By Eric Massey
It’s 2 a.m., and your phone buzzes again.
Another critical equipment failure. Another sleepless night.
You entered this field to make a difference but lately, it feels like the difference is costing you everything.
If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone. According to the CDC’s VitalSigns report, 46% of healthcare workers reported feeling burned out “often” or “very often” in 2022. In healthcare technology management (HTM), where uptime and patient safety are the mission, burnout doesn’t just drain leaders, it threatens the very systems they protect.
Early in my leadership career, I believed being “always on” was what great leaders did. I was the first to respond, the last to log off, and I wore exhaustion like a badge of honor. On paper, I was performing. But behind the scenes, I was running on fumes – mentally, emotionally and physically.
The turning point came when I realized that burnout doesn’t make you stronger it makes you replaceable. Balance, on the other hand, makes you sustainable.
Here are five shifts that helped me move from burnout to balance. They can help you do the same.
BUSYNESS ISN’T PROGRESS
Early in my career, I worked 70-hour weeks convinced that effort equaled effectiveness. But at the end of those weeks, I was exhausted and still behind. What I lacked wasn’t effort it was focus.
Start each week with one question: “What are the three outcomes that would make this week a win?”
This is what I call the Core Week mindset: clarity before activity. Protect time for deep work the same way you protect uptime in your facilities. When everything is urgent, nothing is truly important.
TREAT RECOVERY LIKE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
Our industry runs on preventative maintenance schedules. Why should your energy be any different?
Researching Brendon Burchard’s “High Performance Habits” shows that top performers take short breaks about every 52 minutes to maintain focus and stamina. Yet most leaders run through their days like they’re racing a 24-hour shift with no pit stops.
A few years ago, I started blocking short recovery breaks into my calendar even just a 10-minute walk between calls. That simple shift increased my clarity and patience with my team more than any leadership course ever did.
Treat recovery as part of the system:
• Schedule 15-minute resets every few hours
• Protect one night a week with no work messages
• Prioritize hydration, movement, and sleep as seriously as uptime metrics
You wouldn’t skip PMs on a ventilator and expect reliability. Don’t skip them on yourself and expect clarity.
MODEL REST TO LEAD YOUR TEAM
Your team mirrors what you model. If they see you responding to messages at midnight, they’ll assume that’s what leadership requires.
I learned this the hard way. When I began setting a visible boundary “I don’t check messages after 7 p.m. unless it’s urgent” something shifted. My team followed suit. Stress levels dropped, and our responsiveness during the day improved.
Leaders create culture through consistency. I use what I call the 60/40 Rule – 60% drive, 40% recovery. When we honor both – we perform longer, think clearer and serve better.
FUEL YOUR LEADERSHIP WITH PURPOSE
Burnout thrives where purpose fades. Every HTM professional contributes to patient safety, but that truth can get buried under work orders, budgets and system alerts.
Each morning, take two minutes to reconnect to your “why.”
“Who will be safer because I do my job well today?”
I started doing this before reviewing my first report or email. It re-centers me on impact, not inboxes. Purpose turns exhaustion into endurance, it reminds us that our work isn’t just technical, it’s deeply human.
LEAD YOURSELF FIRST
The best leaders aren’t those who fix every issue; they’re those who model sustainable success.
That may mean delegating more, saying no to one extra project, or taking a real vacation without checking your phone. When you manage your energy with the same discipline you manage your team’s workload, you build longevity – for yourself and for everyone watching.
Leadership isn’t about being available 24/7. It’s about being effective when it counts.
FINAL THOUGHT
Ask yourself: “Am I leading from exhaustion or from energy?”
Because the leaders who thrive in 2026 and beyond won’t be the ones who grind the hardest, they’ll be the ones who protect their energy, lead with purpose and inspire their teams to do the same.
If you’re tired of running on fumes and ready to lead with balance, clarity and purpose, let’s connect. What’s one shift you’ll make this week to protect your energy? Share it with me on LinkedIn, I’d love to hear your story and help you thrive.
The choice is yours – lead with energy or lose it. Let’s choose energy.
