The CEO Mindset Is Knowing When To Slow Down

The day was packed, the goals were bold, and then the morning slipped to 10:15. Instead of spiraling, we chose a different play: hold the routine, keep the calm, and arrive at the desk ready to execute. That single decision turned a “lost” morning into a high-output day—and it sparked a bigger conversation about what real productivity looks like when life gets full.

We walk through the busy weekend that set the stage, the surprise oversleep, and the instinct to judge ourselves for starting late. Then we challenge the script. Rest isn’t a reward for finishing; it’s a lever for better work. By sticking to movement, a walk, fueling well, and then sitting down with a clear head, we found more energy, sharper focus, and a plan that actually held up. You’ll hear how we map a flexible CEO schedule, decide what can move to next week, and keep momentum without clinging to a brittle to-do list.

If you lead a team, run a business, or manage a relentless calendar, this mindset shift matters. We dig into practical tactics—pruning tasks to the highest leverage outcomes, reframing negative self-talk before it tanks your day, and using simple anchors to prevent the spiral. Expect a candid look at ambition, recovery, and the real mechanics of sustainable output. No hustle theater, no empty hacks—just clear steps to protect your energy and still hit what counts.

Listen for a thoughtful reset on productivity, mental framing, and performance that lasts through the week. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs permission to pause, and leave a quick review telling us your go-to reset ritual.

Chapters

• 0:00 Doubling Down And New Year Energy
• 0:19 An Unplanned Oversleep
• 1:34 Choosing Routine Over Panic
• 2:20 CEO Mindset: Flex The Schedule
• 3:10 Reframing And Listening To Your Body

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Yesterday we talked about this idea of being able to make sure that you are double downing on specific things. And I know personally I get into a stency and the new year hits, and I'm like, let's go full force. This is where I'm at. And something actually interesting happened the day of this recording. I went to bed, normal-ish time, 10, 10-ish, I think it was, and didn't send an alarm this morning because my girls are not yet back to school. And we had had a very busy weekend, volleyball weekend, both days away. Um, basketball game Saturday morning prior to volleyball and Friday night basketball game. So it was very, very busy. This all to say that when I woke up and looked at the clock, it was 10:15. I cannot remember the last time I did that during the week. Not on a weekend, sure, had fun the night before. That's bound to happen. But for me during the week, that's not a norm. So I tell you this because yes, I am at the phase where I am doubling down and I'm working my butt off. And this is where I get excited and want to do all the work and all the things. But my body told me that I needed to rest. And that was okay. And here is the thing: I didn't wake up this morning and beat myself up and go, oh my God, you lazy piece of you know what? You should have been up hours ago. Get to your desk. No, I went through my routine. I got up, I had my cup of coffee, got the dogs out, did the things, and then instead of heading right to my desk or heading right up to shower, I did my normal routine. I worked out, took the dogs for a walk, ate and fueled my body, and then took a shower and got to my desk. I got to my desk much later. I am not stressing over the fact that technically in my to-do list, I am behind. Because I know my body needed that. I know I needed that. And it's not slowing me down. I actually have a ton of energy right now because of it. So I'm able to get out a ton more content and look at making sure that my week is planned out for the rest of the week to be as efficient as possible. And if I need to move something to the next week, it's okay. That is what being a CEO is about. Sometimes you're gonna have a schedule all planned out. You're gonna be able to stick to it, you're gonna be ahead of schedule, you're gonna be doing tasks from next week. And other times, you're going to need to take a little bit of a slowdown and probably move some tasks on to the next week. So I really wanted to share this because it is what happens and it is the truth. And I don't want people to think and hear me train and say, oh, she's constantly going. She never takes a break. She's always making sure that she gets her shit done. In reality, that doesn't always happen. There are days that I'm going to be a little bit behind. I'm going to need to rest a little bit more. And because I took that rest, I was more efficient when I got to my desk today. I'm going to be more efficient the rest of the week. And that's the mindset that you have to have. If I had come to my desk and said, I'm so lazy, I'm going to be so behind. Oh my God. And started to spiral and freak out over the fact that I already feel behind the first day of the week, that would have been a problem. It was my mindset of being able to reframe it and say, you needed this, you're going to benefit from it and be able to look at it that way. So I want you to listen to your bodies. I need you to listen to what you have going on and know when to take that break. If you are feeling like you're spiraling, you're all over the place, you got to take that time for yourself and anchor yourself.