Sustainable Leadership - Avoiding Burnout While Leading At A High Level

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign. In this episode, we explore what it means to lead at a high level without sacrificing your health, energy, or impact. You’ll discover why burnout disproportionately affects women leaders, the hidden myths that drive it, and how to embrace a new model of leadership that’s sustainable and life-giving.

From setting boundaries and building rhythms to cultivating support systems and practicing self-leadership, this conversation is packed with practical strategies you can implement right away. By the end, you’ll have a clear framework to fuel your longevity as a leader so you can thrive without running on empty.

Transcript

Today, I want to talk about something that’s close to my heart and something I know many of you are wrestling with—sustainable leadership. Specifically, how to avoid burnout while leading at a high level.

Because here’s the truth: burnout is not a badge of honor. It’s not proof that you’re dedicated or that you’ve sacrificed enough. It’s actually a warning light, and ignoring it doesn’t just hurt you—it ripples out. It affects your team, your organization, and the mission you’ve worked so hard to lead.

So in this episode, we’re going to dig into why burnout shows up so often for women in leadership, the myths we’ve been sold about “pushing through,” and a new model of leadership that’s sustainable and life-giving. And then I’ll share some really practical tools that you can start using right away to stay sharp, healthy, and energized—even while leading at the highest levels.

By the end of our time together, you’ll have a framework that helps you fuel your longevity, not drain it.

Segment 1: The Leadership Burnout Crisis

Let’s start with a hard truth: women in leadership are burning out at higher rates than men.

The research backs it up. Women leaders are not only more likely to take on extra responsibilities to support their teams, but they’re also more likely to carry what I call the invisible workload—things like mentoring, emotional support, building team culture. These are things that rarely show up in a job description, but they take real energy.

And then, add in the constant pressure to prove yourself in environments where you may still be underestimated or overlooked. It’s no surprise that so many women leaders feel like they’re running on empty.

Here’s the thing—burnout doesn’t happen in one big crash. It’s more like a slow leak. You keep pushing, you keep striving, you keep meeting the deadlines… until one day, your body, or your creativity, or your motivation says, “Enough.”

And here’s the scary part—burnout is contagious. If you’re exhausted, short-tempered, and running on fumes, your team will feel it too. It sets the tone for the culture.

That’s why prioritizing your sustainability isn’t selfish. It’s actually one of the most responsible things you can do as a leader.

Segment 2: The Myths That Drive Burnout

So why do so many women leaders push themselves past the breaking point?

A lot of it comes back to the myths we’ve internalized about leadership.

The first myth is this: hustle equals success. Somewhere along the way, we started believing that if we’re not exhausted, we’re not working hard enough. We glorify “the grind” as though being busy automatically means being impactful. But exhaustion isn’t impact. It’s depletion.

The second myth is: saying yes proves your value. How many of us feel like we can’t say no because it might make us look unhelpful, or not a team player? But the truth is, saying yes to everything actually dilutes your leadership. It leaves you with no bandwidth for the things that really matter.

And the third myth: rest is weakness. How many of us have felt guilty for taking time off, leaving early, or even blocking out space in the day just for ourselves? But here’s the reality—rest is productivity. Your brain does its best, most creative work when it’s been given a chance to reset.

Breaking these myths is the very first step toward sustainable leadership.

Segment 3: Redefining Sustainable Leadership

So let’s flip the script. What does sustainable leadership actually look like?

It’s not leadership that only works for the next quarter, or the next project. It’s leadership that allows you to show up with clarity, energy, and creativity not just today, but years from now.

Sustainable leadership has four pillars.

Number one: boundaries—the ability to say no, to protect your energy, and to structure your time around your true priorities.

Number two: rhythms—building predictable cycles of work and rest so that you don’t burn out.

Number three: support—having mentors, peers, and even coaches or therapists who help you carry the weight of leadership.

And number four: self-leadership—prioritizing your health, your growth, and your emotional regulation so that you’re leading from a full cup, not an empty one.

When you embrace these pillars, you stop being the leader who’s just barely surviving… and you become the leader who thrives.

Segment 4: Boundaries in Practice

Let’s start with boundaries, because this one is huge.

For many women leaders, boundaries feel selfish. But I want you to flip that mindset. Boundaries aren’t walls. They’re bridges. They keep you aligned, healthy, and able to show up at your best.

Here are some practical ways to start living this out:

Block your calendar for deep work time. Literally put it on your calendar, and don’t move it unless it’s life-or-death urgent.

