Too many women are leaving senior leadership because of stress, burnout, or a health scare. Meet TIDES, the framework I use as a Sr Leader in tech to lead and balance my mental and physical health.
I’ve watched it happen too many times. A talented woman, deep into a senior career, starts to pull back. She steps down, steps aside, or steps out. The reason is almost always some version of the same story: stress, burnout, or a health diagnosis that finally made her stop.
It isn’t a lack of ambition. The numbers back that up. In a 2026 ISACA survey of tech professionals, 64% of women reported work-related stress or burnout, compared with 57% of men.
I’m a Sr Leader in Silicon Valley, and I’m also a mom, a wife, and an entrepreneur. I know how it happens. The calendar fills up, the decisions pile on, home needs you too, and somewhere along the way you slide to the bottom of your own list.
I don’t think the answer is for women to leave. I think there’s a better way to lead.
Meet TIDES
TIDES is the foundation I use every day, and it has four key pillars.
Protect your energy.
Your energy is the most limited resource you have, and it’s the one women leaders spend last on themselves. We look at what drains you, what fuels you, and how to guard it before it runs out.
Manage your time to lead with influence.
Being busy isn’t the same as being impactful. TIDES helps you take control of your time so you show up as the leader you want to be, not just the person who responds fastest.
Drive decisions that matter.
Senior leaders make decisions all day, and they don’t all deserve the same energy. You’ll learn to focus on the ones that move the needle and put down the rest.
Create new strategies for self-care.
Self-care can’t be something you do “when things calm down,” because they don’t. Together we build habits that fit into your week as it actually is.
When it’s not just a calendar problem
Many women reach the peak of their careers right as another transition begins. Perimenopause often starts in the 40s, and for some women earlier. It can bring brain fog, fatigue, trouble concentrating, low mood, and a drop in confidence.
If you’re a high performer, it’s easy to blame yourself. I’m burned out. I’m losing my edge. Maybe I’m not cut out for this anymore. In reality, hormonal changes, chronic stress, and a packed schedule can overlap, and from the inside they’re hard to tell apart.
Research suggests this matters for retention. In one Society for Women’s Health Research report, 40% of women had considered looking for a new job because of menopause-related symptoms. Many of them never said a word at work.
I partner with Oova to bring you at home hormone tracking that looks at the whole picture, not just a snapshot of a point in time. I’m trained to help read your results and help you develop a plan. You can decide on next steps with your health care provider.
I’m not a doctor, and nothing here is a diagnosis. If something feels off, please talk to your physician. What I can do as a certified integrative health coach is help you notice patterns, understand how your energy, stress, and sleep interact, and build a plan around what you learn. You don’t have to push through it silently, and you don’t have to assume you’re failing.
The beliefs running in the background
Strategies only go so far if you’re running on beliefs that keep telling you to push. I should be able to handle this. If I slow down, I’ll fall behind. Taking care of myself is selfish.
I help my clients name those beliefs and decide whether they still serve them. This is often where the real shift happens. Once you understand what’s been holding you back, you can take back control and find a balance between work, home, and yourself that you can sustain.
One small thing to try this week
Look at your calendar for the next five days and find one meeting or commitment that doesn’t need you specifically. Delegate it, shorten it, or drop it. Then put something for your health in that space, even if it’s 20 minutes.
That’s how TIDES starts: one small trade at a time.
Ready to lead and balance your mental and physical health?
You can grow your career and protect your mental and physical health at the same time. I’d love to help you build the approach that makes that possible.
Or reach out with some times that work better for you to schedule a Free Discovery Call.
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