Many business leaders today are running on what feels like just “20 % battery,” according to David Ko, CEO of Calm, the world’s leading meditation and mental wellness app. Ko shared insights from a survey of more than 250 C-suite executives, revealing that while most leaders say they’re doing fine on the surface, deeper wellbeing indicators tell a different story. Nearly 48 % reported feeling overwhelmed, with a quarter admitting to anxiety or depression and 34 % saying they feel mentally drained much of the time. Nearly 40 % acknowledged struggling to stay mentally present at work, and about half have considered stepping down from their roles due to stress and exhaustion.

Ko used the metaphor of a phone battery to describe their energy — only one in four executives felt “fully recharged.”Most are pushing through roles critical to strategic decisions and organisational health while functioning with depleted mental reserves, which can impair judgement, engagement and leadership presence. This phenomenon of CEO burnoutisn’t just a personal issue; it can ripple across companies, leading to higher absenteeism, lower morale and reduced productivity throughout an organisation.

Highlighting the importance of mental health, Ko pointed out that companies investing in wellbeing and mindfulness tools often see better engagement and reduced burnout, reinforcing that leaders — like all employees — need support to maintain energy, focus and resilience amid increasing workplace pressures.