CEO Fridays: A Game-Changing Approach to Prevent Business Burnout

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Burnout doesn't happen overnight. It's a slow burn that creeps up on you when you're too busy hustling to notice the warning signs. As a boudoir photographer and educator in Manchester, New Hampshire, I learned this lesson the hard way.

In 2018, after years of crazy hustle and scaling my business rapidly, I hit a wall. The signs were clear: constant irritability, 24/7 exhaustion, and an inability to truly relax even when I was supposed to be off the clock.

When Your Dream Vacation Becomes a Stress Trigger

The breaking point came during what should have been an amazing three-week vacation in Greece. Instead of enjoying this incredible experience, I spent the entire time stressed about what awaited me back home. How many emails would pile up? What would my calendar look like? The anxiety was overwhelming.

During a therapy session after returning home, my therapist asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks: "Why bother going on these trips if they're just causing you more stress? Why spend the money and take the time if you're not going to enjoy them?"

I immediately responded, "But I love traveling!"

His reply changed everything: "Then we need to find ways for you to be present and enjoy the time so your brain and body can actually recover from burnout."

That conversation was my lightbulb moment. My nervous system was so fried that I couldn't even enjoy the time away I was taking specifically to recover. Something had to change.

The Small Boundaries That Create Big Relief

The path forward started with setting firm boundaries in my business. I had been operating without them—working around the clock, constantly checking notifications, and making myself available 24/7.

Here are the small but mighty changes that started my recovery:

• Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode at specific times each day

• Remove social media apps from your phone or set strict time limits on them

• Take your work email completely off your phone (yes, really!)

• Set concrete work hours and stick to them (mine are Monday-Thursday, 9am-4pm)

We often worry that if we're not constantly accessible, we'll lose business. This is just a story we tell ourselves. The truth? Most things can wait until tomorrow, and your business won't crumble because you took a few hours—or even a few days—off.

Why CEO Fridays Changed Everything for Me

The most transformative change came when I implemented what I now call "CEO Fridays." I heard this concept mentioned on a podcast, and it resonated deeply with my situation.

The concept is simple: take one day each week (it doesn't have to be Friday) entirely for yourself. This isn't a day to catch up on housework or run errands—it's a day dedicated to filling your cup.

On my CEO Fridays, I:

• Get an IV drip or massage

• Attend therapy sessions

• Get my nails done

• Take a workout class

• Walk around Target with a Starbucks (don't underestimate the power of this simple pleasure!)

• Drive to the beach alone

• Visit a mall and listen to audiobooks while walking around

Why this works: As business owners, we're constantly pouring into others. I pour into my boudoir clients, the photographers I mentor, and my workshop attendees. When work ends, I'm pouring into my family—my husband, my toddler, my parents and friends. CEO Fridays are the one day I pour exclusively into myself, with zero guilt.

The Hard Truth About Your Never-Ending To-Do List

One of the toughest lessons I had to learn was accepting that I will never "get ahead" of my to-do list. There will always be more tasks waiting, more emails to answer, more projects to complete.

For years, I fought against this reality, working longer hours in a futile attempt to clear my plate. Now I understand that it's okay to step away from work even when things aren't "finished"—because they never will be.

Remember This: Your business isn't going to collapse because you take one day off, or even a week or month off. Your business will be there for you when you return.

Breaking the Catastrophizing Cycle

Many of us have trained our brains to catastrophize—to imagine worst-case scenarios if we don't immediately respond to every message or check email constantly.

The reality?

• It's okay if someone messages you on Instagram and you don't respond for a few days.

• It's perfectly fine if you get an email on Friday and don't answer until Tuesday.

• The world won't end if you don't check your notifications for 24 hours.

Training your brain to stop this catastrophic thinking takes time, but the freedom it brings is worth the effort.

Finding Hobbies That Force You to Disconnect

When you eat, sleep, and breathe your business, finding activities that pull you completely out of work mode is crucial. For me, that hobby became reading.

I picked up reading during my maternity leave because I needed something that would force me to disconnect. Unlike watching Netflix (where I'd inevitably check my phone), reading a physical book or Kindle requires my full attention.

If I try to multitask while reading, I end up reading the same paragraph over and over. This natural barrier to distraction makes reading the perfect hobby for recovering burnout victims.

Today, I always carry my Kindle in my purse. Reading has become my portable decompression tool—something I can do anywhere to immediately disconnect from work stress.

Action Steps to Implement Your Own Burnout Recovery Plan

Ready to tackle your own burnout? Here's how to get started:

1. Identify your burnout symptoms - Irritability? Exhaustion? Inability to relax? Name them so you can recognize when they're flaring up.

2. Set phone boundaries today - Put your phone on Do Not Disturb from 7pm-7am tonight. Remove one social media app from your phone right now.

3. Define your work hours - Decide when you're available and when you're not. Communicate these boundaries to clients and stick to them.

4. Plan your first CEO day - Block off one day in the next week that's just for you. Make at least two appointments that are purely for your enjoyment or self-care.

5. Find your disconnect hobby - What activity requires your full attention and prevents you from checking work? Reading, painting, hiking? Try a few until one sticks.

Remember, overcoming burnout isn't about working harder—it's about working smarter and taking care of yourself in the process. Burnout didn't happen overnight, and recovery won't either. Be patient with yourself as you implement these changes.

The Surprising Result of Putting Yourself First

When I first started setting these boundaries, I worried my business would suffer. Instead, the opposite happened. By taking care of myself, I showed up more energized, creative, and present for my clients. My work improved because I wasn't running on fumes.

The truth is that you can't pour from an empty cup. Taking time to refill your own means you have more to give to your clients, your family, and your business.

CEO Fridays aren't selfish—they're necessary. They're not a luxury—they're a business strategy. And they might just be what saves you from becoming another burnout statistic.

What will you do with your first CEO Friday?