How to stop devoting yourself to your job (w/ Sarah Jaffe)

How to Be a Better Human

TED

Self-improvement, Personal Growth, Better Human, Chris Duffy, Interviews, Emotional Awareness, Self-help, Education

4.2 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 14 July 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sarah Jaffe is the author of Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She and Chris discuss the emotional toll of modern work culture and the importance of community. They also dive into Sarah’s newest book, From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire, and explore the idea that between pandemics, climate change, and economic inequality, many of us are feeling a huge (and often unacknowledged sense of grief. Sarh explains the concept of “disenfranchised grief” and how collective mourning can invite meaningful social connections.

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Host: Chris Duffy (Instagram: @chrisiduffy | chrisduffycomedy.com)

Guest: Sarah Jaffe (Instagram: @sarahljaffe | Website: sarahljaffe.com/)

Links

From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire

Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keep Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Adam Grant from Worklife, a podcast from TED.
0:05.3	This episode is brought to you by FreshWorks.
0:08.0	FreshWorks believes the complexity is the enemy of efficiency.
0:11.2	So stop wrestling with bloated expensive service software that takes forever to implement an update,
0:16.4	where ROI is someday, not today.
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0:22.7	Uncomplicate with fresh service for IT and fresh desk for customer support.
0:27.9	And with FreshWorks AI-assisted service software, you'll work smarter, not harder.
0:33.1	FreshWorks uncomplicates.
0:35.2	Learn more at freshworks.com.
0:41.4	Breaking up is never easy, but saying goodbye to your old clunky work tools, well, that's easy. Just repeat after me. It's not me. It's definitely you,
0:48.9	you rigid, unfriendly software. It's time to freshen things up with Monday.com. The first work platform
0:56.0	you'll love to use. With stunning dashboards, customizable templates and built-in AI that
1:01.6	actually works, switching to a new work platform has never felt this good. So move on to Monday.com.
1:08.3	Have you ever wondered what it really takes to shape young minds? On the early
1:12.7	years insights podcast, we delve into the world of child care with those who know it best.
1:18.3	I'm Cathy Leatherbarrow, an early years consultant and former Ofsted Inspector with over 25
1:23.6	years within the field. And I'll be your guide. Whether you're just starting out or leading a
1:28.4	team, there's something for everyone. Head to early years insights.com.uk or search for early
1:35.2	years insights on your podcast app today.
1:42.7	You're listening to How to Be a Better Human.
1:44.5	I am your host, Chris Duffy, and I love my job.
	...

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