Burnout almost became a trend, an aesthetic on social media of coffee cups, candles lit, people sitting at their desk posting with hashtags such as #Thegrindneverstops. But here’s the truth: hustle culture is outdated. It’s not a trend to hop on – it’s one to hop off. Because beneath the shiny images, there’s a truly exhausted person.

I know this because I’ve pushed myself too far, a few too many times. Balancing a full-time job, this blog, and other projects, I often spread myself too thin. Burnout used to hit me frequently. I used to tell myself ‘it’s okay, I’ll just recover after this busy period’. But the truth? The recovery is always far longer and harder than it needs to be. And spoiler alert? It hasn’t led to me becoming an overnight success. 

Stepping into the new year, as cliché as it may be, is a great opportunity to begin taking better care of ourselves. And I don’t mean just by taking hot baths, lighting candles and doing a five-minute meditation and calling it self-care. I mean going deeper, redefining what success and enjoyment actually looks like to you. 

Success isn’t just about what you achieve at work or school (or working until you collapse). It’s also about rest, setting boundaries, and carving out time for yourself, even when the week feels too full to do so. Life passes by quickly, so why be stuck on autopilot for most of it?

Just in case you needed another reason to convince you, trying things out of the norm is actually good for our cognitive health, and can impact our happiness.  At the end of each week, ask yourself: How did I look after myself? Make sure you always have an answer. Sometimes the response will be a hot bath, but as long as you truly mean it, that’s perfect. 

I’ve learned that we have to be our own best friends. During tough moments, the person who carries you through is yourself. Choosing rest, compassion and balance, doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. In fact, it means you’re investing time and energy into the person that matters most…you.