love Every Day

Timestamp: 02:19 – 05:49

• Dr Chatterjee emphasizes the importance of intentionally making time for a pleasurable activity every day, even if it’s just for five minutes.
• Chronic stress reduces our ability to feel pleasure from everyday activities; counteracting this by carving out small moments for joy can build stress resilience.
• Personal practices: For Dr Chatterjee, this can be playing the guitar, reading, or listening to music.

Quote:
"If you give yourself a daily dose of pleasure, you will find that little by little, day after day, you are going to start to feel more resilient, more engaged with life. It's going to have such a powerful impact." (04:25)

Practical Tip:

• Choose a simple, accessible activity (music, reading, watching a comedian on YouTube). Five minutes is enough to start.

2. Learn How to Say No

Timestamp: 05:50 – 12:42

• Many people experience burnout because they find it hard to set boundaries and say no—often due to people-pleasing tendencies rooted in childhood.
• Dr Chatterjee shares a personal story about declining speaking engagements to prioritize time with his family.
• Recommends making "no" the default and carefully weighing pros and cons—realizing that saying yes to one thing is always saying no to something else.

Quote:
"For many of us, the reason we struggle to say no is because we're people pleasers. Often we don't feel good enough in who we are ... we feel we need that other person's validation in order to feel good. But this is toxic and very, very problematic." (07:43)

Practical Tip:

• When approached with a new request, mentally make "no" your default. Only make an exception if you can strongly justify a "yes."
• Communicate boundaries honestly and simply; over-explaining is not necessary.

Memorable Moment:
Dr Chatterjee recounts declining a friend's speaking request to honour his promise of taking August off for family:
"I just told her the truth. And actually I find more and more being able to say no in a truthful, authentic way is a really, really good skill to acquire." (11:45)

3. Prioritize Your Sleep

Timestamp: 12:43 – 16:33

• Burnout is often accompanied by poor sleep. Dr Chatterjee stresses that just 15–20 minutes more sleep each night can make a significant difference.
• Urges listeners to be mindful of the "trade" made when staying up for “one more episode.”
• Offers actionable sleep hygiene tips:
  • Get morning natural light: 20–30 minutes on cloudy days; 5–10 minutes if sunny.
  • Limit caffeine to mornings: Especially important for those under heavy stress.
  • Establish a wind-down routine: Shut down work/devices an hour before bedtime.
  • Set cues for winding down: Consider an evening "alarm" to signal it’s time to relax.
  • Choose uplifting evening content: Avoid negative news before bed.

Quote:
"A good night's sleep starts in the morning." (15:15)

Memorable Moment:
Dr Chatterjee explains that our brains associate certain environments with certain activities—so working in bed can lead to insomnia.
"If you are used to doing emails on your bed ... your brain starts to associate your bedroom with work and emails. That's one of the big reasons why people really struggle to switch off and fall asleep." (15:54)

4. Define the End of Your Workday

Timestamp: 16:34 – 18:57

• Modern technology tempts us to be always “on,” with never-ending to-do lists and 24/7 email.
• Not having a clear endpoint to the working day increases risk of burnout.
• Suggests defining “what does done look like today?” so work doesn’t bleed into personal time.
• Reference to Greg McKeown's advice: “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”

Quote:
"This is actually something that I discussed in a wonderful conversation I had on my podcast with Greg McKeown... If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will. In fact, I like that phrase so much, I've got it up on the wall in my house." (18:44)

Practical Tip:

• At the start of your day, decide which tasks must be done, and allow yourself to finish work when that pre-defined list is complete.

5. Move Your Body Every Day

Timestamp: 18:58 – 20:58

• Physical movement counteracts both the low motivation and the stress associated with burnout.
• Energy and motivation often follow action, not the other way around.
• Movement can be simple: Even a short walk helps, and “nobody ever regrets going for a walk.”

Quote:
"One of the problems when people are on the road to burnout ... is that they don't move. They often think, oh, I don't have energy to move. The interesting thing about movement is that it will change your state. Guaranteed." (19:02)

Memorable Moment:
Dr Chatterjee describes the common feeling before movement, the reluctance, and the inevitable relief and uplift after taking action.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “If you give yourself a daily dose of pleasure, you will find that little by little, day after day, you are going to start to feel more resilient, more engaged with life. It's going to have such a powerful impact.” — Dr Chatterjee (04:25)
• “For many of us, the reason we struggle to say no is because we're people pleasers. ... But this is toxic and very, very problematic.” — Dr Chatterjee (07:43)
• “A good night's sleep starts in the morning.” — Dr Chatterjee (15:15)
• “If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will.” — Dr Chatterjee (18:44)
• “The interesting thing about movement is that it will change your state. Guaranteed.” — Dr Chatterjee (19:02)

Timestamps for Key Habits

• [02:19] — Do something you love daily
• [05:50] — Learn to say no / Set boundaries
• [12:43] — Prioritize sleep (with specific hacks)
• [16:34] — Define the end of your workday
• [18:58] — Move your body every day

Tone & Delivery

Dr Chatterjee speaks with warm, practical urgency, combining medical expertise with the empathy of lived experience. He uses relatable analogies, personal stories, and actionable suggestions, always focused on simplicity and empowerment.

Episode Takeaway

Burnout is increasingly common but not inevitable. By embedding small daily habits—making time for yourself, assertively setting boundaries, sleeping better, drawing work-life lines, and moving more—you can radically improve resilience, energy, and joy. Dr Chatterjee’s key message: Start small, start today, and keep it simple.