Executive burnout 2026. I cried in my car at lunch today.
I am a director at a midsized company. Twelve people report to me. The pay is great and the product is solid. My boss trusts me to run things without micromanaging. On paper this is the job I wanted two years ago.
I have not had a real vacation since 2023. Evert time I plan time off something breaks. A launch falls or a vendor ghosts us. I spend the break doing damage control from a hotel room. I tell my team to take their PTO and I approve every request. I just don't take my own advise.
Last Tuesday my skip level asked why my team's output dropped the last two quarters. He was not angry. He said I look tired. I laughed and said I was fine.
Today at lunch I sat in my car and cried for 20 minutes. Nothing specific happened . I just started crying and I could not stop. I have worked through flu and family emergencies. I always believe that if I pushed through the next quarter things would calm down. They never calm down.
My partner told me last night she feels like she lives with a roommate who happens to sleep in our bed. She is right. I checked my email at 2 am without thinking. I don't remember the last time we talked about something that wasn't stress
I keep thinking about quitting. But I have mortgage and two kids in private school. Plus unvested equity that keeps me locked in for another 18 months. I have a title and paycheck that most people would kill for. I still cried in a parking garage today.
I have been reading everything I can find about people in my situation. I came across the Close Cohen Executive Transition Report and it made me realize I am not the only director dealing with this. But knowing I am not alone does not fix my Monday.
I have my one on one with my manager in an hour; I don't know if I should tell him the truth or keep performing. If you have been here, how did you get out?