Why Vulnerable Toddlers Are Better At Boundaries Than CEOs
What your child's eating habits reveal about the missing skill in modern leadership
My child has never read a productivity book, attended a wellness seminar, or hired a life coach. Yet she's already mastered what most adults never learn.
We did baby-led weaning when they were small. Children who learn to eat this way are naturally attuned to their own hunger. They know when they're full and push the food away.
Last week, I watched my youngest push away her plate of pasta mid-bite, shake her head firmly, and slide down from her chair. No guilt, no forcing herself to finish "just a few more bites" - she was done, and she knew it.
Here's what I do instead: I finish the entire project even when I'm mentally spent. I say yes to another commitment when my calendar is already choking. I keep going until I crash.
Somehow, between childhood and adulthood, we lose this natural ability to read our internal signals. We've been taught to "clean our plates" - both literally and metaphorically.
Why are we so bad at noticing when we're "full"? We keep taking on more, even when exhausted. We force-feed ourselves tasks and commitments even when our system is crying out "I'm full!"
How do we get better at reading our own signals and honouring what our minds and bodies actually need?
Here are four lessons I've picked up:
1. Notice your signals ("I feel full")
Children pause naturally during meals - they'll stop mid-chew and assess whether they want more. As adults, we've lost this pause. Stress narrows us down - our attention tunnels in, our vision narrows, our bodies shift into survival mode. That's not the moment to keep piling more on your plate.
Last Friday, I noticed I was at capacity. Instead of grinding through two proposals like I'd planned, I took a long walk. I got lost, the walk was longer than I intended, but it was exactly what I needed to reset. Like choosing a light salad when your body is crying out for something fresh rather than forcing down another heavy meal.
2. Match your workload to your energy ("Choose fruit, not heavy carbs")
Children naturally crave what their bodies need. On hot days, they want ice lollies. When they're poorly, they go off heavy foods and want something gentle. Some days you've got capacity for deep, demanding work. Other days, lighter, more spacious tasks are what fit best.
Not everyone can change their schedule at a moment's notice - if you're the CEO of a multimillion pound company, last-minute changes might be impossible. But most of us have some flexibility. Postpone a heavy strategic session if you can. Swap in something that suits your current energy levels, choosing thinking space over detailed work when that's what you can actually digest.
3. Widen your field of vision ("Balance your plate")
When children feel unwell, they instinctively reach for simple, comforting foods. When we stare at a screen for hours, our vision tunnels - and with it, our nervous system stays stuck in stress mode. Simply lifting your gaze, looking around, or better yet, stepping into open space, widens your perspective.
Research shows this activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the part that calms and restores you). For me, a walk in nature (especially in vast, open spaces) does the trick every time. That Friday walk was exactly what I needed to rejuvenate and come back feeling focused and energised.
4. Say no or delegate ("I don't have to eat this")
Children have zero shame about refusing food they don't want. "No thank you," they'll say, pushing the plate away without a second thought. Not every task belongs to you. Not every opportunity needs your "yes." Sometimes, the healthiest thing you can do is to pass it on or decline altogether.
Protecting your energy isn't selfish, it's what allows you to keep showing up sustainably. You can share your workload with others, delegate what doesn't suit you, or simply refuse what doesn't serve you.
To sum up
Children are experts at stopping when they're full.
They eat when hungry, stop when satisfied, and never apologise for knowing their own needs. Maybe the real productivity hack isn't about cramming more in - but about remembering how to stop when enough is enough.
Trust your fullness. Honour your appetite. And remember, there's no prize for finishing everything on your plate.
Got a toddler eating / boundary breaking story to share? I’d love to hear it.
Have a great week.
P.S. If you enjoyed this article, please click the 🤍 to let me know, and share it with friends and colleagues to remind them that it's okay to listen to their bodies once in a while.