This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and chances are, your inbox is full of wellbeing platitudes.
“Take a break.” “Go for a walk.” “Just talk to someone.” All valid. All well-meaning. And all things I also think are eminently sensible btw. But let’s be honest. When you’re running a business, juggling a team, trying to hire, trying to keep the plates spinning, and trying not to cry into your third coffee of the day… it doesn’t always feel that simple.
Often instead it can feel like you’ve got to be the calm in the storm, the one with all the answers. When the truth that many don’t like to say out loud is: you don’t have to have it all together. Not all the time.
The pressure of “holding it all together” can be your biggest challenge
Many of the leaders we work with are brilliant: visionary, driven, compassionate. But they’re also exhausted. They carry a quiet load: the payroll worries at 2 am, the tension between two team members they’re not quite sure how to handle, the guilt over missed kids plays, and the nagging sense that everyone else seems to be doing it better.
They also carry a belief, spoken or not, that they should be coping better. That showing vulnerability would undermine their leadership. That burnout is a sign of personal failure, not a warning sign from a system that isn’t working.
But if you’ve ever thought, “I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up”, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you don’t need to keep soldiering on solo.
Wellbeing isn’t just for ‘them’
Much of what’s shared during Mental Health Awareness Week is geared towards your team. And rightly so. But the bit that often gets missed is that your well-being matters too. When leaders neglect their own mental health, it doesn’t put them in their best position, as well as setting the tone for everyone else.
Think of it like this. If you never take a lunch break, not only will you wilt with exhaustion, but your team learns that’s what success looks like. If you reply to emails at midnight, will you be at your most clear-headed? And do you want them to do the same? And if you never admit when things are tough, they won’t either.
You don’t need to become the poster child for mindfulness if it’s not in your wheelhouse. But a bit of honesty? A boundary here or there? A willingness to say “I’m stretched right now, we’re going to need to park this for another time”? That’s leadership.
Three small things that actually help
We’re not going to give you a list of 20 self-care rituals to practice, as there are plenty out there online and many, much more qualified to share than we are. But if you’re wondering where to start with your team without overloading yourself, here are three practical things we see working:
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Swap “How are you?” for “How’s your energy this week?” It’s a gentler way to check in that opens the door to honesty and lets people answer in a way that feels safe.
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Model boundaries you’d want your team to have. Take a proper lunch. Book a half-day without guilt. Say “I’ll come back to you tomorrow.” You’re not lazy, you’re human.
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Make wellbeing part of your rhythm, not a one-off (& start small). Whether it’s a monthly team check-in, mental health training, or just a reminder that it’s OK to not be OK, make it ongoing. Not just a one-week PR moment.
You’re allowed to be human
Running a business is hard. Leading people is hard. Doing both while trying to support everyone else’s mental health is really hard. So if you feel like you don’t have it all together this week, here’s your permission slip: that’s OK.
Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do for your team is show them what looking after yourself looks like, even when that means stepping back, slowing down, or just saying, “Actually, I’m struggling a bit too.”
And if today, you haven’t? That’s OK too.
You build teams with more consistency. Leaders are more confident in their roles. The culture strengthens because it’s not resting on the shoulders of a few dependable individuals. And yes, it saves time and money too.
This isn’t about removing human judgment. It’s about supporting it.
PS If you’d like help building smarter, simpler systems for hiring, growing and leading the right people – without losing the personal touch we’re here to help. No jargon. No nonsense. Just practical support that works for growing businesses. Let’s talk via hello@thehrhub.co.uk or call 0203 627 7048
Not a phone or email kind of person? Grab my book, The MAGIC of HR, for more practical tips to build a culture that actually works.
