Recovery Is Not Optional: Rethinking Work, Leadership, and Sustainable Performance
Photo by: Andrea Piacquadio
When did productivity stop being enough?
I find myself spending a lot of time talking to clients about recovery and self-care—and wondering when we stopped honoring ourselves. Instead, we judge ourselves if we aren’t moving at warp speed and producing results every second of the day.
Technology has made it easier to be efficient and expedite action items. But somewhere along the way, we lost the ability to stop. We’ve raised the bar on productivity to a place that is no longer sustainable, and the truth is, we will never get it all done.
This isn’t just about working less; it’s about redefining what sustainable performance actually looks like.
Over the course of my coaching career, I have witnessed countless people leave their jobs because they could no longer keep up with the pace. Unfortunately, many walk away feeling like they’ve failed. The reality is, this struggle is more common than we think.
Organizations often say they support work-life balance and encourage people to take PTO. However, the workload is so overwhelming that people return from vacation more stressed than when they left. The work doesn’t stop; it simply waits.
So how do we step off this hamster wheel?
There are ways to begin slowing it down. It starts with awareness and a willingness to change patterns that have become automatic.
Step One: Evaluate Where Your Time and Energy Are Going
I used to pride myself on my ability to do it all. I also appreciated the recognition that came with being productive. But that came at a cost; it wasn’t sustainable.
Take a moment and reflect:
Are you working more than 10 hours a day?
Logging back in after dinner when everyone else is asleep?
Waking up early just to catch up?
Skipping meals or rushing through them?
Constantly behind on emails or flagging things “for later”?
Running on low energy or poor sleep?
Missing important moments with your family?
I’ve even had clients tell me they didn’t take a single restroom break all day, which means they weren’t even staying hydrated.
If any of this feels familiar, it may be time to reevaluate.
Step Two: Define Your Version of Work-Life Balance
Balance looks different for everyone. The key is identifying what actually supports you, not just what looks good on paper.
It might start with simple shifts:
Turning off your phone in the evening
Setting clear “out of office” boundaries
Taking a 10–15 minute walk during the day
Stepping away from your screen while eating
Turning off screens an hour before bed
These are small, accessible actions, but they require intention.
Start with one. Practice it consistently. Then build from there.
Step Three: Rethink How You Lead
This becomes even more important if you’re in a leadership role.
I recently came across the term overfunctioner and it stopped me in my tracks.
Overfunctioning is a behavioral pattern where an individual consistently takes on excessive responsibility, tasks, and emotional labor for others, often doing for them what they can do for themselves.
My intention was always to be helpful. But underneath that was a need to control outcomes.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
When leaders overfunction, teams underperform.
When we consistently step in, we unintentionally remove opportunities for others to step up.
When we create space for others to take ownership:
Accountability increases
Confidence grows
Teams become stronger
This shift not only supports the development of others—it also supports our own recovery.
Awareness is the first step. Change takes practice.
Working hard is admirable and often necessary.
But sustainable performance requires something more: awareness, intention, and recovery.
Start small. Choose one shift. Practice it.
Because how you show up—at work and in life—depends on how well you take care of yourself.
If this resonates, it may be time to step back and assess how you and your team are operating. The pace isn’t slowing down, but how we respond to it can change everything.
Recovery in process,
Martha Lynn
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Fundamental of the Week #23: PRACTICE RECOVERY
When mistakes or errors in judgment happen, own it. Communicate with the appropriate parties, acknowledge your accountability, and set corrective steps in motion. Get back in the game quickly.
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