In today’s episode, I reflect on a single word that stayed with me after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, described finally getting five hours of sleep: finally.
That word says something about the way many high-performing people experience rest—as something to earn, justify, or reach only after everything and everyone else has been taken care of.
I see this often in the leaders I coach and advise, particularly women carrying demanding careers alongside caregiving, illness, grief, parenthood, and responsibilities that rarely appear on a performance review. I’ve also lived my own version of it, spending years believing that being the person who could always push through was something to be proud of.
In this episode, I explore:
- Why rest can feel like something we have to earn
- The invisible responsibilities people carry alongside their work
- What research tells us about burnout, caregiving, and gender- How endurance and self-reliance can become part of our identity
My own experience with “white knight syndrome” and the cost of always being needed
What leaders can do to create cultures where people can ask for what they need
Healthy workplaces shouldn’t require people to reach their breaking point before they’re allowed to recover. Sometimes, “I need a break” should simply be a complete sentence.
Steven Morris, CEO of Matter Consulting is an ever-curious life-seeker, brand and culture building expert, advisor, author, and speaker.
With over 27 years of entrepreneurial experience, he has served as a trusted advisor to over 3,000 business leaders and evolved more than 250 brands and cultures, including Google, Habitat for Humanity, Samsung, and Disney.
His best-selling book, "The Beautiful Business," and his widely read Insights blog are a testament to his consulting expertise in creating unignorable, magnetic, and sustainable companies.
His diverse interests, including meditation, fine art painting, surfing, and beekeeping, infuse his work with creativity, soul, and a deep understanding of the human experience.
You can find more podcasts and join 30,000+ other brilliant and soulful readers of his weekly INSIGHTS blog at MatterCo.