“But you don’t look burnt out.”
If I only had a naira for every time I heard this, I might just fund my entire recovery season and beyond. Sigh!

The thing is, burnout doesn’t have “a look”. It’s silent, sneaky, and so misunderstood. It doesn’t always look like sobbing into your keyboards, collapsing mid-meeting, or passing out in bed at night. Sometimes, it looks like over-smiling on Zoom. Other times, it’s helping everyone else while quietly disappearing inside.

As someone who is still living through the full arc—from denial to depletion, and slowly into recovery—I’ve realized that burnout myths are part of what keeps us burnt out. They make us doubt what we feel. They push us to keep pushing. And they give false hope or timelines for healing.

So let’s talk about them—openly and honestly. Even as we recognize that sometimes, we may not always be able to take the breaks we need when we need them. Which also means our recovery may not happen the way we think it will.

So, here goes:

Myth 1: “Burnout only happens to people who hate their jobs or families.”

Why we believe it:
Because burnout is often associated with stress, we assume it only affects those in toxic workplaces or jobs they dislike, or with families with toxic dynamics. And we forget that burnout could also be because of stress in other aspects of our lives apart from work. Or because of stressors we can’t do away with. Like caregiving, for instance.

Why it’s wrong:
Burnout doesn’t discriminate. It can hit passionate people, purpose-driven professionals, caregivers, perfectionists, and high achievers who love their work and their families—but forget to love themselves. In fact, loving your work and families can make burnout more likely, because you override your own limits for a cause you believe in.

What to do instead:
Check in with yourself regularly—even if you love your job and your caregiving roles. Monitor not just how productive you are, but how rested, joyful, and resourced you feel. Passion is powerful, but it needs boundaries.

Myth 2: “You’re just tired. You just need a weekend off or a short vacation to bounce back.”

Why we believe it:
Because we’re conditioned to think rest = laziness, and that productivity is the solution to everything, we believe a quick break will “fix” us. This is perhaps the most pervasive myth. A week on the beach, and we’ll be good to go, right? Sadly, wrong!

Why it’s wrong:
Burnout is not acute stress—it’s chronic depletion. An insidious blend of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (that cynical, detached feeling), and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. A weekend away may help you catch your breath, but it doesn’t address the root causes.

It won’t rebuild what’s been eroded over months (or years): your nervous system regulation, identity, confidence, or sense of meaning. When you return, if nothing else has changed, the same stressors and patterns will likely pull you right back into the burnout spiral. It’s like putting a band-aid on a broken bone.

What to do instead:
Think of recovery as a season, not a sprint. You need a holistic approach that includes sustained rest, nervous system support, new habits, community, and often, professional guidance to examine the systemic issues contributing to your burnout – whether it’s an unsustainable workload, lack of control, unsupportive environment, or a mismatch in values.  Rest is crucial, yes, but it’s only one piece of a much larger, more complex puzzle. It’s not just about stopping—it’s about rebuilding your life from the inside out. And this takes time!

Myth 3: “Only weak people burn out. If you’re strong enough, you can just push through burnout “

Why we believe it:
In cultures that idolize endurance and toughness, admitting burnout is seen as failure or weakness. We’re often taught to be resilient, to persevere, to “grit it out.” This belief stems from a culture that values strength and equates struggling with weakness. Admitting burnout can thus feel like admitting failure. It’s whispered, not owned.

Similar myths I have heard in line with this are:

Christians do not burn out; we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Africans do not burn out; that’s a “foreign” concept.

And so, we keep pushing through, and it only makes recovery harder and longer for us.

Why it’s wrong:
Burnout often happens to the strongest, most compassionate, and most capable people—the ones who carry too much, for too long, without help. It’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign that you’ve been strong for too long, under too much pressure, without adequate support. It’s your body and mind sending you a blaring alarm signal that your current way of coping is no longer sustainable and something needs to change.

Pushing through only exacerbates the problem, digging you deeper into the hole. This can lead to severe mental and physical health issues, from chronic anxiety and depression to heart problems and a compromised immune system. Ignoring these signals is not brave; it’s self-destructive.

What to do instead:
First of all, replace shame with self-compassion. Listen to your body and mind. Normalize rest. Be kind to yourself the way you’d be to a friend or colleague. This might mean saying “no” more often, seeking professional help (therapy, coaching, medical advice), or taking a complete break, if possible.

