Do you remember the day- or, if you’re not old enough to recall, perhaps you've read or heard about it—when cereals were promoted as essential for our health due to their nutritious content?

Recently, I accompanied a friend of mine to a doctor because she has been experiencing some health issues. During our second visit, after completing some tests, the doctor prescribed medication and concluded with the same old, well-intentioned advice: “You should avoid stress!”

In my previous post, I shared how to say no to non-essential requests. I talked about the importance of focusing on getting the right things done instead of doing everything you can. This is how you achieve efficiency while protecting your wellbeing.

I have a confession to make. I’ve been enjoying saying no. I’ve been turning down requests to participate in new projects, saying no thanks to invitations to speak, and declining demands on my time across the board.

Let’s talk about burnout—that physical-emotional feeling that you can’t carry on with your job for one more Zoom call without losing your mind—and how leaders can prevent it.