Refill Coaching and Consulting

03/27/2026

I’m excited to share that I’ve been named a Top Performing Speaker by Vistage for the 4th year in a row.
I’m especially proud of this because it’s based on feedback from Vistage members about the insights and perspectives I’ve shared with over 200 groups in the US and Canada. The top performer award is presented annually to a select group of Vistage Speakers.
I look forward to continuing the work the work of Refill Coaching that helps leaders beat burnout and offer the best, healthiest versions of themselves to those they lead.
A special thanks to the amazing team at Vistage Worldwide Inc. for the support they give to the work of speakers, Chairs, and members across the Vistage network.


www.refillcoaching.com

12/03/2025

09/04/2025

This is the Week!

My new book "Running on Full" is now available!

This book comes out of my own journey through burnout and back to a life with purpose, energy, and joy. It’s a roadmap for anyone who feels drained, stuck, or like they’re running on empty—and wants to find their way back to full.

I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.

Running on Full: A Plan to Beat Burnout and Replenish Your Inner Tank is available now wherever books and eBooks are sold.

Let’s stop living half-empty and start running on full again.

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08/14/2025

Sureal moment of the week . . . the first copies of my book arrived today. They're available Sept 2. You can pre-order your copy here....

https://www.amazon.com/Running-Full-Burnout-Replenish-Inner/dp/1684262836

12/10/2024

Excited to share that I’ll be speaking at Vistage Worldwide's CEO Climb Event on Friday, December 13th!
My session, Full Tank: Building Rhythms to Avoid Burnout and Show Up at Your Best, is all about helping leaders create sustainable work-life rhythms that fuel long-term success.
Together, we’ll explore practical strategies to balance productivity with replenishment, and you’ll leave with a personalized plan to enhance your energy, focus, and leadership impact.
Looking forward to seeing you there! Register today:

Build a personal plan and a corporate culture that balances stress and replenishment with Mitch Harrison!

10/18/2024

Work/Life Balance might not be the droid you're looking for.

Mainly because it might not exist.

During one of the most stressful and challenging seasons of work, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer (a battle she eventually won.) All of a sudden, the stress of "Life" was greater than any demand I was facing at work.

Truthfully, the "Life" stress during that period actually multiplied the "Work" stress. Anytime spent at the office brought the guilt and worry of not being at home. When I spent extra time at home, I could feel the work piling up at the office.

Work/Life Balance simply made no sense.

But I did discover something better.

Stress/Replenishment Balance.

This is the discipline of matching the demands and drains you're facing in life and work with replenishing practices and rhythms that refill your tank.

If you're a teacher with a class full of active 8 year olds, you might need to match that with a quite walk in the park a couple of days a week. If you're pressed to make decisions all day, you might need a periodic, pre-scheduled get away to that old familiar spot at the lake, or a visit to the restaurant where they already know your order.

So ask yourself these questions:
What types of stress do I experience?
What replenishing activity feels like a relief?
How often do I need to do it to keep my tank full?

Stress/Replenishment balance isn't as fun to say as Work/Life Balance.

It is, however, way more effective at refilling our depleted tank and giving us what we need for our work and life.

It is the droid you're looking for.

www.refillcoaching.com

10/05/2024

Your car can do it. You should learn to do it too.

It's this: Shift gears.

Some days, you've got to move fast. Tons of tasks to accomplish, meetings to get to, errands to run, calls to make. We've all been there.

There's nothing wrong with moving fast, but be warned: speed wobble is a thing.

Too much speed for too long can end you up in a face plant. We've all seen that kid who starts running down a hill only to find out it's possible to get going faster than you can handle. Face. Plant. We rarely, if ever, do our best work when we're in a hurry. Truth is, we don't do much well - tasks, relationship, decisions - when we're running full tilt.

On those fast days, you can do what your car does.

Find another gear.

I've noticed that when my car is going 85mph down the freeway, the engine is turning relatively slowly. (Hypothetically speaking. I'm a really careful driver.) The speedometer might be registering that I'm going fast, but the tachometer - that gauge that measures engine speed - tells me my RPMs are running relatively slowly. My transmission found another gear.

You should give it a try.

When you see a day coming when you've got to move it, just tell yourself, "I'm going to walk slowly through a fast day." Then pay attention to your inner RPMs. Notice when you're getting amped and when your inner engine starts to red line. Take a breath. Calm down. Stay present. Find another gear.

