Did you know that 50% of female executives (according to Women @ Work 2024 Deloitte research) report struggling with higher stress, compounding their fatigue and stress-related symptoms? Despite their professional hard work and dedication, many find themselves caught in a cycle of exhaustion, sustained by myths that hinder rather than enhance their performance.

The Unique Challenges of High-Achieving Female Executives

In the demanding world of high-achieving female executives, often also a minority in the Leadership team, balancing professional success with personal well-being can feel like an insurmountable challenge. 

Many believe that relentless effort and accepting stress as a part of life are necessary sacrifices for career advancement. However, these common myths often lead to chronic fatigue, stress, and burnout, ultimately hindering their performance both at work and home, as well as overall life fulfillment and enjoyment.

A New Perspective for Sustainable Success

In this blog post I invite you to an empowering perspective that brings great benefits to my own clients, who are successful female executives like you, that came to me for solutions to their overwhelm, daily fatigue and other symptoms and that now feel energized, confident, fulfilled and transformed. 

We'll explore common myths such as "pushing harder to overcome exhaustion" and "accepting stress as inevitable" and their hidden costs. 

By the way, here is an easy quiz to quickly see how your body handles your daily stress.

I will share proven and tested strategies you can start implementing today to feel better inside out and start enjoying sustained performance and energy and a breeze of well-being. These are actionable strategies for boosting your energy, enhancing your resilience, and achieving a healthier, more balanced lifestyle, without hitting the gym or making radical changes.

You will also find out how none of this requires extra time in your schedule!

Sounds good? 

Ready to dive in? 

Your journey to greater vitality starts here! Let's go!

Myth Busting: Overcoming Common Misconceptions

In today's fast-paced society, it's easy to buy into myths that perpetuate exhaustion as a badge of honor. Many successful female executives believe that pushing harder will overcome tiredness, that exercise will only drain them further, and that stress is an unavoidable part of their high-achieving lives. Breaks are often dismissed as luxuries they can't afford. 

However, the truth is far more empowering: sustainable energy, effective stress management, and the rejuvenating power of breaks are not only attainable but crucial for thriving in demanding roles.

The prevalence of myths around pushing oneself relentlessly, avoiding breaks, and downplaying the importance of self-care has been fueled by various societal factors. In today's hyper-connected world, societal norms and expectations often glorify busyness and overwork as indicators of dedication and success. Peer pressure perpetuates the belief that sacrificing personal well-being for career advancement is not only necessary but commendable. 

Social media platforms further amplify these messages, showcasing curated glimpses of seemingly flawless lives and careers, creating an illusion of constant productivity and achievement while setting unrealistic standards, fostering a culture where individuals feel compelled to uphold an exaggerated image of success at the expense of their physical and mental health.

Moreover, the competitive nature of many industries reinforces these myths. In environments where high performance is not just valued but expected, individuals may fear that any sign of fatigue or the need for breaks could be perceived as weakness or lack of commitment. This fear drives them to adopt unsustainable practices, pushing their limits without regard for the consequences on their health. As a result, the cycle continues, perpetuating the belief that exhaustion and stress are unavoidable byproducts of professional success (aka no pain no gain).

Does one or more of the above sound familiar? Maybe you know someone that is struggling with those issues? They are not alone!

My experience by working with the top female Senior leaders in a 25000-employee multinational company confirms these struggles in addition to the demands on women to perform like their male colleagues, compressing their feminine nature in management and leadership and compounding their frustration and stress.   

Let's talk about some common myths that might be holding you back from feeling at your best and having the energy you need to conquer the goals you desire. 

It's easy to believe that stress is just part of the game and that you should power through it without seeking relief. These ideas are not only false but can actually be counterproductive when your main goal is to boost your energy levels. 

When you push yourself beyond your limits without giving your body and mind the rest they need, you risk burnout and exhaustion, which can zap your energy reserves rather than replenish them. 

Similarly, neglecting proven stress management strategies can keep your body in a constant state of tension, draining your energy and making it harder to perform at your best. 

Isn't it time to rethink these myths and embrace practices that truly support your energy and well-being? 

1. Pushing yourself harder won’t help you overcome tiredness.

Pushing oneself harder to overcome tiredness is a myth that many ambitious individuals, especially female executives, may inadvertently subscribe to in their pursuit of success. However, this approach often backfires in terms of sustainable energy and vibrant health. When we consistently push through fatigue without allowing adequate rest, we activate the sympathetic nervous system, which is our body's natural response to stress and survival situations. While this mode can temporarily increase alertness and energy, it is not sustainable in the long run. Instead of promoting long-term vitality, chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system can lead to increased cortisol levels over time.

