Exhaustion isn’t leadership.It’s neglect disguised as dedication. 👇A leader once told me:"I haven't taken a real day off in years."They wore their exhaustion like a badge of honor.But behind the late nights and endless emails was something darker.The weight of unsustainable expectations.Burnout isn’t a leadership requirement.It’s leadership neglect — of yourself and your people.Healthy leaders build healthy teams.Your capacity to lead others depends on your capacity to sustain yourself.Rest isn’t weakness. It’s a leadership responsibility.Here are 5 ways leaders can protect their own energy:1️⃣ Schedule unplugged time↳ Block off time weekly where you’re fully offline.2️⃣ Model boundaries↳ Show your team that logging off is expected, not punished.3️⃣ Delegate decisively↳ Stop carrying work others are capable of handling.4️⃣ Protect sleep and health↳ Prioritize rest, exercise, and proper nutrition like your job depends on it — because it does.5️⃣ Say no more often↳ Guard your calendar like your leadership depends on it — because it does.❓ How do you model healthy boundaries for your team?♻️ Repost if you believe rest makes leaders stronger.👋 Follow me (Dr. Chris Mullen) for practical tools to lead without burning out.

Are you letting others control your time?Protecting your time is one of the most important things you’ll do as a leader—yet so many of us don’t act like it. We let back-to-back meetings, constant demands, and the never-ending flow of “urgent” tasks dictate our days. But what if you could take control instead?Here are three ways to help you safeguard your time:👉 Shift your mindset Recognize that your free time and thinking time is as important—if not more important—than your meeting time.👉 Block it out Schedule time for yourself first. Align it with your natural rhythms, whether that’s morning or afternoon.👉 Have a plan for it Use this time intentionally for deep work, strategic thinking, or long-term projects you never seem to get to.These aren’t just productivity hacks. They’re essential tools to help you do your best work. I’ve seen (and lived!) the packed calendars, the lack of focus, and the overwhelm that comes with saying “yes” to everything. I’ve also seen the transformation that happens when leaders reclaim their time and prioritize what truly matters. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing the right things.

82% of leaders have no time management system.(And it's killing their success)Every evening, I’d ask myself: Where did the day go?Staring at an endless to-do list that somehow grew longer.That pit in your stomach when you realize another day slipped away...The inconvenient truth:→ 34 hours lost monthly in unnecessary meetings→ 2+ hours weekly on non-work browsing→ Only 3 truly productive hours in an average workdayYour time isn't just slipping away.It's sprinting.But here's what elite performers do differently.(Tested and validated in real-world corporate environments):1/ Time Block EverythingWhy: Our brains process single-focus blocks 43% more efficiently.↳ Even 15-minute blocks matter.↳ Include buffer zones.↳ Protect your peak hours.2/ The 2-Minute RuleWhy: Small tasks snowball into 2-hour backlogs daily.↳ If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now.↳ Stop the small tasks from becoming big delays.↳ Clear mental clutter fast.3/ Strategic EliminationWhy: Top performers spend 80% of time on 20% of tasks.↳ Cut 20% of your recurring meetings.↳ Batch similar tasks.↳ Say "no" to low-impact activities.4/ Energy ManagementWhy: Working with your energy doubles output.↳ Match complex tasks to high-energy hours.↳ Use breaks as performance enhancers.↳ Honor your natural rhythm.5/ Priority StackingWhy: Morning priorities are 2.5x more likely to get done.↳ Handle big rocks before pebbles.↳ Front-load your most important work.↳ Eliminate first-hour distractions.The reality?Implementing these strategies reclaims 20% of your work hours.That's an extra day each week.Ready to take control?Start with one strategy today.↓ Drop a comment with your top time hack.♻️ Share to help other leaders reclaim their time.🔔 Follow me (Loren) for more science-backed performance insights.

As a product leader, have you ever felt like you're constantly working two jobs? Meetings by day, real work by night. You're not aloneAs product leaders, we're constantly juggling two distinct roles: the strategic thinker 🧠 and the team manager 👥. Finding the right balance between deep work and rapid context switching can be a daunting challenge, especially in today's hybrid work environment.In my latest article, I discuss the concept of the Maker's Schedule vs. Manager's Schedule, why product managers and leaders need to do both, and provide a four-step approach to designing a time management strategy that enables you to excel:1️⃣ Audit and plan your time to align with priorities2️⃣ Implement your ideal schedule by culling meetings and blocking off deep work time3️⃣ Protect your time by saying "no," setting boundaries, and coordinating with your team4️⃣ Create mental space for deep work using warm-up tasks, managing energy, and transition ritualsMastering the maker-manager balance is an ongoing journey that requires intentionality and experimentation. By understanding the demands of both roles and implementing these strategies, you can significantly boost your productivity and impact as a product leader. 📈💡Want to learn more? Check out the full article and let me know your thoughts! What strategies have you found effective for managing your time as a product leader? 👇#ProductManagement#TimeManagement#Leadership#DeepWork#ProductLeaders

