What 80-Hour Weeks Actually Do to Your Brain

A few years ago, I found myself giving the exact same answer to every question:

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

But I wasn’t fine. I was missing things in meetings. I’d reread the same sentence five times and still not absorb it. I was working more, producing less, and convincing myself that was just the cost of leadership.

Then I read something that hit me sideways:

Which is kind of a problem… when strategy is your job.

The leadership world has a funny way of romanticizing burnout. We turn long hours into a kind of performance art. We treat exhaustion as proof of ambition. But the science doesn’t back that up.

When we’re constantly “on,” our brains can’t reset:

• Cortisol floods our system, impairing memory and focus

• Neuroplasticity slows

• Emotional regulation tanks—cue reactive decisions and tense team convos

And yet, we keep doubling down.

So instead of writing 1,000 more words about it, here’s a short breakdown that says it better—animated, even:

You might watch it and shrug. You might watch it and start building boundaries. Either way, the knowledge is useful.

And here’s the real leadership flex:

Knowing when to pause is more powerful than always pushing through.

Best,
Peter Delle