The high cost of always being 'on'

Fast Company

5 hours ago

There is a rush that comes with solving problems, tackling high-stakes challenges, and navigating adversity. Many leaders report feeling focused and enlivened, despite the intense pressure. In private, many confess enjoying the opportunity to rise up, to act decisively, and to be the champion who saves the day. They 'enjoy' the challenge, but at what cost?
Too often in business, we equate always on, always working with being dedicated and impactful. The unspoken, silent 'code of honor' tells us that working all the time means we're important, committed, successful, and valuable. Pushing ourselves to our outer limits becomes our way of demonstrating loyalty.
Gabor Maté, the Canadian physician who's spent decades studying stress and trauma, argues that chronic stress is a significant factor in the development of various illnesses, from autoimmune diseases to cancer. Stress disrupts the body's hormonal and immune systems, leading to vulnerability to disease. And here's what we don't talk about enough: emotional repression intensifies this stress.
There are benefits to pushing ourselves and challenging our limits as a gateway to resiliency and perseverance. And what are the unspoken costs of hypervigilance, alertness, and the inability to relax? At times, this euphoric addiction to crisis creates an intoxicating cycle where the rush of achievement masks the deeper exhaustion and imbalance brewing inside.
While it's great to lead teams into the best quarter of the year, when you're in constant 'alert' mode, your body doesn't have the opportunity to reset its systems. This can lead to various disorders and diseases, including chronic gastrointestinal issues, headaches, and increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.
Think of a garden. When you tend to it regularly by watering the plants, pulling weeds, and giving them sunlight, the garden flourishes, producing vibrant flowers or plentiful harvests. But leave that same garden untended for too long and the plants begin to wither as they lose their nutrients. Weeds take over, the soil becomes depleted, and pests creep in. This is what constant stress does to your body and over time, your internal systems begin to shut down completely.
When we look at the data, it becomes sobering to see exactly how much these chemicals (when over-stimulated) wreak havoc on your body:
Echelon Health's CEO Health Wellness Survey revealed that 58.97% of CEOs and executives are at high cardiac risk, with 35.90% experiencing high blood pressure, a major contributor to heart disease.
In Tailored Health's separate health assessment of senior executives, 48% were found to have one or more chronic health conditions, compared to just 35% in the general population. More specifically, 32% had high blood pressure and 28% had elevated cholesterol levels.
Lifestyle factors compound these risks. The same study found that 73% of executives lead sedentary lifestyles, significantly raising their risk of heart disease. Alarmingly, 40% are classified as obese, and every obese executive assessed had at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. All obese executives in the study had at least one other risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
There comes a point where you have to ask yourself, 'Is it worth it?'
THE PATH FORWARD: FROM SURVIVAL TO SUSTAINABILITY
Here's what I've learned after twenty years working with leaders in this exact place: The 'savior' mentality of always solving problems and always proving your worth becomes hardwired into your nervous system. Unlike other roles, leaders are caught in a unique vortex of responsibility, carrying not just their own success but the outcomes of their teams, organizations, sometimes entire industries. It becomes easy to neglect your health when the bottom line is at stake.
But there's another way. And it doesn't require you to abandon your drive or diminish your impact.
First, we need to recognize those warning signs your body's been sending: that 3 PM exhaustion that coffee can't touch anymore, the Sunday night dread that steals your weekend, the way you snap at your family after a 'successful' day. This is your system crying out for recalibration.
The most effective leaders I work with have learned to create clear boundaries between work and personal life—not as a luxury, but as a performance tool. They've discovered that stress-reduction techniques like meditation or deep breathing aren't 'soft skills,' but essential leadership competencies.
But here's the deeper truth: We need to redefine success itself. What if we stopped glorifying the constant hustle and started valuing sustainable performance? What if we recognized that our health is our most important asset… more valuable than any deal, any quarter, any achievement? Learning to delegate and trust your team isn't giving up control; it's multiplying your impact.
The mental health piece can't be ignored either. Consider professional coaching or therapy as the same kind of strategic investment you'd make in any other part of your business. Join peer groups where other leaders face similar challenges, where you can drop the mask and be real about the cost of constant crisis mode. Develop the emotional intelligence and stress management skills that no MBA program taught you.
Your body is not an infinite resource. It's not a machine you can run into the ground and replace. It needs care, attention, and genuine rest.