How Leaders Can Build a Culture of Wellness Outside the Office | Entrepreneur

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In the past, “burnout” was used to describe a measurable collapse in mental and physical capacity. But today, the word gets used for almost any instance of tiredness or lack of focus. This overuse makes the word seem like it explains everything, but eventually, it becomes too vague to describe what the true issue is.

A national study released earlier this year put the self-reported burnout rate at an unprecedented 60% and warned that rigid return-to-office policies could push that number even higher. When a diagnosis becomes a catch-all, leaders risk treating symptoms instead of addressing the conditions that drain energy in the first place. It is time to retire the idea that we can “fix burnout” inside the office and focus instead on helping people replenish themselves outside of it.

Make wellness visible by leading by example

My goal, which I keep in mind every day, is the future I want for my three kids. I want them to see a mother who thrives, so they believe ambition and well-being can work in tandem. That conviction shapes every leadership choice I make. My team sees me block off a midday walk as firmly as a board meeting; they see me prioritize mentoring team members to be more mindful and grounded. Those visible habits speak louder than any “seminar” on stress management because they prove that performance and self-care can share the same calendar.

When business leaders demonstrate that eight hours of sleep, balanced meals and regular movement are non-negotiable, they normalize the discipline it takes to stay healthy under pressure. Additionally, organizing yoga sessions and group journal circles at the office shows your team you care about their well-being by providing them with the tools to improve their physical and mental health. Wellness activities at work can also strengthen work culture and promote team bonding.

I believe that visibility turns permission into expectation. If I can protect my time for exercise while juggling motherhood, seeing patients back-to-back, recertifications and a growing practice, so can a team manager who is afraid to leave Slack idle for an hour.

Encourage personal wellness without micromanaging

Wellness efforts imposed by the company often don’t work well. Instead of creating mandatory ‘programs,’ we can empower our employees directly. Let’s say every team member gets a monthly stipend to spend on their own wellness needs, whatever helps them recharge or stay healthy. What matters most is giving everyone the agency to choose what’s right for them.

Your employees are capable of managing their own health; my job (and yours, too) is to remove financial friction, then step aside. Autonomy also extends to schedules. When someone blocks time on Thursday afternoon for a bike ride, the question is never “Why aren’t you at your desk?” but “How can we protect your deliverables so the ride happens?” Adults who are trusted with their wellness reciprocate with higher focus and deeper loyalty because the relationship is built on respect, not surveillance.

The biology of burnout prevention

Workplace culture tends to drift back toward old habits unless leaders actively redefine success. Too often, metrics still celebrate overwork, such as 4 a.m. emails and weekend presentations. Instead of relying on those indicators, I use performance reviews to ask questions aimed at a different standard of success. Usually, it’s, “How consistently are you sleeping?” or “Where have you set a boundary that protects your best work?” “What did you learn this quarter about managing your energy, and how can I or the team better support you in sustaining that?” Those answers sit beside understanding your team and how to better support them.

We can also tackle burnout by openly discussing the biological factors that enable sustained performance. This means understanding how our bodies work, including the importance of managing stress hormones like cortisol, maintaining cellular energy (ATP) and getting the deep sleep necessary for proper rest and recovery.

That way, we can celebrate the incremental steps that move our business forward and promote growth. A single mindful choice a day compounds into 360 healthier decisions a year, which is how real transformation happens.

Replace the burnout narrative with a wellness blueprint

Work will always be part of life, and it can be a source of meaning, growth and fulfillment when we build the right balance. Instead of separating work from life, we can aim for a blended approach that energizes both. Treat your career not as something that drains you, but as something that, when approached with care, fuels your sense of purpose and accomplishment.

The best path forward involves leaders demonstrating self-care, trusting employees to build their own wellness habits and appreciating the resulting benefits like increased energy and focus. This approach removes the negativity from burnout discussions because it shows that high performance can be achieved without sacrificing personal health.

The era of burnout overuse can give way to an era of well-being by design, one deliberate choice, one healthy boundary, one invigorating breath at a time.

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