Staying sharp without burning out.
5 min readGina Rumawas
Many leaders run on adrenaline for years. It works, until suddenly it doesn't. I've worked closely alongside senior leaders for years and I see it happen often: the people who carry the most are the last to notice it themselves.
Why leaders in particular notice it late
If you lead people, you're used to pushing on. You solve problems, you're there for your team, you make the tough decisions. Stress comes with the job, you think. And that's true, up to a point.
The problem is that your body doesn't really tell the difference between a busy week and a busy year. Your nervous system stays switched on. At some point, being switched on has become your normal setting.
Five signs to take seriously
1. You're sleeping worse. You do fall asleep, but you wake up at four in the morning with your head full of work.
2. Your fuse is shorter. Things you used to let go now irritate you. They notice it at home sooner than at work.
3. Thinking clearly takes more effort. You're functioning, but your focus and overview get buried more quickly under everything coming at you.
4. You can't switch off anymore. Even on vacation or on weekends, your mind keeps going.
5. Your body protests. Headaches, tense shoulders, an unsettled stomach or getting sick more often.
Do you recognize two or more? Then it's time to do something about it. Not because things are going wrong, but because right now it's still easy to adjust course.
What you can do today
Schedule recovery time like an appointment. Block twenty minutes in your calendar every day without a screen. Treat that appointment like a meeting with your most important client.
Breathe out longer than you breathe in. Breathe in for a count of four and out for six to eight, for a few minutes. That shifts your nervous system down a gear.
Skip that last email. Put your phone away an hour before bed. The email at ten at night can wait until eight in the morning.
When it runs deeper
Sometimes these tips help for a while, but the tension keeps coming back. Then the pattern runs deeper. You know what you should do, but your body does something else.
That's where hypnosis works well. In an Executive Clarity Session or a program, you work on the automatic reactions that keep you switched on. Discreet, tailored to you and in Dutch or English.
Want to know what hypnosis can do for you or your team? Book a complimentary 30-minute intro call.
