As the demands of leadership rise, rest has become more than a wellness trend. It’s a lifeline — and often the very thing leaders avoid. Because the word ‘rest’ is a complicated concept for many leaders. We talk about it. We encourage it and post about it. Yet when it’s time to actually slow down, most high-capacity leaders feel something surprising: resistance.
For many leaders, rest isn’t relaxing. It’s confronting.
It forces you to sit still long enough to hear the truth you’ve been outrunning.
As we enter the final stretch of the year, I’m having a different kind of conversation with clients. Not about productivity. Not about performance. But about the courage it takes to lead when you are not “on.”
The Real Reason Leaders Resist Rest
Most leaders don’t resist rest because they’re too busy. They resist rest because being still reveals how tired they really are. It highlights the questions they’ve avoided. It reveals the places where their life and leadership aren’t lining up.
And so, they keep moving. Not because they need to, but because slowing down feels riskier than pressing on.
I recently worked with a COO who told me, “I know I need time off, but every time I think about resting, I feel guilty… and then I feel anxious.”
His voice cracked when he added, “I’m afraid everything I’ve built will fall apart without me.”
So I told him something leaders rarely hear:
Rest is not the opposite of ambition. It’s what sustains it.
Why Rest Is a Smart Strategy, Not a Luxury
We’re conditioned to believe rest is something we earn. Something we fit in after everything else is done. Something optional.
But for leaders, rest is strategic. It sharpens judgment. It restores the emotional bandwidth required for high‑stakes decisions. And it protects you from building a life that looks impressive and feels empty.
When you are constantly “on,” your nervous system never gets a chance to reset. You become reactive instead of responsive, moving fast but losing accuracy. You check boxes instead of making intentional choices.
Leadership research confirms: recovery enhances performance, emotional regulation, learning, and long‑term impact.
Rest refines your leadership. In fact, multiple leadership studies show that strategic recovery correlates directly with enhanced decision‑making, higher emotional intelligence, and sustained executive impact.
The Risk of Leading on Empty
When you ignore your need for rest, it finds a way to surface in subtle (and then not‐so‑subtle) ways:
- You become irritable in moments that don’t warrant it.
- Your creativity feels dull, even when your calendar is full.
- Your patience runs short.
- Everything feels heavier than it should.
One client said, “I’m leading, but I’m not leading well. I’m tired behind my eyes.”
That tiredness behind your eyes? It’s more common than most leaders will ever admit. And the fix isn’t a weekend away. It’s a recalibration of the pace you’ve been sustaining — one that trades burnout for long-term resilience.
What Real Rest Looks Like for Leaders
Rest isn’t always a vacation or a long weekend. Sometimes it’s subtle and strategic:
- Saying “no” without over‑explaining.
- Blocking one quiet hour on your calendar each week.
- Letting the team make decisions you’d normally hold.
- Stopping work at a reasonable hour.
- Allowing yourself to feel the fatigue you’ve been numbing with nonstop doing.
It’s not about the amount of rest. It’s about permission to rest.
Three Questions to Reset
If your body whispers exhaustion while your calendar shouts busyness, pause. Ask yourself:
- What version of rest would actually restore me?
- Where am I over‑functioning because I’m afraid to let go?
- What would it mean to lead from fullness instead of depletion?
These aren’t about perfection. They’re about recalibration.
Choosing Rest Is Choosing Leadership
The best leaders I know don’t push through the exhaustion. They acknowledge it, respond to it, and honor their capacity.
Leading when you’re not “on” isn’t a weakness; it’s wisdom.
It’s knowing when to step back so you can step forward with strength. It’s modeling the kind of humanity your team desperately needs. And it’s choosing to carry yourself — not just your responsibilities.
As you close out the year, give yourself permission to rest without guilt.
Not because you’ve earned it.
But because you’re human.
And because the world needs you healthy, grounded, and whole.
What might become possible if you stopped equating rest with slowing down, and started seeing it as a return to yourself?
How to Implement Strategic Rest
Dov Seidman said, “When you hit the pause button on a machine, it stops. But when you press the pause button on a human, they start. They start to reflect, to rethink their assumptions, to reconnect with their most deeply held beliefs, and to reimagine a better path.”
Let’s change that with a few simple actions:
- Schedule one recovery block each day — even 15 minutes of intentional pause resets your nervous system.
- Delegate one decision per week to your team; empower rather than constantly oversee.
- Conduct a weekly reflection: What unmet need emerged this week? What boundary did I ignore?
Ready to lead without burning out? Explore research on the power of strategic pauses:
- The HOW Institute’s piece “Why Intentional Pausing Is Key for Leaders in 2025” offers compelling insight.
- Download my Purposeful Pause Journal and practice the kind of rest that renews your capacity, your clarity, and strengthens your leadership.