✨ Lessons from Mentorship: Balancing Compassion and Performance in LeadershipRecently, I mentored a plant manager transitioning into a broader leadership role. As he shared his story, one challenge stood out: the tension between being a compassionate leader and meeting executive demands for speed, efficiency, and results.His question reflected a common leadership dilemma: "How can I stay true to my values while driving performance in a high-pressure environment?"Here’s what we uncovered together:1️⃣ Leading with Fairness and HumanityHis leadership style prioritizes fairness, transparency, and empathy. But upper management often viewed this as “too cautious” when it came to tough decisions like layoffs or risk management.💡 Reflection: How can you communicate that people-focused leadership doesn’t mean compromising results?2️⃣ Rethinking Decision-MakingWe discussed how to approach tough calls without sacrificing empathy. By framing decisions with data-backed insights and highlighting past successes, he could assert himself as a strategic thinker while maintaining his team’s trust.💡 Reflection: Are you balancing empathy with assertiveness when communicating decisions?3️⃣ Anchoring in Purpose: Healthy, Just EnvironmentsHis purpose became clear: to create environments where fairness and humanity drive both individual and collective success. This vision extended beyond the workplace to his long-term aspirations as a leader.💡 Reflection: Is your leadership grounded in a purpose that inspires both you and your team?4️⃣ Strategic Growth: Integrating Empathy and ResultsEmpathy and high performance aren’t opposites—they’re interdependent. By sharing metrics like productivity improvements and morale indicators, he showed that his people-centric approach directly contributed to organizational success.💡 Reflection: Are you reframing the conversation to show how care for people fuels business results?The Leadership ShiftAt the end of our session, he shared this insight: "True leadership isn’t about choosing between compassion and performance—it’s about integrating them to create sustainable success."💬 So, I ask you: How do you balance empathy and performance in your leadership? Let’s exchange reflections in the comments below.📌 Save this post to reflect on how purpose-driven leadership can transform both people and results.#LeadershipWithPurpose#MentorshipReflections#CompassionateLeadership#PurposeDrivenLeadership#LaraReflections#leadershipcoherence#lifecoherence

Harsh truth: If you’re still doing everything yourself, you’re not leading—you’re limiting.Your ability to delegate determines your capacity to grow.I’ve worked with C-suite leaders, startup founders, andFortune 500 executives.And delegation consistently shows up as the silent killer of productivity, scale, and team morale.This visual breakdown is more than a framework—It’s a mirror.Let’s dive deep:1. Use the Eisenhower Matrix Weekly—Not Once.Don’t just categorize tasks once a year.Every Monday, sort your to-dos:    •    DO: What only you can do.    •    DECIDE: Block time to think.    •    DELEGATE: Offload to free brainspace.    •    DELETE: Be ruthless. If it doesn’t move the needle, let it go.Pro tip: Color-code your calendar by these quadrants.2. Delegate Outcomes, Not Instructions.Leaders often say:“They don’t do it the way I would.”That’s because you delegated tasks, not outcomes.Instead of:“Create a report by Friday.”Try:“I need a report that helps us understand why conversions dropped 20%. Use any format that gets us there.”Ownership > Obedience.3. Apply the 80/20 Rule Ruthlessly.Ask:    •    What’s the 20% of what I do that drives 80% of my impact?    •    What tasks take 80% of my time but create minimal ROI?Everything outside that 20% should either be delegated or deleted.4. Build a Delegation Dashboard.This has helped multiple CEOs I coach.A simple Google Sheet that tracks:    •    Task    •    Who it’s delegated to    •    Deadline    •    Check-in point    •    OutcomeThis gives visibility without micromanagement.5. Feedback = Acceleration.Most leaders only give feedback when something breaks.World-class leaders do it weekly—even when things go well.Positive feedback reinforces ownership.Constructive feedback sharpens performance.Make feedback a rhythm, not a reaction.Here’s my mantra to every leader I coach:You are not the system. You are the architect of the system.When you stop being the bottleneck, your business becomes scalable.Your team becomes self-led.And you finally step into your true role: Strategic leadership.If you’re a leader tired of being “busy,”Let’s talk about building systems that free you.Because leadership isn’t about doing more.It’s about doing what only you can do.#ExecutiveCoaching#LeadershipDevelopment#Delegation#HighPerformanceTeams#FounderCoach#ProductivityTips

Accountability is a sign you care about your team members.When I was a first time manager, I felt unsure how to balance maintaining high standards for projects and giving feedback to team members about meeting expectations. The truth is: I wanted to be liked.So I stepped in to fix things instead of giving feedback—solving problems, rewriting final briefings, and rescuing them from deadlines (though I added more of them for myself).It took time to reframe what I now hold true: Accountability isn’t the opposite of compassion. It *is* compassion.Now in coaching and advising higher ed advancement leaders, I hear similar worries:What if they don’t like me?What if I push too hard?What if they’re already overwhelmed?I remind leaders these are valid concerns and also signs you care.Here’s what it looks like to lead with both clarity and compassion:✅ Set clear expectations✅ Provide the tools and resources your team needs to succeed✅ Coach them through growth and challenge✅ Believe in their abilities✅ Give clear, specific, actionable feedback—because you care enough to help your team growLeaders who hold their teams accountable build trust, culture, capacity—and stronger organizations.In university advancement, where the work is deeply human, we need leaders who do both: care deeply and lead boldly.If you’re navigating this balance right now with your team—or your managers are—let’s connect on how we can support you.

