Burned Out and Over It: The Radical Act of Choosing Rest
May 25, 2025
Once upon a time, we thought burnout was a rite of passage. If you weren’t running on caffeine, stress, and vague existential dread, were you even doing adulthood right?
We used to wear our exhaustion like it was designer. We’d say things like “I’m soooo busy” with the same pride someone might announce they just got engaged. But spoiler alert: being tired 24/7 is not a personality trait. It’s a red flag. For us, it took a few stress meltdowns, a mysterious rash (probably anxiety), and a solid week of talking to each other solely in memes before we realized (maybe this whole hustle-til-you-drop thing isn’t it!?)
The Grind Is Not Your Bestie
Let’s be honest, hustle culture had us in a chokehold. We grew up thinking success looked like 60-hour workweeks, inboxes with zero unread emails (LOL), and side hustles stacked on top of full-time jobs like pancakes.
Rest? That was something we earned after proving ourselves. Like a treat. For dogs.
And it’s not just us. Millennials collectively have a PhD in burnout. We’re the generation that thought taking our laptop to the beach was “balance.” (It’s not. Sand in the keyboard = chaos.)
Our “Oh Crap, We’re Fried” Moment
Eventually, we hit a wall. We weren’t sleeping, we weren’t present, and one of us had an actual spreadsheet to keep track of stress symptoms. (Yes, really.)
So we did something radical: we stopped.
We slept in. We took breaks without guilt. We didn’t answer emails past 6 PM. And guess what? The universe didn’t implode. No one revoked our “productive human” membership card. In fact, we felt... dare we say... alive again?
Rest Is the New Flex
Here’s the thing: rest isn’t lazy. It’s revolutionary. Especially in a culture that’s constantly telling us we should be doing more, achieving faster, and turning every hobby into a monetized side hustle.
Rest says: “I’m enough even when I’m not producing.”
Rest says: “That 3-hour nap? Yeah, that was the meeting.”
Rest says: “My worth isn’t measured in unread Slack messages.”
We’re done confusing burnout with ambition. We’re done glamorizing busy. We’re done thinking a mental breakdown in a Trader Joe’s parking lot is a sign of grit.
What We're Doing Instead:
Setting boundaries like it’s our job (because it kind of is).
Saying no to things that drain us even if they sound fun in theory.
Taking breaks without narrating them to Instagram.
Romanticizing naps, long walks, and doing absolutely nothing productive.
Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Earn Rest
If you’re exhausted, you’re not alone. If you’re tired of pretending to be okay while your left eye twitches from stress… same.
This is your permission slip: take the nap. Cancel the plans. Say no to the extra project. Do less.
Because in this house, we don’t glorify burnout. We glorify rest, joy, and deep breaths that don’t come with a side of guilt.
Burnout is out. Soft mornings, slow living, and nervous system regulation? In.
Now excuse us, we’re off to do absolutely nothing (and we’re proud of it).
