Dr Ula: Present, but not really here
- Dr Ula Heywood
- May 28
- 3 min read
You’re still showing up—still making the calls, still sitting in the meetings, still getting things done. But quietly, something’s changed. This isn’t a business problem you can solve. It’s presenteeism—a health problem, and potentially a life problem.
You used to feel sharp. Grounded. In control. Now your mind’s cloudy. You snap more easily. The joy’s gone flat. You’re reacting more than leading—and dragging your energy behind you like a weight.
This isn’t burnout. It’s not depression. It’s not “just getting older.”
It’s presenteeism. And it’s a slow, silent drain on everything you care about.
What is presenteeism?
Presenteeism refers to the act of attending work while physically or mentally unwell, resulting in reduced productivity, impaired performance, and often, worsening of health. Unlike absenteeism (not showing up to work), presenteeism is less visible but often more costly to individuals and organisations.
Presenteeism is when you’re technically functioning—but not at your best. It’s when the lights are on, but no one’s really home.
You’re at your desk, but the ideas don’t come. You’re with your team, but you’re not really present. You’re at dinner with your partner, but your mind is numb or somewhere else.
For senior executives, it’s common—and it’s costly.
The data backs it: research found 1 in 4 Kiwi workers experience presenteeism, draining up to 33% of productivity from businesses.
But it’s not just a business problem. It’s a health (and potentially a life) problem.
Why it hits high performers hard
If you’re a senior leader, you’re expected to keep going. To be clear, decisive, inspirational. To lead teams, steer strategy, and hold space for everyone else.
But under the surface, you’re running on empty. And hiding it well.
Most high performers don’t talk about it. They just push harder. More caffeine. More control. More late nights catching up. But the harder you push, the more you drift from who you were—and who you want to be.
This isn’t about weakness. It’s about metabolic dysfunction.
It’s not all in your head
Presenteeism isn’t just psychological. It’s physiological.
It’s the effect of long-term stress, poor sleep, processed food, relentless pace, and zero recovery. It’s what happens when your body’s internal systems—blood sugar, hormones, inflammation, mitochondria—begin to unravel quietly in the background.
You don’t need a diagnosis to be dysfunctional. You can be “fine” on paper—and still feel totally off.
That’s metabolic dysfunction. And it changes how you think, lead, love, and live.
What presenteeism looks like
In the boardroom:
You’re foggy, reactive, forgetful
You default to short-term thinking
You feel disconnected from your team
At home:
You snap at your partner
You scroll instead of connect
You feel flat, even with people you love
Inside:
You wonder where your spark went
You miss the version of you that felt switched on
You carry quiet guilt—and try to outrun it
You’re not failing. Your system is just out of sync.
Why it matters
Because presenteeism doesn’t just affect your output. It affects how you lead. How you relate. How you show up—in meetings, in parenting, in partnership, in presence.
This is your one life. And you shouldn’t have to white-knuckle your way through it.
What if you didn’t have to push so hard?
At Autonomy, we work with people like you—leaders, professionals, high performers—who’ve noticed that something’s off, and want a real way forward.
We don’t do band-aids. We get to the root cause.
We start with real data: advanced medical testing to uncover what’s going on in your mind and body. Then we guide you—doctor and coach, side by side—through a tailored health transformation.
We help you rebuild energy, clarity, focus, and presence—on your terms.
Because when your biology works for you, so does everything else.
It’s not too late
You haven’t lost your edge. You’ve just been surviving on fumes.
Presenteeism isn’t who you are. It’s where you are. And it can change—if you’re ready to stop pretending you’re fine and start rebuilding what matters.
You’re still in the room. Let’s get you back in the game.
Let's get to work book your Discovery Consultation today
Dr. Ula Co-Founder and Lead Physician, Autonomy
