In a moment of global uncertainty —from economic concerns to geopolitical instability to AI disruption — executives and leaders are carrying heavier cognitive loads than ever before. Yet it is not always the demands of the role itself that wear people down. Increasingly, it is how we recover — or do not — that determines how successfully we lead.
Being constantly on the go and juggling multiple priorities bears an undeniable cost — often paid in mental clarity. Prolonged workplace stress can have tangible effects on physical health, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease and impaired cognitive function. In addition, preliminary research from the National Bureau of Economic Research estimates that poor mental health may cost the U.S. economy nearly $300 billion annually. As the landscape of leadership grows more complex, recovery is no longer a luxury — it is a leadership skill.
The Hidden Cost of Unchecked Pressure
For decades, the default advice for ambitious professionals has been simple: push through the grind, then make up for it with vacations, the occasional Friday off or rare wellness retreats. But high-pressure leadership roles don’t just demand energy in bursts. They require daily resilience — and the old recovery model leaves too many leaders drained before they ever reach their full potential.
In leadership, the habits that seem easiest to skip — intentional news consumption, light movement and micro-breaks — are actually the ones that sustain your energy over the long haul. Elite athletes know this well: without built-in recovery, they can’t perform at their peak or reach their goals. The same principle applies in the workplace. The next level of leadership longevity starts with how you recover.
So, what can leaders do to better manage recovery during uncertain times?
1. Manage Headline Intake
While browsing news or social media between meetings may seem like a mental break, without boundaries, it can add more cognitive load than it relieves. Studies show that doomscrolling can elevate stress and anxiety levels, ultimately undermining emotional recovery.
How to Recover Better:
- Check headlines with intent: Schedule specific times to review the news instead of mindlessly scrolling, and bonus points for looking at the news after you set your priorities for the day.
- Set focus modes: Engineer your phone settings so that only priority notifications come through during work hours or key projects. Apps like Apple’s Focus or Android’s Digital Wellbeing can be customized by day, time and app.
2. Get Moving (Literally)
In busy leadership lives, it’s easy to believe real exercise has to be intense, time-consuming or both. But micro-movements — brisk walks between meetings, quick mobility stretches and standing during calls — stack up to build resilience where it matters most.
Investing in physical recovery directly impacts cognitive and emotional performance. A study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society found that higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with greater brain volume, including regions responsible for executive function and emotional regulation. Simply put, moving your body is a performance tool — not just a personal wellness practice.
How to Recover Better:
- Take a 10 minute, phone-free walk: Even light physical activity can boost your mood. Whether it’s a quick stroll to greet a teammate or getting up to get lunch instead of ordering, harness quick moments to get moving and leave your phone behind if possible.
- Partner physical and social fitness: Consider taking at least one meeting or 1:1 conversation as a walking meeting. In addition to the physical benefits, it also becomes an opportunity to connect better with your team – especially junior talent as the next generation is also facing unique challenges in loneliness. Building even small moments of real-time interaction can be meaningful.
3. Embrace Incremental Sleep Gains
While consistently achieving seven to nine hours of sleep may not always be realistic during intense periods, small improvements matter. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Sleep Research found that even partial recovery through incremental “catch-up” sleep can help mitigate the negative effects of sleep deprivation.
How to Recover Better:
- Focus on small wins: Go to bed 30 minutes earlier during the week or find an extra hour on the weekend to recover.
- Make a quick to-do list before bed: Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology shows that writing down tasks for the next day can help the brain offload worries and fall asleep faster. Spending 5 minutes organizing tomorrow’s priorities can lead to more restful, efficient sleep.
4. Conduct a Calendar Audit
Your to-do list reflects your intentions — but your calendar reveals your reality. Particularly when time feels scarce, it’s critical to audit where your energy is actually going. A regular calendar audit helps leaders distinguish between high-value activities and unnecessary demands, creating space to better reallocate time toward priorities that drive impact. It’s about reclaiming control over the most valuable asset we have: time.
How to Manage Better:
- Schedule a 15-minute calendar review at the beginning of each week: Identify meetings or tasks that can be shortened, delegated or eliminated. Keeping your schedule flexible can be a game-changer when under pressure.
- Protect white space: Block time for strategic thinking, recovery or deep work, just as you would for external meetings. These “buffer periods” give you space to reflect, restore and prevent burnout.
Takeaway:
In an increasingly volatile world, leaders are not just managing businesses — they are managing their own cognitive and emotional bandwidth. The job depends not only on how we perform under pressure, but how intentionally we manage it. The best leaders aren’t the ones who push the hardest for the longest. They are the ones who recover the smartest, most consistently and most intentionally. In today’s world, sustainable leadership isn’t about working more. It’s about recovering better.