Great work doesn’t come from doing everything. It comes from doing the few things that matter most.As a senior executive, you’ve spent decades mastering... • the art of execution• leading teams• juggling priorities• delivering results  But somewhere along the way, the sheer volume of responsibilities, meetings, and tasks can start to blur your focus. If you’re honest, you’re not craving more to do...you’re craving less.Here’s the truth: Your next chapter isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about stripping away what’s unnecessary so the essential can shine.You’ve already proven you can do it all. The real question is: What do you truly want to focus on? The next phase of your careerand your lifeis about creating:• impact• meaning• freedom  Letting go of the distractions that no longer serve you is part of the path to getting there.So, let me ask you:👉 What’s one thing you can let go of right now to make space for what truly matters?👉 What’s one priority that deserves your full attention, instead of being buried in the noise?Here are three actionable steps to take right now:1. Ruthlessly Audit Your Commitments   Look at your calendar, your task list, and even your mental bandwidth. Be brutally honest: What’s essential, and what’s just noise?Identify EVERYTHING that no longer aligns with your goals or values.Delegate.Decline.Defer. Anything that isn’t critical.Free up your time and energy for the things that truly move the needle.2. Define Your "Essential Few"   The most successful leaders focus on the few priorities that create the greatest impact. What are yours?Reflect on what matters most: Is it building a new venture? Strengthening your relationships? Having more freedom?Set clear boundaries around your time and energy so the essentials can thrive.Commit to saying "no" more often so you can say "yes" to what matters.3. Design Your Next Chapter with Intention   Doing less isn’t about stepping back.It’s about stepping up into what’s most meaningful.Ask yourself: What kind of life and work do I want to create?Build a vision for your next chapter.One that prioritizes :• freedom• purpose• balanceWhen you let go of what no longer serves you, you create space for something far more powerful: • clarity• impact• fulfillmentRemember...great work doesn’t come from grinding through endless to-do lists. It comes from knowing exactly where to place your time and energy.So, I’ll ask again:What’s one thing you can let go of today to make space for what matters most?When you’re ready to focus on the essential and create a career and life designed on your terms...let’s connect.CreateNext Group (formerly Career Attraction) specializes in helping senior executives break through the noise, find clarity, and build their next chapter with purpose.

🎯 How My Lack of Balance as a Leader Almost Derailed My Team — And What I Did in 30 Days to Regain Their TrustHave you ever wondered why your team seems disengaged even though you’re putting in more hours than ever?That was me—not long ago.📉 My relentless drive to “get things done” had a hidden cost: my team. I was unintentionally modeling burnout, not balance. Morale dropped. Initiative vanished. Productivity fell by 27%. I didn’t need a new system. I needed a new perspective.💡 Here’s what changed everything — and what I now teach in leadership coaching sessions:1.I started holding 15-minute “Balance Checks” weekly.2.I asked my team one question: What do you need to do your best work and still go home at peace?3.I implemented a visible leadership rhythm that prioritized rest, clarity, and connection.Within 30 days, collaboration improved by 41%. My team saw me not just as their boss, but as their advocate. The shift? I became a balanced leader — not a burned-out manager.📌 Why does this matter to you?If you’re a leader who:•Has 5+ direct reports•Manages cross-functional teams•Is feeling stretched between performance and people…then this post is for you.Bottom line:Leadership isn’t about being available 24/7. It’s about being present when it counts.Balance isn’t a luxury — it’s a leadership multiplier.Let me help you lead better by leading yourself first.#LeadershipDevelopment#ExecutiveCoaching#BalancedLeadership

Anyone that I worked with at Total Entertainment Network (laterpogo.com /Electronic Arts) remembers Jeff and his kooky hat. It was his tool for protecting his focus/coding time: whenever he needed deep focus time, he'd put on this very silly hat and post a sign on his cube that said something to the effect of "If I'm wearing the hat, don't talk to me."We all thought he was a little eccentric.Looking back? That was brilliant.Here's what he understood that it took me many years to realize: Focus time doesn't just happen. You have to architect it.I shared this story during a recent coaching conversation. My client was struggling with time management because she couldn't get her deeper work done. Sound familiar?Here's what we mapped out together:🧠 Block focus time like a client meeting and make it sacred. Don't treat it like free time and let other to-do's creep in.📢 Communicate your system - Let your manager and team know what you're doing. Perhaps have a check in right before you go into your focus time to handle stuff before you go into your Jeff-with-the-hat cave.⏰ Start small and protect fiercely - Even 60 minutes of uninterrupted time can be transformative for your most complex work.Every ping, every "quick question," every "when you have a sec" fractures your thinking. The code switching can take 15-20 minutes to get back into deep work mode after an interruption.Your focus time isn't selfish - it's strategic. The work that moves the needle forward requires sustained attention, not scattered moments between meetings.What's your version of the weird hat? How do you protect your focus time?#Productivity#TimeManagement#Leadership