Some days, a task you can usually manage feels unusually heavy. I’m writing this on a Sunday, because I ran out of time during the week. Today, I’m tired.
Have you had those days? You stare at the details. You struggle to generate an idea. Someone asks another question, and you feel your patience slipping. You care about the work. But you’re already tired, and this assignment seems to take whatever energy you have left.
Working Genius gives us language for those moments. Each of us has two areas of Working Frustration: types of work that tend to drain our joy and energy. We may learn to perform them well, but they still cost us something.
When we’re already depleted, that cost can feel much higher.
If Tenacity is a frustration, tracking the last details of a project may feel especially taxing after a demanding week. If Wonder is a frustration, exploring future possibilities may feel exhausting when you’re desperate for a clear next step.
This is where Working Genius connects with Capacity, one of the foundations of Grounded Leadership.
Capacity includes how we nourish our bodies, move, and sleep. It also includes—and requires—rest. A down day. A time when we aren’t producing, solving, responding, or being available to everyone. As leaders, we can all struggle with this. We take a day off but fill it with errands. We sit down but keep checking messages. Even our rest becomes something to accomplish.
Before judging yourself—or someone else—pause and ask:
What is this work asking of me, what altitude of work am I at, and have I given myself room to recover?
Then consider four practical adjustments.
Name the drain early.
“I’m tired, and this work takes a lot out of me” is useful information. Recognizing it gives you a chance to respond intentionally before frustration shapes your presence.
Invite someone in.
You can own the outcome and still ask for help. Invite someone to use their Geniuses to help with the work. Be specific about what you need.
Give the work a boundary.
Clarify what “done” means. Take a break, work the project in parts, and when possible, schedule demanding work for a time when you have more energy available.
Protect actual downtime.
This might be the most important bullet point. Make space for a day with fewer demands and no expectation to achieve something. Enjoy a slow morning. Spend time outside. Let something wait. Permit yourself to leave the day unfilled.
Working in your geniuses can bring energy, but every job requires all six geniuses… be aware of what altitudes we get your best joy and energy from; schedule taxing work when you have your best to give.
Grounded leaders take responsibility for the work, their capacity, and their recovery.
Sometimes the most responsible next step is to close the laptop, let the work wait, and take a down day. Linger over some coffee in the morning, walk without a purpose, have a long conversation, and notice the beauty around you.