{"podcast":{"title":"It Gets Late Early","slug":"it-gets-late-early-6096744","podcast_index_feed_id":6096744,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/it-gets-late-early/","website_url":"https://www.itgetslateearly.com/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/dc4d6575-9642-4d43-94d5-225572b5cd9f/2026-IGLE-COVER-FINAL.png","author":"Maureen Wiley Clough","episode_count":73,"summary":"Have you ever looked around at work and realized you might be one of the oldest people in the room—and you’re not even 40 yet? It Gets Late Early is a show about what’s really happening to experienced workers as the rules of work change. We dig into layoffs dressed up as AI strategy, side hustles and portfolio careers, the quiet rise of workplace ageism, and the (sometimes harsh) reality of building a career in midlife and beyond. We connect the dots between corporate decisions, economic forces, and the real lives of people navigating a changing world of work to help make sense of it all…because the career playbook we all followed was for a game no one can win anymore. You’ll hear honest conversations, expert insights, and practical advice for people trying to figure out what comes next—all wrapped up in a healthy dose of dark humor. Because sometimes you have to laugh so you don’t cry. Hosted by Maureen Wiley Clough—corporate dropout and ex-journalist who won’t quit telling the truth about work.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-10T02:19:57.969761+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-gets-late-early-6096744"},"episode":{"title":"We're Working Ourselves to Death (And Calling It Success)","slug":"we-re-working-ourselves-to-death-and-calling-it-success","published_at":"2026-06-09T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-gets-late-early-6096744/we-re-working-ourselves-to-death-and-calling-it-success","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-gets-late-early-6096744","url":"https://www.itgetslateearly.com/","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/97f4ac56-d450-4b3f-ac27-1fea0ca49adb.mp3","summary":"A worker collapses on a warehouse floor. The conveyor belts keep moving. No one is allowed to help. The story sounds unbelievable until you realize it's not an isolated incident. I want to tell you a story that starts in an Amazon warehouse but quickly becomes something much bigger. I explore how extreme workplace pressure, productivity obsession, and fear-based leadership have become normalized across industries. From warehouse workers to software engineers and investment bankers, we're seeing the human cost of a culture that demands more and more from people. I also take a closer look at the rise of \"grind culture,\" the return of 72-hour workweeks, and how Silicon Valley's newest work philosophies are reshaping expectations around success. We discuss why these trends disproportionately affect older workers, caregivers, and anyone with responsibilities outside the office. Finally, I examine the role AI may be playing in all of this. As workers race to prove their value in an uncertain future, we have to ask a difficult question: Are technological advances creating freedom or simply raising the bar for how much we're expected to sacrifice? If you've ever felt like work is consuming more of life than it should, this conversation is for you. In This Episode: - The Amazon warehouse incident that sparked a bigger conversation - Japan's \"Karoshi\" crisis (death from overwork) - Recent workplace deaths linked to extreme job pressure - The pregnancy discrimination case that resulted in a $22.5 million verdict - How fear-based leadership shapes workplace culture - The rise of the 996 work schedule and grind culture - Why companies increasingly favor younger, unattached workers - How AI anxiety is fueling a new productivity arms race - The broken promise of productivity gains an…","meta_description":"A worker collapses on a warehouse floor. The conveyor belts keep moving. No one is allowed to help. The story sounds unbelievable until you realize it's n…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":897,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/it-gets-late-early-6096744/episodes/we-re-working-ourselves-to-death-and-calling-it-success/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/it-gets-late-early-6096744/we-re-working-ourselves-to-death-and-calling-it-success.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}