If you’re an executive or senior leader struggling with burnout, you’ve probably been told to focus on time management.
Better calendars. Stronger prioritization. Smarter delegation.
It sounds logical.
But here’s the problem: You didn’t rise to this level of leadership because you’re bad at time management.
You’re excellent at managing your time.
You’re skilled at handling complexity.
You know how to get things done.
The real reason you’re burned out isn’t because you can’t prioritize tasks and time.
It’s because somewhere along the way, you stopped feeling safe and supported to say:
- “This is too much.”
- “We need to scale back.”
- “My team and I can’t keep moving at this pace.”
And when leaders don’t feel safe and supported to raise concerns, they don’t.
They carry the weight silently—until they can’t anymore.
As an executive coach, I help leaders move beyond surface-level “fixes” —like time management hacks— and get to the real root of burnout.
If you’re feeling the strain, here are three things to start thinking about:
- Audit your assumptions.
Are you telling yourself you “should” be able to handle it all without asking for help?
That belief might be quietly reinforcing the burnout cycle.
- Name the real barriers.
Where do you feel unsafe or unsupported in speaking up?
(Hint: If you’re leading a team and can’t safely advocate for yourself, your team is likely struggling even more.)
- Prioritize psychological safety, not just productivity.
Sustainable leadership requires the courage to create—and demand—environments where honest conversations are welcome and actions are taken to support those conversations.
You don’t need another productivity hack. You need a system, a culture, and a leadership approach that supports your well-being—not just your output.
If you’re ready to stop treating burnout like a time management issue and start building real sustainability into your leadership, I can help.
Click here to discuss my LeadWell Executive Coaching with me.
