Feb. 19 at 7:31 PM
Sarah London, CEO of Centene, says the intense schedule she adopted after taking the helm in 2022—becoming the youngest woman to lead a Fortune 500 company—left her burned out and no more effective at work.
In her first nine months, London woke at 4 a.m. to review materials, stopped exercising and barely saw her children. A comment from one of her kids noticing how stressed she seemed prompted her to reassess. She realized the exhaustion was draining her energy and “wasn’t actually making me better” at her job.
London began working with an executive coach to reset priorities and build sustainable habits. Today, she treats sleep and exercise as non-negotiables, aiming for seven hours of rest per night, and stays disciplined about protecting personal time. Reading fiction is also a key outlet, helping her recharge mentally.
$CNC