By Bianca Schaefer

Leadership often comes with weight we never quite anticipate.

Even with the best systems, wisest planning, and the most careful delegation, life has a way of throwing us into the “spin cycle.” A sudden deadline. A last-minute crisis. A team conflict that erupts just as you thought everything was in place. When that happens, pressure rises, and it doesn’t just touch our schedules—it presses into our souls.

Pressure shows up physically: a racing heart, shallow breathing, a clenched jaw. It shows up emotionally too: irritation, anxiety, sadness, or even anger. Left unchecked, that pressure begins to wring us out like a soaked washcloth, squeezing out whatever is hidden inside. And honestly, sometimes what comes out isn’t pretty.

That’s why I like to think of pressure through the analogy of a washing machine. Clothes go in dirty, and the water and soap begin to churn. The agitation loosens the grime. Then comes the spin cycle, where everything feels like it’s being tossed and wrung out. It’s noisy, chaotic, and if you open the door too soon, it looks like a complete mess. But it’s also necessary. Without the agitation, nothing gets clean. Without the spin, nothing is ready to dry.

Leaders experience the same process. Pressure tests us. It reveals what’s in us. But it’s also the very thing God can use to purify us. Scripture reminds us: “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4). Pressure isn’t pointless. God uses it to refine us.

So, what do we do when we feel stuck in the spin cycle?

1. Step back and gain perspective.
Even a small pause—through prayer, a quiet walk, or simply taking a moment to breathe—creates space for God to reset your view. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

2. Run to God’s Word.
The Word of God is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). In pressure, it calms our souls, aligns our perspective, and reminds us we’re not carrying the load alone.

3. Call in your prayer warriors.
When the pressure feels spiritual, don’t fight alone. Surround yourself with those who will lift you up in prayer, just as Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ arms when he grew weary (Exodus 17:12).

4. Loosen your grip.
Tight fists signal control. Open hands signal surrender. When we unclench, we realize how much we’ve been striving. Jesus invites us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)