What if real resilience also meant knowing when to say, “I need a break”? More and more, we’re starting to wonder whether “resilience” has become the new word used to justify burnout. Let’s be clear: resilience is a valuable quality. But how far can we push it before it becomes a burden instead of a strength?
This article isn’t meant to offer ready-made solutions. It’s meant to spark a reflection on the often invisible line between perseverance and overadaptation.
When High Performance Masks Burnout
In many workplaces, the line between high performance and burnout is increasingly blurred. Just because someone performs well doesn’t mean they’re doing well. The two can coexist…until it all falls apart.
According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is the ability to “bounce back from difficult events.” But in many contexts, we’re no longer bouncing back. We’re pushing forward, exhausted, without ever really recovering.
Why Are We Talking About This So Much Now?
There’s a reason this topic resonates right now. We’ve just lived through a period of repeated disruptions: a global pandemic, constant organizational changes, increased workloads, staff shortages, performance pressure, economic uncertainty, etc. And through it all, the word “resilience” kept coming up like a mantra.
We were told to adapt, bounce back, stay calm, and keep going. We praised those who held it all together, who carried the weight without complaining, who stayed “positive” no matter what. But the word has lost much of its meaning through overuse. Resilience has quietly become a new kind of expectation: “Be resilient, quickly. And preferably without making noise.”
Functional Fatigue: When You’re Standing, But Barely Holding On
The most misleading thing? You can be highly productive and still be burning out from the inside.
You keep showing up. You meet deadlines. You check the boxes. But you don’t recharge. You wake up already tired. You stay connected late into the evening. You reply to messages while eating lunch, sit through meetings without absorbing anything, forget basic things, and snap at people more easily.
And on the surface? Everything looks fine. That’s what makes functional fatigue so tricky.
We become masters at pretending everything’s okay. At acting energized. At making it seem normal to never unplug. This kind of silent, steady, exhausting resilience is often celebrated, but it leads straight to exhaustion.
Our bodies give us signs. Our minds do too. But as long as we’re productive, we tell ourselves it’s “not that bad.” Until it breaks.
What If the Problem Is Cultural?
This widespread fatigue isn’t just an individual issue. It’s also cultural. In many organizations, performance has become a non-negotiable priority. We celebrate speed, availability, and pressure-handling skills, without always questioning the human cost.
In some teams, responding to emails at 10 p.m. is seen as a badge of honor. Taking a proper lunch break feels like a rebellious act. Saying no to a task is interpreted as not being committed. Even “wellness programs” sometimes feel like one more thing on a packed to-do list, offered with good intentions, but poorly integrated into the workflow.
In this kind of culture, resilience gets rebranded as a productivity hack. A resilient employee is someone who stays steady, even in difficult times, adjusts constantly, and pushes through, no matter how unreasonable the ask.
But is that what healthy work looks like? Aren’t we confusing strength with overadaptation? And more importantly: who today can say “I’m tired” without being judged, sidelined, or seen as disengaged?
5 Ways to Protect Your Energy Without Losing Your Drive
Resilience shouldn’t be a silent requirement. It should be the ability to bounce back—with support, not alone.
Here are five—not magical, but essential—ways to protect your energy while staying committed to your work.
1.Recognize your own warning signs
Fatigue doesn’t always hit all at once. It creeps in. Less restorative sleep. Irritability. Loss of motivation. Difficulty concentrating. Listening to yourself, without brushing it off, is the first real act of prevention.
- Bring back the value of stopping
We’ve learned to perform, to deliver, to power through. But many of us have forgotten how to stop. Taking a break isn’t weakness, it’s a long-term strategy.
Even machines need maintenance. Why not us?
- Ask for help (and build cultures where that’s safe)
Talking about fatigue, limits, or the need for support shouldn’t be taboo. Whether it’s with a peer, a manager, or a mental health professional, help is a resource, not a luxury. The more we normalize these conversations, the more we create environments where people truly feel safe.
- Rethink your performance standards
Being committed doesn’t mean being available 24/7.
Often, it’s our own expectations that burn us out. Learning to say “good enough” instead of “perfect,” to say no, to set limits, these are signs of professional maturity, not laziness.
- Make real room for real breaks
Not just scrolling in between Zoom calls. Real breaks: going for a walk, breathing, stretching, truly disconnecting. It’s not about stopping everything. It’s about creating rhythm so your energy flows, rather than drains.
Redefining Resilience at Work
True resilience isn’t a never-ending sprint.
It’s a rhythm: go, pause, breathe, go again.
Taking care of yourself is also a way of taking care of your work. A clear mind, a rested body, and sustained energy are the foundations of long-term performance, and a meaningful life.
So next time you feel like you’re hanging in there, but barely, remember: knowing when to stop is also a form of strength.
Source : American Psychological Association, apa.org
