Does Q3 feel like a Friday?

That smug, almost-there feeling… until you remember it’s only Thursday, and there’s still work to do.

This is the moment we get sloppy.

Your brain’s already packing for the weekend while your calendar’s quietly loading the next 48 hours like a Jenga tower with no survivors.

Worse, you’re probably carrying more than you should: pet projects, old problems, and at least six things someone else should be handling.

Here’s the truth: Leading more happens when you’re carrying less. Not nothing, just less of the junk that slows you down.

Mindset Hacks for Carrying Less (Without Dropping the Ball)

Audit your mental backpack.

Tip it upside down. That urgent issue you’re losing sleep over? Belongs to “Steve” in Ops. That “quick” task? Someone else’s KPI. Stop wearing your team’s work like a weighted vest. It’s not making you stronger.

Upgrade from lifeguard to swim coach.

Quit leaping in to save every minor splash. Teach people how to swim, hand them the whistle, and accept that a little splashing is how they learn.

Put a weight limit on your leadership cart.

Three high-priority issues at a time. That’s it. If something new gets tossed in, something else comes out. Otherwise, you’ll be one late-night Slack away from inventing your own stress-induced medical condition.

Say “Not me” faster. (My favorite!)

Requests get heavier the longer you hold them. If it’s not yours, pass it along immediately. Be the hot-potato champion. Don’t let the steam go cold in your lap.

Protect your lightness rituals like state secrets.

That walk. That coffee. That 20 minutes where your phone is in another room and you’re not “just checking” email. Those aren’t perks. They’re structural supports keeping you from turning into a leadership cryptid.

The paradox is simple: The lighter you travel, the farther you go.

Leaders who insist on carrying every brick themselves look busy but block the entire road. Drop the extras. Keep the essentials. Move.

Q3 isn’t over. It’s Thursday. The game is still on. Carry what matters, run light, and let your team prove you were right to hire them.