Crafting Your Self-Care Action Plan for Success
Build Your Self-Care Action Plan to Prevent Burnout in Busy Seasons
Heather McGonigal and co-host Barbara Schindler discuss why self-care is essential for entrepreneurial leaders and teams who often push themselves with limited resources and risk burnout. They introduce a proactive self-care action plan designed to be created before high-demand periods (like launches or returning after the holidays) so you can protect your energy, thinking, collaboration, and wellbeing as a whole person at work. You’re encouraged to plan specific replenishing actions based on how depleted you feel—quick refreshes when you have minutes, options for when your battery is running low, steps for the danger zone, and what to do when you’re super depleted—matching activities to the actual time you have in a day (5 minutes, 30 minutes, lunch break).
Barbara shares her five-minute chai tea latte routine as a quick reset, and they discuss preparing for triggers like distracting emails before meetings by building habits such as silencing notifications and creating transition rituals.
They also address the strain of back-to-back meetings on the nervous system and suggest planning pauses, as well as practical supports during intense work periods (like keeping protein bars and water at your desk).
Heather and Barbara offer a document to guide the exercise and invite listeners to schedule a free consultation call for help applying the plan. A downloadable Action Plan Template is available at https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/self-care-action-guide
00:00 Welcome Back + Why Self-Care Matters More Than Ever
00:56 Entrepreneurial Burnout: You’re a Human, Not a Machine
04:18 The Self-Care Action Plan: Plan Ahead for Busy Seasons
05:31 Build Your Menu: Quick Refresh vs. Running Low vs. Danger Zone
07:03 Barbara’s 5-Minute Reset: The Chai Tea Latte Ritual
07:50 Triggered Before a Meeting? Resetting Your Brain & Focus
08:57 Protect Your Attention: Notifications, Boundaries, and Habits
10:08 Back-to-Back Days & Nervous System Recovery (15–30 Minute Recharges)
12:07 Launch Mode Survival Kit: Snacks, Water, and Realistic Supports
13:19 Whole Person Reminder + Next Steps, Free Call, and Wrap-Up
About the Hosts:
Coach Heather and Coach Barbara are the lead Executive Coaches of Empowering Leadership Teams. They specialize in helping entrepreneurial businesses and their teams meet the moment and become the most empowered they can be to work together and achieve optimal results. With deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and navigating organizational transition, they bring practical, actionable wisdom to leaders facing the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment.
Book a Coffee Chat:
https://www.empoweringleadershipteams.com/coffeechat
Subscribe & Review:
If you found value in this episode, please subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us create content that serves entrepreneurial leaders like you, and it helps other leaders discover these conversations.
Questions or topics you'd like us to address in future episodes? Send us a message at or leave a comment on our latest post.
Cheering You On!
