Essential Self-Care for Women Leaders

The pressures female leaders face are immense. The risk and incidence of stress and burnout are worryingly high. So to thrive — not just survive — in leadership, creating a blueprint for self-care is critical.

A 2022 study of women in the workplace by global professional services firm, Deloitte, revealed that 23 percent of female leaders report feeling burnt out, while half feel more stressed now than they did a year ago. For women from ethnic minorities, this figure rises to 60 percent, demonstrating the additional impact that challenges faced by intersectional women can have on stress levels. [1]

Burnout is common among female leaders who juggle leadership demands, personal responsibilities, and societal pressures, often stretching themselves too thin. And the signs can creep in unnoticed until they feel overwhelming.

This article will help you understand the signs of burnout, why you, as a female leader, are especially vulnerable, and how you can build your own personal wellbeing plan to prevent burnout and foster resilience.

Understanding Burnout in Female Leaders

What Is Burnout?

Burnout isn’t just feeling tired after a long week — it’s a medically defined state of exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, leading to emotional detachment, low productivity, and health issues if untreated.

Common symptoms of burnout include fatigue that doesn't improve with rest; emotional distance from work; decreased motivation and productivity; and irritability over small things.

Burnout exists on a spectrum, and while you might not feel fully burnt out yet, many women find themselves on the road toward it. It's crucial to recognize early signs and take steps before things get worse.

From Overwhelm to Burnout: Recognizing the Warning Signs

Overwhelm, a precursor to burnout, occurs when demands feel unmanageable. Regularly assess your overwhelm level by asking:

• Do I feel constantly rushed or out of control with my tasks?
• Am I struggling to focus, even on simple tasks?
• Do I feel emotionally drained by the end of the day?
• Have I started to avoid certain responsibilities because they feel too heavy?

If you answer "yes" to several of these, you may be dealing with overwhelm, which — left unchecked — can lead to burnout.

Practical Tips to Manage Overwhelm

1. Break down your tasks: overwhelm often stems from trying to do everything at once. Break responsibilities into smaller, manageable tasks. Use tools like Eisenhower’s Matrix to prioritize.
2. Delegate more: you don’t have to carry the load alone. Allowing others to share it frees up your time and mental energy, and gives your team the opportunity to step up.
3. Set boundaries: learn to say "no" when your plate is full. Protecting your time is critical to preventing overwhelm. For more on this, see our article, "Yes" to the Person, "No" to the Task.

Why Female Leaders Are More Susceptible to Burnout

The Balancing Act

Female leaders often juggle leadership roles and personal responsibilities. Studies show women, regardless of seniority, still handle most domestic duties.[2]

Societal Expectations and the Double Bind

Society often expects women to be nurturing yet assertive, empathetic yet authoritative, homemakers yet career-driven. These conflicting expectations can make leadership more stressful. Chances are, you're often asked to "do it all" without being given the support you need.

Impostor Syndrome

Women face unique challenges in leadership. Bias, impostor syndrome, and the pressure to prove yourself in male-dominated environments only add to the stress. One study found that 75 percent of female executives have experienced impostor syndrome at some point in their careers.[3]

An important point here is that impostor syndrome is often more likely to strike at high stakes moments such as being promoted into a senior role, which can be another contributing stressor to an already stressful situation. Many women also feel that they must do everything perfectly, which can lead to burnout if not managed.

Burnout From Boredom

It’s not always overwork that leads to burnout. Feeling under-challenged, or that your skills are going to waste, can also lead to burnout. Being bored or feeling unfulfilled in your role can leave you drained, unstimulated and doubting yourself, even if you’re not working long hours.

Building Your Personal Wellbeing Blueprint

A wellbeing blueprint helps manage stress and maintain balance. Here's how to build yours:

1. Prioritize mental health: consider practices like mindfulness or therapy to manage stress. Regularly checking in with yourself can help you notice when you're starting to feel overwhelmed and take proactive steps to reset.

2. Focus on physical health: exercise, sleep, and nutrition are the cornerstones of wellbeing. Simple habits like taking short walks, ensuring you get enough sleep, and eating balanced meals can make a big difference.

3. Set clear boundaries: leadership doesn't require being "always on." Set clear work-life boundaries, schedule personal time, and say "no" to tasks that others can handle.

4. Build a strong support network: one of the most important things you can do to avoid burnout is cultivate a personal advisory board - a support network of trusted individuals who can provide guidance, feedback, and a sounding board when challenges arise.

Leaning on mentors, colleagues, or even close friends can help you process stress and identify solutions to potential problems. Often, it's these individuals who recognize something isn't quite right, before we've even noticed it in ourselves.

5. Know your triggers: pay attention to patterns, whether it’s particular meetings, responsibilities, or times of the day, and work on strategies to manage those stressors before they overwhelm you.

6. Watch out for perfectionism: a wealth of evidence supports the idea that women are often more likely to have perfectionist tendencies than men. This might manifest as overpreparing, overdelivering, admonishing yourself for perceived flaws, or failing to celebrate a completed project because you’re overly focused on the elements you feel weren’t up to scratch.

Work to cultivate a "good enough" mindset, and accept praise, even when — especially when — you’re doubting its validity!

Practical Tips for Resilience and Wellbeing

Building resilience means creating habits to help you recover from challenges. Try these practical tips for your wellbeing plan:

1. Time management strategies: block time in your calendar for yourself — whether it’s a workout, meditation or a hobby. Define your non-negotiables so personal time becomes a priority, not an afterthought.

2. Practice saying no: letting go of people-pleasing tendencies is tough, but necessary. Start small — practice saying “no” to smaller requests and work up to setting boundaries for larger commitments.

3. Don't let perfectionism prevent delegation: sometimes, the belief that only you can get something done "right" can stop you from asking for help. Over time, this builds unnecessary stress. Remind yourself that effective delegation and seeking support are part of being a strong leader.

4. Create daily routines: give yourself time for self-care activities, no matter how small. Whether it’s five minutes of stretching or quiet time with a book, these moments help recharge your batteries.

5. Reflection practices: consider journaling or simply reflect on your day. This can help you to identify patterns in how you handle stress and find areas where adjustments are needed.

Long-Term Impact of Wellbeing on Leadership Success

There are numerous personal and organizational benefits of protecting your wellbeing and health.

Self-care increases your engagement, productivity and decision-making clarity. These all contribute to more effective leadership.

It also enhances career longevity. Burnout can cut short your time in a role, or even derail your career. A wellbeing plan ensures sustainable success.

And it's important to remember that you are a role model for other women who aspire to lead. Modeling self-care will encourage and inspire younger generations in the workplace to follow suit and build resilience in future leaders.

Female leaders carry many responsibilities, but you don’t have to do it all. A wellbeing plan protects your health and helps you thrive. Burnout can come from overwork or lack of challenge. Build resilience, manage perfectionism, and set boundaries to lead with strength.

Finally, here's a reminder of the link to your free Self-Care and Wellbeing for Women Leaders worksheet.