Leadership demands a lot from you. The pressure to perform, to guide others, to stay sharp is constant. And if you don’t take care of yourself, everything else begins to erode. Your health declines, your relationships suffer, and your thinking gets foggy. Over time, ignoring your well-being impacts every part of your life and leadership.
Self-care doesn’t have to be dramatic.
You don’t need a retreat or a three-hour morning routine. It starts with something much simpler: adding small, consistent moments of joy to your day. A favorite song. Cooking a meal you enjoy. Reading for a few minutes. Spending time with your kids. These aren’t extras. They’re essential.
Small joys restore clarity, ease pressure, and help you stay grounded.
For me, that moment is the sunset. If I’m in town, I make it a point to be in my backyard with my dogs when the day ends. That’s my transition from work to personal time. I walk the yard, check on the plants, the garden, the fish. I breathe, I think, and I settle down. It may sound simple, but it’s one of the most important routines in my life. It gives me peace. I protect it, because it protects me.
Too many executives I work with stay locked in constant activity.
They respond to every notification, schedule back-to-back meetings, and stay online until long after the workday ends. Somewhere along the way, they forget what makes them feel whole. It’s not deliberate. But it adds up. And eventually, it takes a toll. They become reactive. Their focus slips. Their relationships get strained.
You can’t be an effective leader if you’re constantly depleted.
Taking care of yourself is not indulgent, it’s necessary. And it starts with boundaries. You have to build joy into your routine. You have to know what brings you calm or connection and then protect that time. No one will do it for you. It’s your responsibility to show up for yourself so you can show up fully for others.
Six important ideas to make you more successful. I’m confident you’ll find it valuable.
This video is here to help you make 2025 a standout year. In it, I share six key insights about what you should focus on that will have a strong positive impact on your organization. In addition, I included my new frameworks for organizational excellence, winning culture, high-performance teams, and leadership.
