Self-Care as Strategy: Why Thriving Personally Fuels Better Leadership

Too many leaders believe the myth that self-care is selfish. The truth? It is strategy. Burnout drains clarity, patience, and performance, while thriving personally makes you a stronger, more effective leader.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• How burnout impacts leadership performance
• Why self-care is actually a leadership investment
• Practical ways to build physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational health
• How to model self-care so your team feels permission to do the same

Self-care isn’t optional. It’s the strategy that sustains leadership for the long haul.

Transcript

I want to start today by busting a myth. The myth is that self-care is selfish. That if you take time to rest, if you set aside space for yourself, you are somehow letting your team down or not working hard enough.

Here is the truth. Self-care is not selfish. It is strategy. It is the fuel that makes leadership sustainable. And the leaders who learn to thrive personally are the ones who actually lead better, longer, and with more impact.

So in this episode, we are going to look at four things.
First, what burnout does to leadership performance.
Second, how to reframe self-care as a leadership investment.
Third, some practical strategies for physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being.
And finally, how you can model self-care so your team feels permission to do the same.

Let’s get started.

Segment 1: What burnout does to leadership performance

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever tried to lead on an empty tank? Maybe you stayed up too late preparing for a big meeting, or you went weeks without a break because of back-to-back deadlines. You still showed up, but you weren’t at your best.

That is what burnout looks like in real time. You are present, but not fully engaged. You snap quicker, you struggle to think creatively, and your team feels the difference.

Burnout has been called an epidemic in leadership. A Deloitte survey found that 77 percent of professionals have experienced burnout in their current job, and almost half said they feel burned out often. That is not just an individual issue. Burnout spreads. When a leader is depleted, it ripples through the team.

I once worked with a director who was incredible at her job. She cared deeply about her people and had a track record of success. But after months of running nonstop, she started forgetting details, showing up late to meetings, and losing her patience with the very people she used to champion. Her team noticed. Morale dipped, turnover went up, and it all traced back to the fact that she was running on fumes.

Here is the point. Burnout is not just about you being tired. It damages culture, performance, and trust.

Segment 2: Reframing self-care as a leadership investment

If burnout drains leadership, then the opposite is also true. When you invest in your own well-being, everyone benefits.

Think about professional athletes. No one questions why an athlete takes time to rest, recover, or train smart. We understand that they cannot perform at their best if they are depleted. Leadership is no different.

When you rest, eat well, and recharge, you are not taking time away from leadership. You are actually fueling it. Self-care sharpens your decision-making, increases your emotional intelligence, and helps you inspire others.

Let me share a story. Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, often spoke about how demanding leadership was and how easy it was to neglect her own needs. But she credited her ability to sustain leadership over the long haul to being intentional about her health, her family, and her inner life. She said that when she was thriving personally, she had more patience, more clarity, and more vision to lead her company through big changes.

That is the mindset shift we all need. Self-care is not a retreat from leadership. It is an investment in your ability to lead well.

Segment 3: Practical self-care strategies

Now let’s talk about the practical side. How do you actually do this? I like to think of self-care in four buckets: physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational.

Physical. Your body is your engine. Prioritize sleep, eat foods that give you energy, and move regularly. Even a ten-minute walk can reset your focus. Studies show leaders who exercise regularly report higher energy and better stress management.

Emotional. This is about paying attention to what you are carrying. Journaling, therapy, or coaching can help you process the weight of leadership. You cannot lead others well if you are burying your own emotions.

Spiritual. For some, that looks like prayer or meditation. For others, it is reflection, gratitude, or practices that connect you to something bigger than yourself. This keeps you grounded and gives meaning to the work.

Relational. Leadership can be lonely. Build and maintain relationships that refill you, not just drain you. Whether that is family, friends, or peer mentors, you need people around you who remind you of your worth outside of your title.

Here is the key. Self-care is not a spa day once a year. It is daily rhythms, small practices, and consistent choices that keep you thriving.

Segment 4: How to model self-care for your team

Now let’s talk about how this shows up in your leadership. Because if you practice self-care quietly but never let your team see it, you miss the chance to shape culture.

Leaders set the tone. If you send emails at midnight, your team thinks they have to do the same. If you never take a vacation, your team assumes they cannot either.

But if you model healthy boundaries, your team learns it is safe to do the same. Take your vacation. End meetings on time. Talk openly about the practices that help you stay grounded.

I know one leader who made a rule for herself. She would leave the office at 5:30 to have dinner with her kids, and she told her team why. She still worked hard, but she let them see her priorities. The result? Her team started feeling permission to prioritize their own families too, and morale actually improved.

That is the ripple effect. When leaders thrive, teams thrive.

So let’s land this.

Burnout drains leadership. It clouds your judgment, hurts your relationships, and damages your culture.

Self-care is not selfish. It is an investment in your leadership. When you thrive personally, you make better decisions, you inspire more trust, and you lead with clarity.

The strategies are simple but powerful. Care for your body, tend to your emotions, stay spiritually grounded, and nurture life-giving relationships. And most importantly, model those practices so your team sees what healthy leadership looks like.

Here is the big idea. Thriving personally is not optional. It is the strategy that sustains leadership.

Thanks for joining me today. If this episode encouraged you, share it with another leader who might need this reminder. And if you want to go deeper, reach out. I would love to walk with you on this journey.

Until next time, remember this. Taking care of yourself is one of the most powerful leadership moves you can make.