The Weight of Constant Availability

Some work drains you because it is difficult. I understand that more easily than the work that drains you because it never quite stops.

The messages answered between meetings. A quick decision made on the move. The steady stream of small interruptions that seem harmless on their own, but combine to create a constant hum.

None of it looks heavy. But constant availability creates its own kind of fatigue. You're always half somewhere else. Always available, never quite present. And it leaves you quietly depleted.

You finish the day having been productive. On top of things. But you haven't actually thought deeply about anything. And that's what strategic leadership needs most.

Some of it can be culture. But some of it can be something harder to admit.

When I first ran teams, I helicoptered. My team's wins were my wins. Their losses, my losses. I felt responsible for everything, and made myself available to prove it.

What I didn't see was that I wasn't supporting others. I was carrying them. And the weight of that kept me looking for the next issue rather than seeing much further ahead.

It took time to understand that holding space for someone isn't the same as feeling responsible for them. People develop by making their own choices and seeing the consequences of those choices, not through your constant presence.

When I started stepping back, I got my attention back.

And the teams I worked with were grateful for the renewed sense of autonomy.

So, have a think, is your tiredness from too much work? Or from never fully getting your attention back?

The Weight of Constant Availability