How tired do you really feel? It’s easy for leaders to accept the exhaustion that comes with constant decision-making and people management. We tend to chalk it up as “part of the job.” But how often do we pause to question if this is a sustainable mindset? For years, I did just that. In my most recent role, I led a church staff of 65, overseeing a congregation of 6,000 to 8,000 every Sunday. The emotional and mental toll felt unending. Church leadership, with its unique set of challenges, brings expectations from an entire community. Everyone has hopes, needs, and opinions on how things should run, including thoughts on taking time off.
For a long time, I wore my relentless tiredness as a badge of honor, a sign of dedication. But eventually, the exhaustion caught up, and I reached my limit. I was nearly ready to leave ministry leadership for good when I took a month off to rest, reflect, and consider my options.
Time Off vs. Time On
That month away was a turning point, but not in the way I expected. I learned that time off wouldn’t fix the problem. I needed a reset—not in the hours I worked, but in how I led myself.
Leading Yourself First: The Foundation of Sustainable Leadership
During that month, I discovered that leading others well starts with leading myself well. While I focused on managing a team and meeting responsibilities, I neglected to manage myself. The exhaustion wasn’t only from the workload; it was rooted in how I approached my leadership and well-being.
Self-leadership isn’t just about time management; it’s about building habits and boundaries that sustain us. It’s about setting an example, not just in our work but in our personal lives.
I began to ask myself tough questions:
- Was I prioritizing time based on my values?
- Did I set boundaries that allowed for true renewal?
- Was I leading in a way that would sustain me long-term, or only for a season?
