We've all felt it—that Sunday dread, the flat feeling at your desk, the sense that your energy is running on empty and no one seems to notice. But what if burnout isn't just about working too hard? What if it's about working in the wrong direction? In this episode of Tough Day, KVJ sits down with Serena Martino, executive and leadership coach, to explore what it really means to fuel your own fire at work—and how to get it back when the flame goes out. 

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Serena has spent her career helping professionals move from surviving to thriving—first as a leader across tech, e-commerce, and travel, and now as a coach supporting individuals and teams through change, burnout, and the search for meaningful work. Her new book, The Unwritten Job Description: How to Redesign Your Work and Life on Your Own Terms, captures the full arc of that journey. In this conversation, she shares the simple but powerful mindset shifts that help people stop waiting for things to get better—and start steering their energy with intention. Plus, she tackles three real listener scenarios about staying grounded when a colleague's mood takes over the room, never feeling a "spark" at work, and coming back from sabbatical still feeling flat.

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 What we cover:

• Why energy—not time—is the real resource worth managing, and how to start tracking it 
• The difference between surviving, managing, growing, and thriving—and what stage most people get stuck in 
• Why burnout recovery isn't a switch you flip, and how to rebuild your spark without overwhelming yourself 
• The three-step reset when things spiral: pause, identify what you can control, and ask how you can help 
• How small daily celebrations compound into genuine motivation over time 
• Why the best leaders don't just give energy—they ask for it back, too
  
  

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Learn more about Serena Martino:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenamartino/

Website: https://www.serenamartino.com/ 

Book: https://www.serenamartino.com/the-unwritten-job-description

Learn more about KVJ | Tough Day

Website: https://tough.day/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kvonjan