Running a successful operation begins with self-care

Are you stressed out? Of course you are. We’re in the newspaper business, and stress comes with the territory.

By LISA CHAPPELL, 2025-26 TPA President 

It’s become a lifestyle for many of us — operating on coffee and fumes, burning the candle at both ends. We wear burnout like a badge of honor, always working harder and barely coming up for air. But in reality we’re only hurting ourselves, our newspapers and our employees. 

The Mayo Clinic defines burnout as “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”

Listen, you have a tough job. It’s a rewarding career, but it’s certainly not easy. Working long hours is par for the course these days as we do more than ever with fewer employees than ever. But a run-down leader is not a recipe for success.

Self-care should be a priority for everyone, and it certainly should be for the boss. Think of the oxygen mask rule that the flight attendant spells out before each flight; it’s critical that you mask yourself first so you can help those around you. This same concept applies to you as the owner or boss of your operation. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t have the energy or bandwidth to take care of your operation.

What happens when you hit the wall? You lose the passion, you dread going to the office. Then there is decision fatigue, crankiness, frustration, and so on.

Decision fatigue is a real thing. Our brains go into autopilot at some point because the caffeine can only boost brain cells for so long. If you are regularly operating on a few hours of sleep the risk of sending that confidential internal email to the entire city council by mistake becomes a reality. Mistakes will happen, and you can only hope they are not disastrous in nature.

Running a successful operation begins with self-care. 

For years I rarely took days off, let alone took a weeks-long vacation. Maybe I was trying to prove my worth or set an example of a strong work ethic for the team. Well, it turns out my health could care less about my work ethic and it gave me that message loud and clear.

I learned that taking time off was not selfish; it actually helped me become a more effective leader. My instincts are sharper when I’ve taken time to refuel myself.

A few years ago I decided to try harder to “be in the moment” both at work and away from work. When not in the office I want to do the things that make me happiest. Sometimes that simply means curling up on the couch with my dogs to watch a documentary, or it may mean cleaning out closets. 

Regardless of how you unwind, make sure you are doing it regularly. Don’t forget to take care of your body, as it needs regular maintenance to run at peak performance. This means getting adequate rest, feeding your soul and being physically active. 

It’s not just good for the body, it’s good for the brain.

Here are a few stats to chew on:

The CDC reports that regular aerobic and resistance training are essential to our health as we age. It increases Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is essential to protect against cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s.

They say it’s lonely at the top. A 2024 Harvard research report states that social isolation increases the risk of premature death by 29 percent. Spending time with those you love is crucial to your health and longevity.

According to recent research by Stanford University and the World Health Organization (WHO), productivity begins to sharply decline after reaching 50 hours in a work week. In fact, working 17+ hours straight is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of .05%. It is effectively the same as working while drunk. No wonder brain fatigue results in poor decision making.

The takeaway? Take care of yourself first. Practice self-love, take vacations, feed your soul and stay physically active. 

Don’t make your entire identity what you do for a living or you may not live long enough to enjoy the best parts of your life.