In today’s world of constant connectivity, many leaders feel the pull to always be “on.” Email after dinner. Checking messages on the weekend. A nagging voice in the mind: “What if something falls through the cracks?” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone – and letting go of that compulsion can make you a better leader, not a worse one.

Why We Struggle to Disconnect

  • A strong sense of loyalty and responsibility can make us feel we must always be available.
  • Technology amplifies this: it’s too easy to respond now rather than wait.
  • Without clear boundaries, work bleeds into family time, rest, creativity, and health.

What We Lose When We Stay Always On

  • Increased risk of burnout: exhaustion, reduced focus, mental overload.
  • Strained relationships and personal life sacrificed.
  • Declining creativity and long-term leadership capacity.
  • Modeling unsustainable norms for the team which can cascade.

Reframing What Leadership Looks Like

  • True loyalty & responsibility include protecting your capacity to perform over the long haul.
  • Leaders who model healthy boundaries often build stronger, more resilient teams.
  • Trust + systems + clear boundaries mean things still work when you unplug.

Practical Steps You Can Put Into Practice

  • Establish a shut-down ritual at the end of each workday (e.g., final check-ins, setting tomorrow’s priorities).
  • Use technology to your advantage: delay-send emails, set “Do Not Disturb” windows.
  • Experiment with small “off hours” (one evening, one weekend) to see how it feels.
  • Reflect: What do your actions say about what you value: constant availability or sustainable impact?

Further Reading

The Importance of Taking a Break From Work