Elevated cortisol levels may initially provide a short-term energy boost by mobilizing glucose from storage sites in the body. However, prolonged elevation of cortisol can have detrimental effects. Chronically high cortisol levels can lead to insulin resistance and higher blood sugar levels, which, if left unchecked, can contribute to tissue damage and inflammation. Moreover, the body may eventually down-regulate cortisol production to protect itself from these harmful effects. This can result in reduced overall cortisol levels, leading to a state of chronic fatigue and exhaustion. Individuals may experience symptoms such as persistent tiredness, difficulty concentrating, and reduced resilience to stressors.

That is assessed in this easy quiz so you can quickly see how your body handles your daily stress.

2. Exercise won’t make you more tired.

In fact, it will help you feel less tired. The belief that exercise will exacerbate exhaustion is a common misconception among busy professionals, particularly female executives juggling demanding schedules in addition to their families and household. 

However, the truth is quite the opposite. Engaging in gentle movement on a daily basis is not only beneficial but essential for maintaining optimal health and energy levels. Our bodies are designed for movement, and regular physical activity supports overall well-being by enhancing muscle tone, promoting cardiovascular health, and supporting bone density. Sedentary lifestyles, on the other hand, can lead to stiffness, decreased flexibility, and increased risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease and osteoporosis.

Even beyond the physical benefits, incorporating movement into our day has profound effects on mental and emotional health. Yep, that double moccachino with a muffin might be skipped! 

Exercise releases endorphins and other feel-good hormones that elevate mood and reduce stress. It provides you an opportunity to connect with your body, enhancing body awareness, which can lead to greater clarity of mind, improved creativity, and fresh perspectives on challenges that may seem insurmountable when sitting at a desk. 

Whether it's a brisk walk, yoga session, or even stretching exercises, these activities not only rejuvenate the body but also invigorate the mind, helping to combat fatigue and enhance overall vitality.

Moreover, regular exercise supports cognitive function by increasing blood flow to the brain and promoting the growth of new neural connections. This can improve memory, concentration, and problem-solving abilities, making it easier to navigate the complex demands of a high-pressure career, find shortcuts in a big project and delegate better. 

All of that means that you can actually save time to enjoy your favorite activities alone or with your loved ones! 

By reframing exercise as a vital component of self-care and energy management, rather than a drain on energy, you  can harness its transformative power to boost both physical and mental resilience, ultimately improving your ability to thrive professionally and personally.

3. Stress is NOT an inevitable part of life, even when you are successful and ambitious.

The belief that stress is an inevitable part of life can lead female executives to accept chronic stress as a normal state, "the cost of success and ambition" as a client shared with me. 

Think again! Stress is not solely determined by external events (stressors), but mostly by how we perceive and respond to those events. Our response to stress, rather than an automatic reaction, can be a conscious choice shaped and guided by our mindset and coping strategies. 

Stress management techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, time management strategies not only help us cope with immediate stressors but also have profound physiological effects. When we experience stress, our bodies release cortisol, a hormone that mobilizes energy and prepares us to respond to challenges. However, prolonged elevation of cortisol levels due to chronic stress can have detrimental effects on our health, including impaired immune function, disrupted sleep patterns, and metabolic imbalances. (Get to know yours here)

Conversely, by practicing effective stress management, we can regulate cortisol levels and promote overall health. Healthy cortisol levels support immune function, aid in metabolic processes by activating the thyroid gland, and contribute to maintaining a balanced mood and energy throughout our demanding day! 

Moreover, managing our stress response consciously can provide both immediate relief from stress symptoms and long-term benefits for our health. By prioritizing stress management as a proactive part of our daily routine, we empower ourselves to navigate challenges with resilience and maintain vibrant health in both our professional and personal lives.

Taking Action: Empowering Strategies

When we explore those myths and their hidden costs in my own practice with female senior leaders their mind is blown away: pushing harder to overcome exhaustion and accepting stress as inevitable are simply not true! 

We then personalize empowering approaches that work for them, their schedule and their habits, in order to enhance their well-being and performance right away, straight after our session. These are part of my SLP protocol, part of the framework for my Premium Performance for Her signature program, which I designed after working with many ambitious (yet overwhelmed and exhausted) female executives and transforming their health, vitality, confidence and success! 

I would like to share three of them here with you right now, so you can also get ahead in the game without powering through any longer at the cost of your own vitality.

