9 Things to stop 🛑 doing NOW if you want to build your business with less stress, overwhelm and sleepless nights

Think about it: when was the answer to overwhelm ever to do more?

Never. Yet when the to-do list is mounting, the inbox is overflowing, and staff issues are multiplying, the message we hear is hustle, just do it, man up (or woman up).

But step back to 30,000 ft for a moment. No intelligent observer would look at you and your workload and point to inadequate effort as the cause, or more effort as the answer.

1. STOP telling people what to do

It seems quicker in the moment. But when you tell, you create dependency. They keep coming back to you. They feel incompetent. Resentment follows. This is the single biggest issue in most businesses.

👉 INSTEAD master the skill of supporting others to find their own clarity about the next step. That creates employees who feel trusted, competent, and valued.

2. STOP booking or accepting back-to-back meetings

It might look productive. But you’re not paid for productivity — you’re paid to make high-quality decisions. And decisions need space.

👉 INSTEAD leave at least 15 minutes between meetings, and use a simple structure that supports clarity and decision-making.

3. STOP checking email and Slack between meetings

Constant availability creates a culture of urgency. The dopamine hit of responding fuels the very chaos you complain about.

👉 INSTEAD create a clear communication strategy that aligns with your mission and priorities — not other people’s urgency.

4. STOP keeping problems in your head overnight

Ruminating on today’s obstacles robs you of rest and clarity.

👉 INSTEAD get them down on paper and let your subconscious work on them while you sleep.

5. STOP working in the last hour before bed

Revving your nervous system before sleep guarantees poor recovery.

👉 INSTEAD prioritise high-quality sleep. It’s the foundation of high-quality thinking and work.

6. STOP keeping your phone with you 24/7

If your phone is with you, you’re on call. And if you’re on call, your nervous system never recovers.

👉 INSTEAD create a strict phone timetable — when you will and won’t use it. Your nervous system will thank you.

7. STOP rushing into your day reactively

Your job is not to put in hours. Your job is to put the business — and yourself — into high performance mode.

👉 INSTEAD start your day with practices that build clarity and energy before the world comes rushing in.

8. STOP owning other people’s problems

Taking them on makes you busier, creates resentment, and teaches your team to lean on you instead of themselves.

👉 INSTEAD be a support. Ask what knowledge, resources, or skills they need — but keep ownership where it belongs.

9. STOP owning your employees’ feelings

You can empathise without absorbing. Taking on their stress, misery, or even joy puts you at the mercy of their emotional state and makes you reactive.

👉 INSTEAD recognise their emotion, then help them unpack the ingredients. Compassionate detachment is what brings them clarity.

These nine aren’t easy. They usually come as a set. If one feels impossible, it’s probably because another isn’t in place yet.

But here’s the truth: if you want to be the calm, consistent leader your team needs, you can’t fake it. Your body, words, and actions will always give you away. You are the indicator your team responds to.

They won’t change until you do.

So the only question is:
Are you ready to spread calm and clarity?
Or are you willing to keep spreading chaos and confusion?