I Need A Break …..(From Life)

Is it just me, or do you sometimes feel more tired on a Monday than you do on a Friday? As much as the weekend is meant for recharging, between life’s never-ending to-do list and parenting duties, it often feels like we’re starting the week in need of rest instead of feeling refreshed!

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately, especially how the pressures of balancing work, family and self-care can add up and weigh us down—sometimes even more than we realise. It’s a conversation that keeps coming up with clients, friends and other women I know. It feels like we’re all carrying the same heavy load.

When we hear the word “burnout,” we often think of work - long hours, constant deadlines, and the unrelenting pressure to perform. The WHO even classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon. But is it time we broaden that definition?

More and more, I’m seeing burnout seeping into all corners of life. It’s not just the workplace that’s wearing women down - it’s life itself. I’ve had conversations with friends, clients, and colleagues who feel overwhelmed not just by work, but by the countless demands of modern living.

And I can relate.

Today’s reality for many women is that we’re expected to “do it all.” We work longer hours than previous generations, yet we also spend more time with our children. We manage the emotional and physical responsibilities of caring for aging parents who are living longer but often with complex health challenges.

And then there’s the ever-present pressure to keep up appearances. Social media bombards us with highlight reels that make us feel as though we should look a certain way, live a certain way and achieve specific goals to be deemed successful. We're more informed than ever about health and wellness, but this knowledge brings its own set of pressures—finding time to exercise, cook nutritious meals, balance career, family and everything in between.

And if that wasn't enough, technology blurs the lines between work and personal time. How often have you checked your work emails during dinner or on the weekend? The boundaries have dissolved, and our ability to truly disconnect feels like a distant memory.

The support networks previous generations relied on - extended families, communities are harder to come by, as we often live further apart. Instead, we’re trying to be everything to everyone and it’s exhausting.

All of this has left us lonelier than ever before.

I think it’s time we acknowledge a new form of burnout - life burnout. This isn’t just about work; it’s about the cumulative effect of constantly juggling every aspect of modern life.

And unlike work burnout, where we might have the option to take a leave or a break, how exactly do we take time off from life? And if we could, would we? The guilt that creeps in - the nagging voice that says we’re failing - makes the idea of stepping back seem impossible. We keep convincing ourselves that it’s just a phase, that things will get better if we push through.

But this isn’t just a passing phase. These conversations are happening more frequently and aren’t going away.

Life burnout is real and it’s time we start talking about it.

What are your thoughts? Are you seeing this too?

Wishing you a peaceful weekend ahead.

Warm wishes, Rosie