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5 Boundaries To Help PMs Avoid Burnout (and Still Deliver)

Leadership doesn't have to come at your expense.

Author

Tanesha B. Scott
June 23, 2025

Hey there, PM Community!

Let’s be honest. No certification course on project management teaches you how to lead when you’re exhausted.

TL;DR
Managing projects is one thing. Managing your capacity to care? That’s leadership. Protect your peace like it’s part of the project plan — because it is.

They teach you how to plan.
They teach you how to deliver.
They teach you how to control scope.

But no one teaches you how to protect your peace when the pressure doesn’t let up.

And if you’re like me, you’ve learned (maybe the hard way) that burnout doesn’t show up overnight. It creeps in slowly — and it’ll take your energy and identity with it if you don’t set boundaries.

After years of managing people, projects, and priorities, I had to start managing something else: myself.

Here are 5 unspoken rules that help me preserve my energy without compromising my impact.

  1. Every urgent meeting doesn’t need your attendance. Be present where your presence makes a difference, not just where it’s expected.

  2. You’re allowed to pause before responding. Slowing down your yes is part of your strategy (and so is saying no).

  3. You don’t have to provide you’re working by being visible all day. Quiet days are productive days. Visibility ≠ Value.

  4. Your emotional capacity matters too. If you’re drained, you’re not deciding. You’re reacting. Instead, take time and space to recalibrate.

  5. The project can be a priority without making you an afterthought. Your leadership doesn’t have to come at your expense.

Admittedly, self-preservation doesn’t always feel productive, and it’s not always granted to you. You’ll have fight for your balance when it’s not a standard in your workplace.

Not once. Not twice.
But again and again.

Because in a world that rewards hustle, it’s important that you reward yourself with rest.

This is your permission:
✦ Say no.
✦ Take the PTO.
✦ Block your calendar.
✦ Let the project pause if it means you get to stay whole.

You’re not just managing the project. You’re also managing your capacity to care.

— and that matters.

So, what does this mean?
These aren’t just reminders. They’re boundaries.
Boundaries are a leadership skill.
Having them doesn’t make you less of a leader.
They help you last as one.

💬 What’s a boundary (unspoken or known) you use for self-care and preservation? Hit reply. I’d love to hear about your PM preservation tips.

Until next shift,
Tanesha
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