The Hidden Weight Every Leader Carries 👀
Plus, Coming Up in January: How to Make a Smart Start
Coming Up Next Month: Start Strong in 2025
The holidays might not even be here yet, but the new year is still right around the corner, and as a leader, you’re expected to jump back into action – refocused, reenergized, and ready to lead. But how do you get yourself and your team out of the holiday haze and into momentum mode? Our new 5-day challenge kicks off in January to help you do exactly that! Each day brings actionable tips to reconnect with your team, reflect on what worked, and set the tone for a strong 2025.
Day 1 starts January 6 – perfect timing to help you hit the ground running. Make sure you’re subscribed to participate.
Want to Submit a Leadership Topic?
Have a specific leadership topic in mind that you’d love to see us cover? We’ve opened up commenting so that anyone can share their idea(s) in the comments. We can’t promise to pick yours, but we do promise to review and consider every single idea.
Holiday Wellness Challenge Check-In: Addressing The Hidden Weight Leaders Carry
This month, we’ve been exploring self-care through our holiday wellness series.
If you’ve been following along, then you already know the holiday season brings unique challenges as a leader – increased demands, heightened expectations, and the constant tug-of-war between professional obligations and personal well-being.
These pressures are clearly visible. But what often goes unnoticed – and quietly holds you back from making time for yourself – are the invisible weights you carry. These are the emotional, psychological, and relational burdens that may not be easy to spot but are powerful blockers to taking care of yourself.
Today, we’ll work on lightening that load, removing some of the weight from your shoulders, and helping you breathe a little easier, so you can fully lean in to wellness this holiday season.
The first step? Identifying the invisible weights that are holding you down. Here’s what they might look like:
1. The Weight of Perceived Expectations
As a leader, you might feel constant pressure to appear strong, steady, and in control, even when you’re feeling overwhelmed. The idea that showing vulnerability or asking for help could undermine your authority keeps you pushing through, no matter the cost.
How It Shows Up: You avoid taking time off or stepping back from responsibilities, even when you desperately need rest, because you’re worried it will set a bad example or cause disruption.
2. The Weight of Responsibility
You carry the belief that your team’s success – or failure – rests squarely on your shoulders. You need to ensure your team succeeds, meets goals, and stays motivated – especially when morale is low or challenges are mounting.
How It Shows Up: You feel the need to “do it all” yourself, rarely delegating or sharing the load, because you believe the ultimate accountability falls on your shoulders.
3. The Weight of Guilt
Stepping away from work, setting boundaries, or taking time for yourself can bring on waves of guilt. You might worry that prioritizing your own needs will come across as selfish or leave others feeling unsupported during a critical time.
How It Shows Up: You sacrifice personal time, skip family events, or work late into the night, telling yourself you’ll “make up for it later” but never quite do.
4. The Weight of Comparison
It’s easy to look around and feel like other leaders have it all together. Comparing yourself to those who seem more productive, organized, or successful fuels a cycle of self-doubt, making you push harder to keep up appearances.
How It Shows Up: You push yourself harder, take on more tasks, or avoid self-care because you feel like you’re not measuring up to others’ standards.
How to Lighten Your Invisible Weights
Take a Moment to Reflect: Think about which invisible weights resonate with you. Are there others you’ve been carrying that weren’t listed?
Name Your Top Weight: Jot down the one that feels the heaviest right now. Be specific about how it’s showing up in your work or personal life.
Give Yourself Some Grace: Remember, you’re not alone in feeling this way. These struggles are normal, and recognizing them is a big step forward.
Take a Small Step to Lighten the Load:
Talk it Out: Share your concerns with a trusted peer or mentor – it may help more than you think.
Set One Boundary: Pick one thing to say “no” to or delegate this week. Start small and see how it feels.
Do One Thing for Yourself: Take a walk, call a friend, or just sit with a cup of tea – whatever helps you recharge.
Most importantly, remember that you don’t have to carry it all. Leadership isn’t about being perfect or doing everything yourself. Even small changes, like setting a single boundary or taking a moment to recharge, can create a ripple effect that lightens your load and helps you show up stronger for yourself and your team.
Be sure to follow along with the rest of the holiday wellness series! We’ve yet to explore self-care for Sentinel and Explorer team members – that’s coming up.
I’m too excited to hold this in, so I’m going to spill the beans…
We’ve been working on a secret project just for Leadership by 16Personalities subscribers! It’s something to help you lead with intention and set, track, and realize your professional goals in 2025.
I can’t wait to share it with you! We’re working hard to get it in your hands in early January – stay tuned! (As long as you’re subscribed, there’s nothing else you need to do. The secret project will be delivered straight to your inbox next month.)
I would like to learn "How to be leader to oneself before leading others". I find it easy to lead others, encourage them and even break their bigger goals to actionable steps.