Rest Like a Leader: 3 Ways to Recharge Without Guilt

burnout prevention eadership habits guilt and productivity mindset & motivation workplace strategy May 27, 2025
A woman in soft green pajamas stretches peacefully in bed, her face calm and content beneath warm morning light—capturing the quiet power of rest as an act of leadership, renewal, and self-worth. #iamenough

You’re not burned out because you’re weak. You’re burned out because you’re not resting.

Rest isn’t weakness. It’s leadership in motion.

And when I say rest…. I’m not talking about the kind that shows up in your Outlook calendar labeled “OOO.”

I mean real rest—the kind that restores your clarity, reboots your joy, and reconnects you to the part of you that actually loves what you do.

Here’s what I know: Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. And exhaustion is not a leadership skill.

In this week's Confidence Chronicles, we’re unpacking three powerful ways to rest without guilt—so you can lead with clarity, live with joy, and stop earning rest like it’s a reward.

Spoiler alert: the most fulfilled, impactful professionals I know aren’t the ones doing the most. They’re the ones resting with intention and leading from overflow—not depletion.

 

Emotion Highlight: GUILT

We’ve all experienced that moment.

  • The moment you cancel that meeting to go for a walk.

  • The day you leave at 4 p.m. because your brain is mush.

  • The vacation where you actually unplug.

GUILT shows up fast.

It whispers: “You should be doing more.”

But here’s what guilt really tells us: We’ve attached our worth to our output.

Now that you know that…. you have the power to flip the script.

When guilt creeps in, ask: Am I being lazy—or am I being human?

Because rest isn’t what keeps you from your potential. It’s what brings you back to it.

 

#1 Permission Granted: Step Out of the Guilt-to-Burnout Loop

If you’ve been waiting to “earn” rest, let me be clear: you already have.

Here’s the pattern most high-achievers know all too well:

  • You push yourself beyond your limits.
  • You finally pause…
  • And then guilt creeps in whispering, “You should be doing more.”
  • So you keep going—until the only thing left is burnout.

That’s not a personal flaw.

That’s a loop.

And the moment you see it for what it is, you can step out of it.

 

Try this instead:

When guilt shows up, don’t negotiate with it.

  • Name it out loud. Literally say:  “This is guilt talking. Not truth.”
  • Then take a 2-minute reset anyway.
  • Do it on purpose.
  • And watch how the story starts to change.

You don’t have to prove your worth through exhaustion.

Rest doesn’t slow your progress. It clears the fog so you can see where you’re meant to go.

 

 

#2 Rest Out Loud (Yes, Your Team’s Watching)

Most companies don’t have a burnout problem.

They have a rest deficit problem.

When leaders overfunction, teams follow suit.

In contrast, when leaders normalize rest? That’s culture-shifting.

If you lead others, your rest becomes permission for them to do the same.

Try this:

  • Choose one act of visible rest this week—and talk about it.
  • End a meeting early and say,  “Take these ten minutes to breathe, reset, or walk away from your screen.”
  • Model what sustainability looks like.

Your team doesn’t need perfection. They need your example.

 

#3 Design a Rest Reset Ritual That Honors Your Energy

If you only rest when your body forces you to, it’s not rest… it’s recovery.

And recovery? It’s expensive. Studies show it can take 3–5x longer to recover from burnout than it does to sustain performance with regular rest.

The ROI on consistent rest beats burnout repair—every time.

Instead of waiting until you’re overwhelmed, build a rhythm that keeps you steady.

Try this:

Create a Rest Reset Ritual that fits your life:

  • Choose one daily micro-reset (like the ideas in your VIP one-pager)
  • Schedule one weekly joy break—something that feels nourishing, not productive
  • Name one boundary you’ll protect this week to preserve your energy

And most importantly? Keep that promise to yourself.

 

Want help designing your own personalized Rest Reset Ritual?

👑 Join my VIP Insiders list and get access to tools like the Rest Like a Leader one-pager—simple, powerful resources to help you lead with energy, not exhaustion.

Because rest doesn’t need to be dramatic to be effective.

It just needs to be intentional.

 

Shared Wisdom (Golden Nugget)

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes... including you.”

– Anne Lamott

 

Reflection prompt: What would happen if rest became your strategy instead of your afterthought?

 

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

This week’s reset reminder: Rest isn’t selfish—it’s strategy.

Here are 3 powerful ways to recharge without guilt:

✅ Permission Granted: Name guilt when it shows up—and rest anyway

✅ Rest Out Loud: Model sustainable habits your team can follow

✅ Design a Rest Ritual: Build a simple rhythm that protects your energy and momentum

🎁 Want help creating yours?

Join my VIP Insiders and get tools like the Rest Like a Leader one-pager—designed to make intentional rest part of your leadership rhythm.

👉 Your action step: Choose your VIP Rest Ritual this week—and keep that promise to yourself.