Stop Being a Manager, Start Being the CEO of Your Life
April 09, 2025
There's a lot of talk about mothers, especially working mothers, being the "CEO of the household." It's a concept that's meant to acknowledge the immense cognitive load that comes with managing everyone's schedules, needs, and emotions, on top of professional responsibilities.
But here's the problem: most Physician moms who describe themselves as household CEOs aren't actually functioning as CEOs at all. They're functioning as managers – and often overworked, underappreciated ones at that.
The CEO vs. Manager Distinction
Think about actual CEOs for a moment. While it's easy to criticize figures like Jeff Bezos, their approach to time and energy management offers valuable lessons. Is Jeff Bezos:
Cooking every meal?
Cleaning his house?
Doing school drop-offs and pickups?
Handling customer service calls?
Taking work home at night?
Of course not. He's getting eight hours of sleep because he knows he needs to be well-rested to make critical high-level decisions for his company. That's what a CEO does.
When you're doing everything, worrying about everybody, and burning yourself out, you're not being a CEO. You're being a manager – managing your spouse, managing your children, managing your office, managing every detail.
The Burnout Connection
As Physicians, we experience burnout in our clinical work when we start doing other people's jobs – when we're handling administrative tasks, doing work that should be delegated to staff, or operating below our license.
So why do we accept this same dynamic at home, and then label it as being a "CEO"?
True Delegation vs. Wishful Thinking
A real CEO understands the power of delegation – and I don't mean the kind of imaginary delegation where you expect others to read your mind, then get upset when they don't.
True delegation involves:
Clearly requesting that a task be done
Training so the person knows how to do it properly
Letting them do it their way
Accepting how it is done (even if it's different from how you'd do it)
Checking in and providing constructive feedback
Letting it go – trusting them to handle it moving forward
CEOs have teams working with and for them to make their lives easier and, most importantly, to free up their time, mental space, and energy for what truly matters.
The Highest and Best Use of Your Time
As a Physician mom, the highest and best use of your time is not micromanaging every household detail. It's:
Having quality time with your children
Growing closer and more connected with your partner
Becoming the type of Physician you dreamed of being during all those years of training
That's what being the CEO of your life actually means – operating at the highest level, delegating effectively, and focusing your energy on what only you can do.
Envisioning Your CEO Life
Imagine having a team reporting to you who know what they're supposed to do because you've trained them well. They feel empowered because you've let go of tasks and allowed them to bring their own excellence to the work.
In this scenario, everyone feels supported because you're functioning as the true CEO of your life. You have time to dream, to rest, and to enjoy your relationships and career.
This is what being the CEO can look like when done right. This is what you deserve after all the years of hard work and sacrifice to become a Physician.
Taking the First Step
Transitioning from manager to CEO doesn't happen overnight. It requires:
Honest assessment of where you're currently operating below your "license" at home
Strategic delegation of tasks that don't require your unique skills
Training your "team" (whether that's family members or hired help)
Letting go of perfectionism and control
Focusing on the high-level activities that only you can do
As Physician moms, we're used to excellence and precision. But sometimes the most excellent thing we can do is recognize when a task doesn't need our expertise, and allow others to handle it in their own way.
You've earned the right to operate as the CEO of your life – making the big decisions, setting the vision, and enjoying the journey. It's time for that promotion.
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