1. Prioritize Self-Care and Rest

Shift your focus from constant productivity to prioritizing self-care and adequate rest. This includes setting boundaries around work hours, scheduling regular breaks throughout the day, and ensuring you get sufficient sleep each night. By honoring your need for rest and relaxation, you not only recharge your energy reserves and enhance your resilience, but also reset your hormones, switch off your body's survival mode (all that cortisol secreted during a hectic day) and begin the process of restoration and rejuvenation. Remember that glowing skin and hair I was talking about earlier? As long as your body remains in "survival", (protecting you from real or imaginary predators) that is not possible. Help your body "switch off" and you will be so surprised!

2. Embrace Balanced Nutrition and Regular Exercise

Instead of viewing exercise as draining, you can start integrating regular physical activity into your routine as a means to boost energy levels and reduce stress. But don't even think about HIIT classes, Cross Fit or even a gym subscription! Actually, for my own clients, executives like you, I really recommend a milder approach to movement: a morning walk, yoga, swimming (not competitive!) or anything else they deeply enjoy. After all, cortisol and adrenaline are stress hormones that can be produced due to a high intensity training session. 

Exercise not only improves physical health but also enhances mental clarity and creativity. Additionally, a balanced, real-food, nutrient-dense diet (foods your grandmother would recognize and be able to pronounce) provides the fuel your body really needs to produce ATP (aka. energy) in your mitochondria throughout the day and to ensure health-promoting functions can take place in your body, such as metabolizing stress hormones, detoxifying, renewing cells, producing hormones, boosting your metabolism among others.

3. Practice Awareness and Stress Management

I choose awareness instead of the buzz word "mindfulness"on purpose. Beginning to become aware of your body and the clues it's giving you throughout the day is intelligence you can use to thrive. 

Practices such as meditation, deep breathing, or journaling (for each one of us it may be different) help regulate cortisol levels, promote parasympathetic nervous system activation and relaxation, and improve overall emotional resilience. 

By consciously managing your stress response, you can maintain a clear mind, make better decisions under pressure, support your team better and prevent burnout for yourself and others, not to mention you can enjoy a full life with your loved ones and with time for yourself! 

An exhausted executive might be passed on when promotion or a big project opportunity arise. By embracing these approaches you too can enhance your personal well-being AND optimize your performance and leadership effectiveness for the long term. 

To break free from this cycle of chronic fatigue, we need to spend more time in parasympathetic nervous system mode, which promotes relaxation, rest, healing and restoration (like mental clarity, glowing skin, hair and nails, enhanced libido, optimal bowel movements, weight loss and energy throughout the day). By nurturing the parasympathetic nervous system and balancing cortisol levels, you can cultivate sustainable energy, enhance overall well-being, and achieve long-term success without compromising your own health or goals!

Shifting Mindset

Shifting mindset towards recognizing self-care as crucial for success both in the boardroom and at home involves several key strategies that I use in my signature program Premium Performance for Her. 

These have been repeatedly tested, validated and celebrated by my clients who are ambitious female executives like you. To their amazement positive results come quickly and effortlessly because

a. We prioritize what moves the needle faster (framework High Leverage Habits) and

b. I educate, inspire and empower them effectively to create and harness long lasting change.

I am sharing three strategies from the framework right here:

1.Redefine Success

I encourage you to redefine success beyond traditional metrics of productivity, achievement, external validation and status. I invite you to consider success as encompassing not just professional accomplishments but also personal well-being, fulfillment, relationships, and overall happiness.

2. Shift from Guilt to Ownership

Many executives feel guilty about taking time for themselves due to perceived expectations (external or internal), pressures, excessive demands on their time and looser boundaries. Guilt doesn't bring your best version forward and it is a sure way to drain yourself from energy, a scarce resource. So it's time to set a new belief baseline for yourself. I invite you to step up, set high standards for your own health and honor the fact that caring for your body, which is the only true "vehicle" you own in life, is not selfish but an absolute necessity. It is also essential for achieving sustained high performance and leadership.

3. Measure Impact

 As an executive I'd be willing to bet that you have metrics to assess progress, evaluate a project or an investment. I invite you to apply the same philosophy on the health impact of your daily actions, just like I do with my clients. 

We measure the impact of self-care on their performance and well-being. This could include tracking mood, energy, sleep, productivity, feeling of balance, among others, before and after implementing self-care practices. 

Gathering feedback from colleagues and family members on noticeable improvements is another valuable, yet external, metric. 

It is so gratifying (and not surprising) how fast my clients notice direct improvement in their symptoms, sometimes as early as between our first 2 sessions (!), and what positive feedback they receive from the people close to them.

By shifting your mindset towards prioritizing self-care as essential for success, you will achieve greater balance, effectiveness, and fulfillment both professionally and personally. It's about recognizing that taking care of oneself isn't a distraction from success but rather a cornerstone of sustainable achievement, leadership and fulfillment.

How do I make time for this?

