Employees’ and Managers’ Well-being: Chapter 4 (Theory of Constraints)

In this episode, I explore how a classic concept from operations - the Theory of Constraints - can help us better understand and manage emotional exhaustion in the workplace.

The central idea? Just like a production process is only as fast as its slowest step, our mental and emotional energy is limited by the most draining tasks in our day. So what if we could identify the specific moments, meetings, or tasks that wear us out the most—our emotional bottlenecks?

Drawing on Goldratt’s foundational work, I walk through how this theory can be adapted to workplace wellbeing. I also tackle some key challenges:

• How do emotions spill over between employees?

• Why is simply “moving the problem” unethical?

• What does the "Eat That Frog" rule get wrong when it comes to mental health?

We’ll look at tools like interviews, observation, and intuitive reflection to pinpoint those draining moments—and explore how to design more sustainable workdays without pushing people to the edge.

Whether you're a leader, a coach, or someone simply trying to manage your energy better, this episode offers a practical lens for viewing burnout through the eyes of process thinking.

 

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