Stress, Burnout & Decision Fatigue. What’s It Really Costing You?

You know the signs. You’re halfway through the day, and you’ve already made more decisions than you can count. Some big, some small, but all sitting squarely with you.

By 3pm, your team’s still looking for answers, your inbox is overflowing, and somewhere in the back of your mind you’re thinking: “I’ve got nothing left in the tank.”

That creeping exhaustion? It doesn’t stay at work. It follows you home interrupting sleep, straining relationships, showing up in places you least expect.

And here’s what most leaders won’t admit:

It’s not the workload alone that burns us out, it’s the constant pressure to keep reacting, deciding, carrying the load for everyone else.

It’s the weight of always needing to be ‘on’. Always solving. Always there.

A safety manager said recently, “Kev, I feel like I’m playing catch-up before the day even starts. Every decision feels heavier.”

That’s decision fatigue at its finest. And the more reactive you are, the heavier it gets.

Leadership isn’t meant to be survival mode. But when you’re leading in high-pressure environments without clear systems, boundaries, or backup, it’s all too easy to slip into that space.

And here’s the kicker, when you’re stretched thin, your team feels it.

They hesitate more. Communication gets clipped. Conflicts simmer. Safety risks creep in, not because people don’t care, but because no one’s thinking clearly anymore.

And if no one calls it out, that culture of exhaustion just becomes business as usual.

Stephen Covey puts it simply:

The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.

That’s the difference between reactive leadership and intentional leadership.

It’s not about clearing every task or solving every problem yourself. It’s about creating the space, mentally and practically to lead with clarity.

For some, that means tightening expectations so the same issues don’t keep bouncing back to you. For others, it’s about checking in on yourself first, so you’re not running on empty while attempting to steady everyone else.

Here’s something worth reflecting on:

Where are you taking on decisions or responsibilities you should be sharing?

What’s one area today where you could slow down, pause, and make a clearer, calmer call?

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about how much you got through, it’s about whether you led in a way that’s sustainable, for you and your team.

If this feels familiar, let’s have a conversation. You don’t have to lead on empty.

Love to hear your thoughts.