Practices and rhythms for healthy leadership

Physical care matters too. Sleep, rest and exercise aren't distractions from leadership. They support our ability to lead.

Here are some practical rhythms to help you:

Practice	What it looks like	Why it's important
Create periods of unavailability	Shut down your phone, television, internet and other external noise. This might be an hour, several hours or even a full day.	Creating space from external noise allows internal noise to surface, helping you notice what is really happening within you.
Spend intentional time alone with God	Create space to listen to God rather than simply bringing Him a list of requests or using spiritual practices to prepare for the next task.	Moves your spiritual life from something functional to something relational and restorative.
Ask, “How am I affecting you?”	Invite honest feedback from the people around you. Listen without immediately defending or explaining yourself.	Shifts the focus from what you intend to do to how others actually experience you.
Make space for delight	Intentionally do things that genuinely bring you joy — cooking, walking, spending time with your children, enjoying creation or simply doing something you love.	Reminds you that life and leadership are about more than productivity and responsibility.
Practise gratitude	Write down small things you are grateful for and return to these notes when you feel discouraged, overwhelmed or irritable.	Helps redirect your attention towards what is good, even during difficult seasons.
Build a trusted community	Identify one or two people who have permission to speak honestly into every area of your life. Give them permission to ask difficult questions, challenge you and point out when something is changing.	Creates accountability and helps you recognise warning signs that you may not see in yourself.

The important thing is listening to your body rather than constantly overriding it. The goal isn't to create one perfect routine that you and every other leader must follow. Healthy rhythms will look different depending on personality, context, responsibilities and season of life.

Build your own rhythm

Think about your current daily, weekly and monthly rhythms. For example:

Daily: sleep, prayer, movement, pauses.

Weekly: Sabbath, delight, relationships, unavailability.

Monthly: leave, retreats, workload review.

When warning signs appear: tell someone, reduce responsibilities, seek professional support.

Write down some of your own rhythms and figure out where could you intentionally create space for:

Rest and sleep
Prayer and reflection
Silence and solitude
Exercise or movement
Connection with people who support you
Time away from leadership responsibilities

Instead of asking:
What do I need to do when I'm burnt out?
ask:
What must I stop, delegate or renegotiate for this rhythm to be realistic?