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There’s a moment, just as you step into the water, when the cold hits you like a shock to the system. It demands your attention and forces you to be present. For leaders in high-stress industries like tech, that moment might be the key to avoiding burnout.
Leadership fatigue is real. The long hours, constant decision-making and high stakes create an unrelenting cognitive load. I’ve felt it myself. As a former military officer turned CEO, I know what it means to push through exhaustion. In the military, we learned to endure. In tech, we learn to innovate. But in both, there’s a risk of grinding so hard that you lose sight of the bigger picture. That’s when mistakes happen. That’s when fatigue turns into failure.
Related: You Can Avoid Burnout by Rethinking the 30,000 Daily Decisions You Make — Here’s How
The power of nature
Recently, I started swimming in the ocean more regularly. At first, it was just a way to clear my head. But over time, I realized it was doing something deeper. The bracing cold, the relentless movement of the waves, the forced focus — these moments weren’t just refreshing, they were recalibrating. I was returning to work sharper, more focused and more in control.
Turns out, there’s real science behind this.
A 2015 study from Stanford found that time spent in nature — even just 90 minutes — reduces activity in the brain’s subgenual prefrontal cortex, the region associated with repetitive negative thought patterns.
Meanwhile, a 2021 study published in The Journal of Environmental Psychology found that being near water, specifically, had an even greater impact on lowering cortisol levels and improving overall mood.
But it’s not just about relaxation — it’s about cognitive performance. The military has long understood the importance of recovery, with elite units like the Navy SEALs incorporating activities like swimming, meditation and unstructured outdoor time into their training to prevent mental fatigue. They don’t just train harder; they train smarter, balancing high-intensity work with intentional recovery.
And this concept isn’t limited to the military. Studies on high-performing executives and entrepreneurs reveal that structured recovery time enhances clarity, decision-making and leadership effectiveness. Executives who prioritize structured breaks and non-work-related activities demonstrate improved problem-solving skills and creativity, both of which are critical for driving innovation in high-pressure environments.
Swimming in the ocean adds another layer. It forces full presence. The waves don’t care about your deadlines, your meetings or your inbox. You either focus or you get tossed around. There’s no in-between.
Physically, cold water immersion has been linked to increased dopamine and norepinephrine levels, which help improve focus and resilience. Even in Southern California, where the ocean isn’t exactly frigid, that shock to the system resets your state of mind.
Repeated exposure to cold water could help buffer the nervous system against stress. For leaders managing high-stakes projects, that resilience isn’t just a personal benefit — it cascades to the entire team. A leader’s clarity and endurance set the tone for the entire organization.
And the ocean brings something else — perspective. It reminds you how small you are, how big the world is. That kind of shift in scale can be exactly what you need when you’re too deep in the trenches of a problem.
Related: 6 Essential Strategies to Beat CEO Burnout
How to take a step back when you’re stuck in a rut
One of the most overlooked challenges in leadership is the inability to step back from the work and see the full picture. We become so immersed in the daily fires, the high-stakes meetings, the make-or-break moments, that we lose the ability to assess the battlefield objectively. The ocean, or any intense, immersive activity, provides that critical reset.
But stepping away isn’t just about swimming in the ocean. It’s about breaking patterns. Leaders are often stuck in cycles — endless meetings, fire drills, back-to-back calls. The constant urgency can trick you into believing that everything is critical. That’s why you need moments that pull you out of the daily grind, forcing you to reset before stepping back in.
This is where intentional recovery becomes a strategic advantage. Top-performing leaders across industries — from venture capitalists to startup founders — intentionally carve out time for activities that challenge them in different ways. Some take up extreme sports, others immerse themselves in creative outlets. What matters is creating a discipline of detachment — a structured habit of resetting the mind so you can return stronger.
The most effective leaders understand that managing their energy is just as important as managing their time. When energy levels dip, cognitive function suffers, and decision-making becomes less strategic. That’s why companies known for their progressive workplace cultures integrate mindfulness practices, outdoor retreats and wellness programs — not as perks, but as necessary investments in long-term performance.
Not everyone has access to the Pacific like I do, but the lesson applies anywhere. The key isn’t just exercise or a hobby — it’s doing something that requires full presence, something that shakes you out of the mental loop of work. For some, it’s surfing or mountain biking. For others, it’s playing an instrument or cooking. What matters is stepping far enough away that your brain stops running in the background.
There’s also something to be said about incorporating structured downtime. A Harvard Business Review study found that top-performing CEOs schedule “white space” time in their calendars — protected time to think, reflect and break from their usual decision-making loops. It’s not wasted time; it’s essential to sustaining high performance over the long haul.
Related: Taking Breaks Doesn’t Make You Lazy — Here Are 4 Ways It Actually Makes You More Productive
This isn’t about finding a quick fix. It’s about recognizing that leadership is a long game. If you’re always in the red, always maxed out, you’re not leading — you’re just reacting. The ocean has a way of stripping everything down to what matters. No noise, no distractions, just you and the next wave.
Leaders who make time to reset aren’t neglecting their responsibilities. They’re ensuring they can sustain their performance over the long haul. The ability to disconnect, to create moments of clarity and to recalibrate isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity.
And that’s the key takeaway: longevity in leadership is not about relentless endurance; it’s about resilience. The best leaders are not the ones who grind themselves down to nothing. They are the ones who learn how to step away, recharge and return stronger than before.
Whether it’s the ocean or something else, find your reset. Because if you don’t, the job will grind you down. And if you’re ground down, you can’t lead.