Before you say yes to a new request, pause and ask yourself: Will this energize me, or will this drain me?

And create an end-of-day ritual. A cutoff time when work stops. No more emails, no more Slack messages, no more “just one more thing.”

When you practice boundaries, you don’t just protect yourself—you model for your team that it’s okay to have limits. And that’s culture-shaping leadership.

Segment 5: The Power of Rhythms

Next up is rhythms.

A lot of leaders are like sprinters trying to run marathons. The human body and mind were never designed for constant, unrelenting pace.

You need rhythms.

A daily rhythm might look like starting your day with journaling, meditation, or exercise, and ending it with reflection or gratitude.

A weekly rhythm might be designating one day as meeting-free, so you can focus on strategy and creative thinking.

A seasonal rhythm means recognizing that not every quarter can be about growth. Some seasons are for consolidating, reflecting, and preparing for the next push.

Think about it like music. Without pauses, it’s just noise. Without rhythms of rest, your leadership becomes noise too.

Segment 6: Building Support Systems

Now let’s talk about support systems.

Here’s the truth: leadership can be really lonely. The higher you climb, the fewer people there are who you can be completely honest with. That’s why building a support system is non-negotiable.

Support might look like a mentor who has been where you want to go. Or a peer group of women leaders who understand your unique challenges. It might mean working with a coach or therapist who can help you process things outside of your organization.

And don’t overlook your support at home—your family, your friends, your community. The people who remind you that your worth isn’t tied to your title.

Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s actually strategy. No great company, no movement, no empire was ever built by one person alone.

Segment 7: Practicing Self-Leadership

Finally, sustainable leadership always comes back to self-leadership.

Ask yourself: how can I lead others if I can’t lead myself?

Self-leadership looks like prioritizing physical health—your sleep, your nutrition, your movement.

It looks like prioritizing emotional health—through mindfulness, prayer, or whatever reflection practice grounds you.

It looks like prioritizing intellectual health—reading, learning, staying curious.

And it looks like prioritizing relational health—making intentional time for people who actually give you life.

When you invest in yourself, you’re not stealing time from your leadership. You’re multiplying your impact.

Segment 8: The S.A.F.E. Model

To make this really practical, I want to share a framework I call S.A.F.E. Leadership.

S stands for Simplify—ruthlessly prioritize what matters most, and eliminate the rest.

A stands for Align—make sure your calendar reflects your values, not just your inbox.

F stands for Fuel—protect your energy with rhythms of rest, good nutrition, and regular movement.

E stands for Engage—build systems of support and connection so you don’t lead in isolation.

Ask yourself every week: am I leading in a way that’s SAFE, or am I leading in a way that’s dangerous to my health and my impact?

Segment 9: A Personal Story

Let me pause and share a personal story.

There was a season in my life when I was leading multiple projects, saying yes to everything, convinced that if I just pushed harder, I could handle it all. I wore my exhaustion like a trophy.

Until one morning, I literally couldn’t get out of bed. I wasn’t sick—I was burned out.

What shocked me wasn’t just how tired I was. It was how unmotivated I felt. I had lost my spark.

That’s when I realized burnout doesn’t just steal your energy. It steals your joy. It steals your vision. It steals your why.

From that season forward, I started rebuilding my leadership around the practices we’ve talked about today. And now, I lead with more clarity, more passion, and more balance than I thought was possible.

Segment 10: Call to Action & Wrap-Up

So here’s my challenge for you this week: take just one of the four pillars we discussed—boundaries, rhythms, support, or self-leadership—and put it into practice. Just one.

Maybe that means saying no to a meeting. Maybe it means blocking out reflection time. Maybe it means calling a mentor or a trusted friend. Or maybe it’s as simple as committing to eight hours of sleep tonight.

Sustainable leadership isn’t about a massive overnight change. It’s about small, consistent choices that protect your energy and extend your impact.

Because the truth is, your organization doesn’t need a burned-out leader. Your team doesn’t need a constantly exhausted boss. And your family doesn’t need the drained version of you.

They need the real you—clear, energized, and inspired.

So let’s choose sustainability over burnout. Let’s choose leadership that lasts.

Thank you so much for joining me today on [Podcast Name]. If this episode resonated with you, would you share it with another woman in leadership who might need this reminder? And if you’re ready to go deeper, I’d love to connect with you. Reach out for coaching, resources, or to join our leadership community.

Until next time, lead well, live well, and always remember—burnout is not the price of impact. Sustainability is.