The Wellbeing Illusion: Why Leaders Are Tired of Yoga at Lunch

Most workplace wellbeing fails because it’s disconnected from how people actually work and lead. It treats stress like an individual problem—and wellbeing as an optional extra. No wonder so many leaders roll their eyes at “yoga at lunch” while quietly burning out.

In my experience, it’s time for a different conversation.

The Performance Mask: Why Leaders Don’t Engage with Shallow Wellness

Let’s be honest: most leaders aren’t skipping lunch and breaking down at 3pm because they missed the lunchtime yoga class, or forgot to breathe. They’re doing it because the system around them rewards overextension, perfectionism, and “performance masks.”
When wellbeing initiatives ignore the culture that drives behaviour, they feel like lip service. Worse, they add pressure: “Do yoga, meditate, and don’t forget to hit your KPIs.”

That’s why so many leaders disengage, or worse - burn out. They don’t need another plastic, lip-service initiative – however well-meaning, well-intended. These leaders tell me that what they really need, is real, structural change.

Defining Wellbeing That Actually Matters: Clarity, Capacity, Connection

Real wellbeing is not a list of hacks. It’s a foundation for sustainable leadership and living, grounded in:

·       Clarity – Knowing what matters most, and being able to say no to what doesn’t.

·       Capacity – The energy, bandwidth, and resilience to navigate complexity without breaking down.

·       Connection – Trust, psychological safety, and human relationships that support collective thriving.

If your wellbeing strategy isn’t addressing these, it’s missing the mark.

The Myth of “Balance” — And What to Aim for Instead

We’re told to “find balance,” but balance is static. Life and leadership are dynamic.
What we actually need is flexibility: the ability to adjust, recalibrate, and honour different seasons of work and life. Let’s stop chasing an impossible ideal—and instead focus on rhythms, recovery, and aligned action.

Systems-Level Wellbeing: Culture, Policy, Permission

Leaders can’t meditate their way out of a system that burns them out.
Wellbeing must be built into the system:

·       Policies that support recovery, not just performance

·       Cultures that normalise boundaries and rest

·        Explicit permission to be human, not just a “high performer”

Without this, wellbeing initiatives are a plaster on a deeper wound.

Real Wellbeing Stories: What Helped, What Didn’t

I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders across sectors, and here’s what I hear most:
❌ “The wellness app felt like a box-tick.”
❌ “Yoga at lunch was nice, but it didn’t change the workload.”
✅ “Having a team that had each other’s backs made the difference.”
✅ “When I learned to say no and delegate, I felt human again.”
✅ “Psychological safety changed everything.”

Let’s learn from what actually works—and design accordingly.

Designing Wellbeing as Infrastructure, Not an Add-On

Wellbeing isn’t a perk. It’s the infrastructure for sustained performance, creativity, and resilience. It should be embedded in how we lead, make decisions, and structure work.
When we treat wellbeing as core, not a bonus, we unlock the potential for people and systems to truly thrive.

Want to build a workplace where wellbeing is more than a buzzword?
→ Explore how we can work together to embed Wellbeing in your Workplace
→ Invite Leisha to Speak on Sustainable Leadership