And Walk Slowly.

I'll admit, it takes practice. But this skill gives you the ability to do what all those amazing leaders you admire can do - be fully in the moment, even though they've got a lot to get to elsewhere.

They're walking slow through a fast day.

And you can too.

www.refillcoaching.com

09/06/2024

Joy lightens the load.

Just spend a few hours (minutes?) doing something that isn't full of joy and you'll know it's true. Problem is, we all have things we have to do that aren't that enjoyable.

But we can scatter things throughout our day that elevate our joy and lift our mood. Isn't that why you put those pictures of your kids on your desk, or had the purpose and values of your company painted on the hallway wall? Isn't that why you take a short walk outside when you're stressed or hang out in the breakroom chatting up our coworkers about last weekend's fun?

Those things are meant to lift our eyes from our work for just a second and reset our perspective. They remind us of our "why," and add a little joy.

To keep those from losing their punch, we have to intentionally and regularly refresh our prompts. So here's some to try:

Change out the pics in your office.
Text 2 friends during lunch and make plans to connect next week.
Find 5 minutes and call your kid to chat about their day.
Buy the IT department their favorite coffees.
Start your meetings by asking, "What's something that brought you joy in the last 24 hours."
Spend 60 seconds writing the names of people you're grateful for.

I know this can sound like a frivolous waste of time. And maybe a little goofy. Find what works for you. Truthfully, it probably won't make all the difference. But it might make a little difference. It might even make you a little happier.

Go ahead. Give it a try.

And don't worry: the work will be there waiting for your when you're done.

It'll just be a little lighter that it was before.

www.refillcoaching.com

08/27/2024

Who are you when you're at your best?

It's a good thing to know.

Think of your demeanor, your attitude, your posture toward others. What are you like on your best day? Maybe you'd say you're patient, optimistic, focused, calm. Or you might choose terms like productive, joyful, present, resilient. Maybe it's compassionate, fun, resourceful, or generous.

Take a stab at it. Who are you when you're hitting on all cylinders - when the best of you is on display for the rest of us?

Got it?

Now, what's your plan to show up that way every day?

Here's why I ask: For me to show up everyday as the very best version of myself, I've come to realize I need a plan. I don't drift in the direction of my best. And neither do you. I won't show up at or even near my best every day on accident.

Truth is, I show up at my worst on accident. I never intend to be grouchy or anxious, unfocused or withdrawn. It happens when I don't intentionally do the things that give me the emotional, physical, and spiritual energy to be who I really want to be. Without intention, I drift. And not in a good direction.

Losing sight of the "me at my best" list, I can drift pretty far before I notice. Knowing my "True North" qualities gives me a guidepost to evaluate myself by, and it tells me the kind of plan I'll need to stay on course.

So pause right now.

Name 3 qualities that describe you at your best.
Now, identify 2 things your can do this week to help you stay that way.
And find one person to tell about your plan.

And we'll be on the lookout for you at your best.

www.refillcoaching.com

08/09/2024

The reason I can’t sleep in the car when someone else is driving is because, well . . . someone else is driving.

Every bump, jerk, lane change, speed change means that they’re surely driving off the road or heading for a collision. If I had confidence that whoever was driving was as competent and conscientious behind the wheel as I am, it might be a different story.

But it’s not, so I keep driving. And then I get tired. And I find myself falling asleep at the wheel.

Problem is, I’ve never found anyone I trust to drive like me.

The same lack of trust lead to my burnout.

It might be helpful to us to wrestle with is this question: Who would I have to trust so I could let go of the wheel for awhile and get some rest?

It could be that the person you need to trust more is you.

You’ve lead the team well. You’ve instilled your values in them. You hired them because they were competent and conscientious. And you know one of the best ways to develop them further is to let them do the heavy lifting of running the place without you. You just need to trust that your leadership has actually worked.

Maybe you do need to trust a specific person more; your partner, protege, mentee, or even your boss, and demonstrate it by letting them do what you believe only you can do.

Maybe you need to trust more in whoever you believe God to be to run the world while you take a break.

Whoever it is, let them take the wheel for a while this summer. And you go get some sleep.

Because the more you trust, the more you can rest.

www.refillcoaching.com