When we talk about leadership, the focus is almost always on what you do. Communication. Influence. Strategic thinking. Decision-making. Performance.
But the foundation that holds all of those things together, and that determines how well you can actually show up for them, is often overlooked: Your energy.
We see this every day in our coaching and Women Rising programs. Brilliant, capable women who know what’s required of them but are too depleted to consistently deliver at the level they expect of themselves. It’s not a capability issue. It’s an energetic capacity issue.
And no one’s talking about it.
Why protecting your energy is a core leadership skill
We don’t often hear energy management discussed as a leadership competency. But it should be. Because how you manage your energy impacts how you lead every single day.
If your energy is depleted:
- You’re more reactive and less strategic.
- Your communication becomes less clear and more emotionally charged.
- You’re likely to over-function or overwork to compensate.
- You struggle to make decisions with confidence and clarity.
- You burn out while still delivering, at a high personal cost.
Your energy affects your ability to think, influence, innovate, and connect. It’s the difference between showing up with presence or just pushing through the day.
This is why protecting your energy isn’t about being indulgent or escaping responsibility. It’s a deliberate leadership practice.
Four practical ways to protect and manage your energy
Here are four areas we focus on with the women in our leadership programs, and that I have learnt personally through my own burnout and recovery journey. These aren’t fluffy self-care tips. They are practical, repeatable habits that will help you lead more sustainably and show up at your best.
1. Learn to say no strategically and without guilt.
One of the most effective ways to protect your energy is also the simplest: Say no more often.
This includes:
- Saying no to meetings without clear agendas
- Declining invitations or requests that don’t align with your priorities
- Setting realistic limits on how much you take on in a given week
Saying no doesn’t make you difficult. It makes you clear. And in leadership, clarity is powerful.
Start with small shifts. Before you say yes, pause and ask:
Is this the best use of my time and energy right now?
If the answer is no, practice a respectful but firm response like:
“I’m currently at capacity and need to decline this so I can give focus where it’s most needed.”
This may feel clunky at first, and that’s OK. But the more you practice this, the more you’ll notice a shift in how others respect your time, and how you respect it yourself.
2. Build recovery time into your calendar.
Many professional women run their days in back-to-back mode—meetings, calls, inbox juggling, and project delivery, on a never-ending loop.
But what most people forget is that your brain and nervous system need space to reset. Without recovery time, your productivity, creativity, and decision-making suffer.
Try this:
- Schedule 10- to 15-minute breaks between meetings, even if it’s just to stretch, walk around the office, or sit in silence.
- Block out nonnegotiable focus time during your week (and protect it like you would a client meeting).
- Set a time boundary for when your workday ends, and honour it more often than not.
You do not need to wait for a holiday to restore your energy. Micro-recovery throughout the day builds long-term sustainability.
3. Stop over-functioning.
Many women fall into the habit of taking on more than their role requires, often without realising it. You become the person who picks up the slack, smooths over people issues, or works late to “just get it done.”
Over-functioning might help in the short term, but over time, it creates resentment, burnout, and unhealthy team dynamics.
Here’s how to shift it:
Leadership Essential Reads
- Get clear on what is your responsibility, and what isn’t.
- Ask yourself: Am I doing this because it’s truly necessary, or because I don’t want to let someone down?
- Practice delegating without guilt. Leadership isn’t about doing everything; it’s about building capacity in others.
This doesn’t mean lowering your standards. It means operating at a sustainable pace that allows you to lead with intention instead of exhaustion.
4. Stay connected to what aligns with you.
There is nothing more draining than spending your time and energy on work that feels misaligned.
Sometimes that looks like being in the wrong role, with the wrong team, or under a leadership style that doesn’t reflect your values. Other times, it’s more subtle: too many tasks that don’t energise you, or weeks that don’t include enough time for the work you actually care about.
Ask yourself regularly:
- What energises me right now in my work?
- What drains me, and is it within my control to shift it?
- Does how I spend my time reflect what matters most to me in this season of my career?
Leadership is not just about performing. It’s about aligning, and your energy will always tell you the truth about where you are and what needs to change.
A final reminder
You can have ambition and boundaries. You can lead powerfully without being available 24/7. You can honour your capacity without sacrificing your impact.
You do not need to push through to prove your worth. You are allowed to lead in a way that supports your energy, and you’ll be a more effective, respected leader when you do.
Protecting your energy is not the opposite of performance. It’s what makes performance sustainable.
