Women in Leadership: Balancing wellness, leadership and 'the noise'.

As women in leadership, we often wear many hats: decision-makers, mentors, managers, and visionaries. But somewhere in the mix of juggling high-level responsibilities with nurturing others or trying to be our most competent selves while simultaneously displaying the perfect level of vulnerability and authenticity (we have to be both our best selves and our real selves) it’s no surprise that we can find ourselves neglecting our own health and well-being.

It's not that the information isn't there. In today’s world we are surrounded by an overwhelming flood of wellness advice. From diet trends and fitness regimes to sleep hacks and stress reduction apps, it’s everywhere. Articles, books, social media influencers, podcasts; there’s no shortage of advice telling us how to optimise our bodies and minds. But is it too much? While much of this information (although definitely not all) is well-intentioned and helpful, it can also feel like just another “should” on the never-ending list of things we must do and do well, particularly for women in leadership roles. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we need to follow every trend, every diet, every exercise routine, every wellness practice. The pressure to "do it all" can create an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. After all, how can we be effective leaders if we can’t even manage our own health?

The leadership struggle: Stress, burnout, and the cost of neglecting ourselves

While women hold only 29% of senior leadership positions worldwide 40% of women in leadership report experiencing burnout. This isn’t just about feeling tired; it’s about the long-term consequences of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion when we feel unable to prioritise our well-being, both personally and professionally. Recent studies show that life expectancy for women has dropped (it’s stayed stable for men), women spend a greater portion of their life in ill health and with disability, are more likely to have longterm sickness absence and are more likely to leave work following that absence. This is seriously troubling not only for the well-being of individual women but also for organisations, as the departure of women in leadership can significantly impact both productivity and long-term success.

But we seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. Taking on ‘wellness’ can feel like such an enormous task, another seemingly unachievable goal that we have to perform perfectly. But ignoring our own health and all the noise around it risks seriously impacting our livelihoods and our lifespans.

I don’t think it has to be one or the other. The truth is most people already know what a healthy lifestyle looks like, more or less. The broad principles from all that social media noise could be summarised quite simply as eat a balanced, colourful diet, move your body regularly, don’t smoke, limit alcohol intake and get a good nights sleep. And none of that sounds too groundbreaking, right?

So, Why Is it so hard?

The wellness industry is massive, yet the “solutions” it offers aren’t exactly novel. I think the reason it keeps growing is this: while we know what we need or want to do, we are often not very good at actually doing it. Why?

It boils down to a mix of psychological, emotional, and societal factors including:

Instant Gratification vs. Long-Term Reward: Our brains are wired to seek immediate rewards and the benefits of things like exercise, healthy eating, or good sleep are often long-term. The immediate discomfort or effort required can make it hard to stay motivated, even when we know it’s good for us.
Lack of Time and Competing Priorities: Life is busy, and many of us, especially those of us in leadership roles, have a tendency to prioritise work, family, or other commitments over our own well-being. Finding the time to focus on self-care often feels like one more thing on an already overloaded plate.
Perfectionism: The pressure to do everything “perfectly” can stop us from doing anything at all. If we think we can’t do something exactly as we’re told (e.g., following a strict diet or workout routine), we might give up entirely instead of making small, achievable changes.
Habits and Conditioning: Our brains are wired for habits, and once we’ve developed routines, even unhealthy ones, they become automatic. Changing habits takes effort and consistency, and even when we know we need to make a change, it can feel like a huge challenge to break old patterns.
Lack of Immediate Feedback: Many health-related benefits, like improved fitness or better sleep, don’t show up right away. Without immediate feedback, it can be difficult to stay motivated or see progress, which makes it easier to fall back into old habits.
Emotional Barriers: Sometimes, we avoid things we know are good for us because of underlying emotional reasons. This might include using food or distractions to cope with stress, anxiety, or other emotions, or simply feeling like we don’t deserve to prioritise ourselves.
Social Influence and Peer Pressure: We often look to others for validation or guidance on what’s “normal,” and if those around us aren’t prioritising wellness, it becomes harder to take those steps ourselves. The social pressure to conform can unintentionally sabotage our efforts.

And this is where the industry cashes in, whether it's ill-intentioned marketers or well-meaning podcasters trying to understand our struggles, they’re stuck in an eternal loop of selling us new products, strategies, and programs. It’s a cycle that feeds into our sense of inadequacy.

I don’t want to contribute to the noise. What I do want is to offer an alternative suggestion.

The Real Question: What if health isn’t another “thing” to get perfect?

What if there was a way to combine something you actually love to do with health principles naturally built into it? What if we could actually build ourselves a healthy lifestyle? Think: moving your body, getting fresh air, and having amazing adventures in awe-inspiring landscapes. What if, alongside that, you had support to help you set and achieve your goals, that you choose, without feeling like you have to do it all perfectly?

This is what I'm trying to do with Women Move Mountains and it’s why I’m passionate about offering a more balanced, realistic approach to health and leadership. Instead of adding more pressure, I’m inviting you to begin a journey to long-term lifestyle change through the allure and excitement of adventure, with one to one coaching to help you achieve your goals, which you decide. Health and wellbeing doesn’t have to be a checklist of perfection, or a chore. It can be about finding a way to love being in your body by taking small, meaningful steps toward feeling better and living better, all of which will only help you lead better.