Secret diary: I have well and truly burned out I do love my job; the responsibility, the challenge and the daily fluctuation in decisions required to be made and debated ad I wouldn't give it up for the world. I face challenges on the board in terms of my age, and other domineering characters on the board, particularly when there are difficult discussions to be had. I however, realise that over the last few weeks, I haven't been giving what I normally can do. My team have even identified my waning energy levels, and my reduced patience which is not a good place to be. I can take a lot in terms of workload when I'm in good mental shape, but recently I feel my productivity waiver. So I've learned a valuable lesson and that is to make sure I don't let my batteries die out before recharging. That way I am able to give everything I have to the rest of my team, my board colleagues, the business and people across the entire organisation. My productivity will be maximised and I am generally a much better asset to have around. I'm sure I'm not the only single woman to experience this, but I bring this up because sometimes I know we can put work pressures first before life. I am of the belief that it is overworked, overwhelmed and under-pressure women who give themselves the hardest time - I know I'm guilty of that. What I don't want to see happen, is to completely burn out and become ineffective to the point, I'm not successful anymore. So, now I'm off to that beach in the Bahamas, bikinis in tow. There I will rest, recharge and plan my next holiday within a far more reasonable time.