I can almost hear you  wondering: "How do I make time for this?

I barely have any time for myself anymore!"

I am so glad you asked and very happy that you bumped into this blog post. 

Finding time for self-care can indeed feel like a challenge, especially for busy, ambitious executives like yourself and my clients, who are balancing demanding careers and family responsibilities with high standards for both (maybe too high?...). (No worries, I get it, I've been there too!)

However, prioritizing self-care is not really about finding time—it's actually about setting healthy boundaries and recognizing the value of health and vitality in achieving a good health span (not life span) to enjoy with your loved ones and your favorite activities (from traveling, to crocheting to outdoor climbing, your choice). 

Healthy boundaries so you can honor and care for your health, live a fulfilling life and enjoy your meaning of success, however you personally define it.

Setting healthy boundaries involves exploring your personal values, deciding on your musts (and your "No more"), establishing clear priorities and learning to say no to tasks or commitments that don't align with those priorities. (That is the big B I always help my clients with and it gives them... so...much...relief!!)

It's about recognizing that self-care isn't selfish but essential for maintaining physical health, mental clarity, and emotional well-being. By setting aside dedicated time for self-care activities, whether it's exercise, meditation, or simply sitting in silence, cooking a family meal uninterrupted or unplugging from work, executives can recharge their energy reserves and greatly enhance their brain power and resilience to stress.

Moreover, honoring the value of health and vitality sets a powerful example not only for colleagues and employees but also for your children and loved ones. Children learn from observing us, parents, and our behaviours and attitudes towards self-care (not from what we say to them). 

When we prioritize our own health and well-being - physical, emotional, mental, spiritual-, we demonstrate the importance of self-respect and self-preservation.

This, in turn, teaches our children valuable lessons about balance, resilience, and the importance of nurturing both personal and professional lives. 

Would you want your children to become exhausted, overwhelmed adults, without balance and without good, resilient health? Of course not!

Your self-care impacts more than you would imagine 

The positive impact of self-care on our children extends beyond setting a good example. When we prioritize our well-being we are often more present, patient, and emotionally available for our families. We have the energy and mental clarity to engage in meaningful interactions and create lasting memories with our children. 

Ultimately, investing in self-care isn't just beneficial for personal success—it enriches the quality of relationships and fosters a healthier, more fulfilling life for executives and their families alike. That is why self-care is not a luxury but a necessity that supports both our professional achievement and personal success and happiness.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we've debunked common myths that I often discuss in my private sessions with ambitious female executives who feel trapped in cycles of exhaustion and stress. 

It's clear that pushing harder to overcome tiredness, undermining daily movement and accepting stress as unavoidable not only diminishes our health but also hinders our ability to thrive both professionally and personally. 

Here is the quickest quiz for you to understand how your body is handling stress physically (and how to support it, as a quiz bonus tip: look at the end of the quiz).

By reframing self-care as not a luxury but a strategic necessity, you can embrace practices that promote sustainable energy, resilience, and well-being. Prioritizing regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and effective stress management techniques not only enhance your productivity in the boardroom but also fosters a more fulfilling life at home. 

Investing in your well-being isn't just beneficial—it's essential for achieving long-term success, personal fulfillment and happiness in all aspects of life.

Start small, shift big

Take the first small step today towards reclaiming your vitality and achieving greater balance in your life. 

Start by scheduling just 10 minutes of intentional self-care—whether it's a short walk outside, a few moments of deep breathing, or simply setting aside time to unplug and recharge. 

Remember, small consistent actions compound over time to create meaningful and lasting change. 

By prioritizing your well-being, you're not only investing in your own success but also setting a powerful example for those around you. 

Let today mark the beginning of a journey towards a healthier, more energized you. 

Do you have a question regarding the Premium Performance for Her program or how I can support you personally? Drop it here and I'll respond personally within 24 hours.

You deserve to thrive, both in the boardroom and at home. 

Your journey to greater vitality starts now—take that first step and commit to nurturing your mind, body, and spirit.

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Ioanna is an AFMC Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, Health Coach, Leadership Coach for Executives of Fortune 500 companies, MBA with prior corporate experience in diverse sectors and multinational companies, and twice entrepreneur. Her passion is to transform health and vitality for female executives and her signature program Premium Performance for Her brings together the Functional Medicine perspective of root cause resolution, multimodality Coaching strategies, client success cases and a holistic approach to successfully reclaiming lasting and resilient vitality.

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Sources

Deloitte’s Women @ Work 2024 Research

Functional Medicine and Neuroscience principles

Coaching principles

Practices of mindfulness, balanced nutrition, and gentle exercise

Insights from the signature program Premium Performance for Her