World Mental Health Day 2025: Leading with Resilience in a Fast-Paced World
LEADING UNDER PRESSURE: THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE FOR DIRECTORS
In today’s professional environment — particularly in London’s fast-moving corporate landscape — pressure is often seen as part of the job. Deadlines, client expectations, and the constant pace of business can take their toll on even the most experienced leaders. On World Mental Health Day 2025, Voscap Business Recovery reflects on how resilience and openness can protect mental health in senior roles — and how leadership can foster healthier workplaces.
THE WEIGHT OF DECISION-MAKING
For directors and senior leaders, isolation can be one of the toughest challenges. As Managing Director David Voskou explains:
“At the end of the day, the final decision lies with you. You listen to your team, you take in all the advice, but ultimately the choice is yours. Sometimes it feels like being at a crossroads — you’re managing high risks, and you must live with the pressure that comes with those decisions.”
David highlights that the ability to manage this pressure comes with both practice and perspective:
“It takes mental practice not to worry about the risks too much. You know you’ll always lose somewhere — maybe 5–10% — but you accept that and move forward. I believe I’ve been successful because experience has taught me how to make the right calls.”
For him, support comes from surrounding himself with strong people — both within the business and through trusted third parties outside it.
BUILDING A SUPPORTIVE CULTURE
A key part of managing stress in business recovery is culture. At Voscap, leadership is about creating a safe environment where conversations about stress, burnout, and mental health are not only accepted but encouraged.
“By keeping my door open and being honest about my own feelings, I show people it’s okay not to be perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and those weaknesses shouldn’t be criticised but supported. I try to build a culture where one person’s strength supports another’s weakness.”
Beyond openness, Voscap also provides practical resources, such as access to confidential therapy sessions.
“Being open myself has created a sense of comfort, so others feel they can be open too.”
MANAGING TIME AND PRESSURE
For many professionals, the greatest stress trigger isn’t the work itself but the lack of time to do it.
“The biggest trigger is time — or rather, not having enough of it. I often feel like I’m constantly catching up with different things, all while carrying the pressure of working efficiently to support both the company and our staff.”
To combat this, David focuses on organisation and boundaries — keeping emails under control, ensuring meetings run efficiently, and setting aside time for family and switching off.
“That balance is what helps me stay grounded and manage the pressure.”
CONCLUSION: SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IN BUSINESS
World Mental Health Day is a reminder that mental health matters at every level of business. For directors, it’s about managing the pressures of leadership without becoming isolated. For teams, it’s about creating cultures of openness, support, and resilience.
At Voscap, we know that financial stress can often be the root cause of wider mental strain for directors and business owners. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the financial pressures of running a company, know that confidential advice and support are available.
📞 020 7769 6831
📩 help@voscap.co.uk
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ABOUT VOSCAP
Voscap’s primary objective is to save your business. Our team of experts’ knowledge in restructuring and turnaround assignments is invaluable when assessing the best option available to your needs. With experience spanning several decades, we have the skill and resources to provide viable solutions within all industry sectors. All organisations go through difficult times and we are here to help. From small to multi-million turnover businesses, we have dealt with the most complex of cases. We offer an initial free assessment in analysing your financial position and providing clear and precise advice making your experience a simple non-complicated process.