28/06/2026
"Burnout isn't real."
I saw that headline recently.
It stopped me.
Not because it was new...
But because I hear versions of this in workplaces all the time.
"Just push through."
"That's just part of the job."
But here's what I see in my work.
High-performing, capable people who look like they're doing well...
but internally, they're exhausted and doing everything they can to hold it all together.
Not because they're weak.
Not because they lack resilience.
Here's what I've learned: burnout is rarely caused by one thing.
Sometimes it's excessive workload.
Sometimes it's poor leadership or a workplace culture that keeps people in survival mode.
And sometimes it's the invisible pressure we place on ourselves—perfectionism, people-pleasing, overachieving, or believing we always have to keep pushing.
More often than not, it's a combination of all of these.
Burnout isn't a failure.
It's a signal.
A signal that something needs to change.
Sometimes that's the environment we're working in.
Sometimes it's the expectations we're carrying.
And often, it's both.
Because pressure isn't going away.
That's the reality of modern work and life.
Organisations have a responsibility to create psychologically healthy workplaces where people can perform at their best.
But while we continue to improve our workplaces, there is also something within our control.
We can build the skills to respond more effectively to stress and pressure.
That's why I believe Mental Flexibility is one of the most protective skills against burnout—and the research supports it.
Not because it removes stress or pressure,
but because it changes our relationship with it.
It helps us notice what's happening, regulate our response, adapt to challenges, and choose actions that protect both our wellbeing and our performance.
Pressure may be inevitable. How we respond is a skill we can build.
What if we spent just as much time building the mental skills that protect us from burnout as we do talking about burnout itself?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