Reframe your understanding of strength: it’s not about how much you can endure, but how well you can care for yourself and adapt when your current approach is no longer serving you. True strength lies in acknowledging your limits and prioritizing your well-being. It is not the absence of struggle—it’s the courage to slow down and heal, especially when it’s against the norm. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s essential for sustained performance and overall health.

Myth 4: “Burnout recovery is a linear process. You’ll be back to your old self in no time.”

Why we believe it:
Because we want recovery to be linear, predictable, and quick. And because people around us may not understand the invisible layers of healing. Sometimes, we don’t even understand them ourselves. We crave certainty and clear endpoints. We want to know exactly when we’ll “be over” burnout, like recovering from a cold. This linear thinking offers a sense of control and predictability.

I’m honestly still struggling with this as I navigate post-burnout depletion, and daily have to remind myself to be patient with myself and the process.

Why it’s wrong:
Burnout recovery is rarely, if ever, a straight line. It’s a winding road with twists, turns, and sometimes, frustrating setbacks. There will be good days and bad days. You might feel a surge of energy only to crash again, or old patterns might resurface. It’s often nonlinear—two steps forward, one (or three) back. This isn’t a failure; it’s a normal part of the healing process. Burnout fundamentally shifts how you relate to stress, work, and even yourself, and it takes time to rewire these connections.

Burnout recovery is not about returning to your old self. That self was running on fumes. Recovery asks you to become someone newer, slower, truer. It’s a slow journey of unlearning and relearning almost everything you thought you knew about yourself, and the systems that used to work for you.

What to do instead:
Allow the process. Embrace the ebb and flow of recovery. Practice radical self-compassion on the harder days, and celebrate the small victories. Track energy, not just output. Focus on sustainable changes rather than quick fixes, and make space for identity shifts.  Understand that recovery may involve grieving the version of you that coped through over-functioning—and learning who you are beyond this.

Build a support system that understands and validates your experience. Learn to recognize your early warning signs of burnout and create strategies to address them before they escalate. Think of recovery not as a destination, but as an ongoing journey of learning and adaptation. There might be relapses, but each one offers an opportunity to learn more about yourself and refine your approach.

Myth 5: “If you just eat better and exercise, you’ll be fine.”

Why we believe it:
Because health and wellness advice is everywhere—and it’s easier to talk about diet than to talk about boundaries, trauma, or capitalism. Also, dismantling the systems around these that keep us stuck is an arduous task.

Why it’s wrong:
While food and movement matter, burnout recovery also requires emotional, psychological, relational, and spiritual healing. If you’re still in a toxic system, or haven’t addressed the inner patterns that led to burnout, smoothies, yoga and sunlight won’t be enough.

What to do instead:
Use physical care as a foundation, not a cure-all. Pair it with nervous system regulation (like breathwork or somatic therapy), mindset shifts, boundaries, support networks, and deeper self-work.

Myth 6: “If you’re not busy, you’re not healing.”

Why we believe it:
Because even our recovery gets colonized by hustle culture. We think we have to perform healing—journaling daily, meditating perfectly, tracking habits obsessively. We have to “look” like we are healing.

Why it’s wrong:
True recovery doesn’t always look Instagram-worthy. Some days, doing “nothing” is the medicine. You don’t have to earn your rest with productivity. And rest isn’t laziness.

What to do instead:
Let slowness be sacred. Let silence be healing. Let your body lead. Track how you feel, not just how many self-care tasks you ticked off. Healing can be gentle, raw, boring—and still powerful.

Remember, burnout is not your fault. It is the natural result of systems that reward overwork, undervalue care, and treat humans like machines.

But recovery? That’s your rebellion.
It’s you saying: I will no longer abandon myself in the name of achievement.
I will honor the slow, messy, miraculous work of becoming whole again.

By letting go of these myths, we open ourselves up to more effective strategies and, most importantly, more kindness towards ourselves.

You’re not alone in this. Keep braving through, one gentle step at a time.

Need a reset?
Try our free Burnout Archetype Quiz and follow the quick tips to start building your way back to balance, or explore more resources here at Braving Through Burnout.

Hugs,

@iMa!

Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you suspect you are experiencing burnout, consult with a qualified healthcare professional or mental health specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment.