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Leading Through Fatigue
Why Rest Is a Leadership Responsibility
Ikechukwu Okoh
August 25, 2025
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Rest before you break
In the early days of Boulevard, I thought leadership meant always being on.
Every call, every problem, every late-night strategy session, I wanted to carry it all.
But somewhere along the line, fatigue set in.
I wasn’t thinking as clearly.
My communication slipped.
My decision-making slowed.
One evening, during a strategy review, a colleague said,
“Dr, you look drained, if you keep going like this, you won’t last the year.”
That was the moment of truth.
Because:
Exhausted leaders don’t just burn out.
They burn bridges, blur vision, and break momentum.
I realised then that if Boulevard was going to grow, I needed to develop into a leader who valued rest as much as results.
Strategy Deep Dive: Rest as Leadership Responsibility
We often treat rest like a luxury.
But for leaders, rest is a strategy.
Because:
A fatigued leader makes reactive, short-term decisions.
A fatigued leader creates anxious, distracted teams.
A fatigued leader cannot model sustainability, and the organisation pays the price.
Your energy is not just yours.
It’s a resource your team depends on.
That’s why rest is not selfish.
It’s stewardship.
The R.E.S.T. Framework for Leaders
R – Recognise the signals
Fatigue hides as irritability, poor focus, and constant firefighting.
Please don’t ignore it.
E – Establish boundaries
Every opportunity is not your assignment.
Say no so you can give your best yes.
S – Schedule recovery
Leadership calendars often overflow with tasks.
But do they include renewal?
Block time for sleep, reflection, exercise, and stillness.
T – Trust your team
Many leaders are tired not because the work is too much, but because they don’t take enough time off.
Delegate, empower, and share the weight.
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Ikechukwu’s Journal
Building Boulevard taught me something simple but profound:
A tired leader is a dangerous leader.
Your family doesn’t need a drained entrepreneur.
Your team doesn’t need an exhausted strategist.
They need a present, clear, steady leader.
And that only happens when you choose to rest, recharge, and return with clarity.
What to do this week:
Audit your energy: where are you running on fumes?
Block one non-negotiable rest activity into your calendar.
Identify one responsibility you can delegate this week instead of carrying alone.
If this edition resonates with you, forward it to another leader.
Better yet, please share it with your team and have the conversation together.
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Ikechukwu Okoh
Author of the Leadership Pulse
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