The Dark Side of Self Optimization and Burnout

We talk a lot about burnout, stress management, and mental health in the workplace, but rarely about one of the most well-researched solutions: human touch. A landmark 2024 meta-analysis of 137 studies confirmed that warm physical contact reduces cortisol, lowers blood pressure, boosts immune function, and decreases depression in both healthy individuals and those with clinical conditions. The research is clear. Human connection isn't soft. It's science. My latest article on my blog explores the full picture—from Harlow's monkeys to touch deprivation to what it means for how we care for each other. Link in comments. #MentalHealthMonth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

Most wellbeing check-ins are checking the wrong thing. Asking "how are you?" measures whether someone is visibly distressed. It does not measure whether they are genuinely well. These are different questions, and science is clear on the distinction. Mental wellbeing and mental illness sit on separate axes. A person can be free of any diagnosable condition and still be languishing — emotionally flat, purposeless, going through the motions without genuine engagement. The research shows only around 17% of adults are genuinely flourishing. Most exist in a middle ground that a single question will never reach. When wellbeing is measured across multiple dimensions — composure, own-worth, mastery, positivity, achievement, and satisfaction with life — the picture that emerges is both more stable and more actionable than any single score of life satisfaction. One number cannot navigate a multidimensional landscape. Tilt is being built to give people a map — not just a weather vane. #Wellbeing #MentalHealth #Science #COMPASW #TiltYourLife

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and it’s a timely reminder that mental health is not something separate from our everyday lives—it’s part of how we work, connect, and show up for each other. In fast-paced, target-driven environments, it can be easy to prioritise deadlines over wellbeing. But the truth is, performance and mental health are not in competition. When people feel supported, listened to, and valued, everything improves—from confidence and creativity to resilience and outcomes. This week isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about small, meaningful actions. Checking in on a colleague. Creating space for honest conversations. Normalising the fact that not every day is a “strong” day—and that’s okay. As professionals, leaders, and peers, we all have a role to play in building workplaces where people don’t feel they have to struggle in silence. A simple question—“How are you, really?”—can make more difference than we realise. Let’s keep making space for those conversations, not just this week, but every week.

It’s the eve of Mental Health Awareness Month. And before the calendars fill up with initiatives, campaigns, and well-intentioned reminders… I want to ask something simpler: How are you *actually* prioritizing your mental wellness right now? Not the version that sounds good in a meeting. Not the version you tell yourself you’ll get to “when things slow down.” (They rarely do!) The real version. The one that shows up in your boundaries. Your calendar. Your sleep. Your willingness to say “no”. Your ability to be present in your own life. For many high-performing women, mental overload has become so normalized that we don’t even question it anymore—we just keep carrying it. But awareness without action doesn’t create change. So as we step into May, I’d love to hear from you: What is one way you are intentionally protecting your mental wellness right now? Drop it in the comments—your answer might be exactly what someone else needs permission to do. 💚 I will share a few things in the comments that I’m doing.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, conversations around burnout, emotional exhaustion, and well-being feel more important than ever. For years, many people have accepted the idea of “compassion fatigue”, the belief that caring too much for others eventually depletes us. But emerging research highlighted in a recent Medscape article suggests the reality may be more nuanced. Researchers increasingly distinguish between empathic distress and compassion itself. While empathic distress can leave people emotionally overwhelmed and exhausted, compassion and care, while remaining grounded and connected, may actually support well-being, resilience, and meaningful human connection. The research also suggests burnout may often stem less from “caring too much” and more from chronic stress, trauma exposure, impossible workloads, isolation, and systems that fail to support people adequately. This distinction matters deeply for healthcare workers, educators, caregivers, activists, and anyone working in emotionally demanding environments. Perhaps supporting mental health is not about becoming less caring. Perhaps it is about building healthier systems and more sustainable cultures of care. Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to our "Coming Home" newsletter for more compassion science, practical reflections, and hopeful stories for a more connected world. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gju3Qeky 📚 Source inspiration: Medscape (2026) discussing emerging compassion science and burnout research: https://lnkd.in/dzdbhWDK

Mental wellness is an important part of whole-person care. Stress, burnout, emotional well-being, and chronic condition management are all deeply connected, and recognizing that connection helps create more meaningful, sustainable patient support.   This Wellness Wednesday, we’re continuing the conversation around Mental Health Awareness Month and the importance of supporting both physical and mental well-being.   #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #WellnessWednesday #ChronicCareManagement

Most people wait until burnout shows up to reset. I’ve learned to build it in before that point. Yesterday looked like this—time to step away, clear my mind, and come back with better focus and clarity. This is the same principle behind the work I do: helping individuals and teams reset before burnout impacts performance. As we head into Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s a reminder that protecting your capacity isn’t optional—it’s necessary. If you’ve been pushing through without a pause, it might be time to rethink that strategy.

Breaks are not a bonus. They are part of doing the job well. Tip 1: from our Mental Health Awareness Week article (get all the tips here 👉 https://lnkd.in/exNxg6bw) is: take breaks before your brain takes one for you. Skipping breaks might feel productive in the moment, but tired people make more mistakes, feel more pressure and run out of steam faster. In busy warehouses, factories and production teams, proper breaks need to be built into the day - not squeezed in if there is time. Read Simon Shah’s full article for more small actions that can make work feel lighter. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/exNxg6bw

RECOMMENDED READ 📚 “How Depression Saved My Life” explores how pain, burnout, and emotional breakdown can become the starting point for healing, clarity, and personal transformation. Drawing from his own experience with clinical depression and suicidal thoughts after stepping away from a successful media career, Chude Jideonwo reframes depression not as the end of life, but as a difficult interruption that forced him to rediscover purpose, joy, and emotional honesty. The book positions healing as an active journey built on reflection, vulnerability, and intentional growth. One of the book’s strongest ideas is that emotional wellness should not be hidden behind achievement or public success. Chude speaks openly about mental health in a way that feels personal, accessible, and deeply human, especially within African contexts where these conversations are often stigmatized or ignored. Through simple lessons and practical reflections, the book encourages readers to confront pain honestly, build healthier inner lives, and stop measuring worth only through productivity, status, or external validation. Read: https://lnkd.in/e57dZjsp

Navigating global anxieties requires a strategic approach to mental well-being. This involves more than just coping; it's about purposeful disengagement from overwhelming information, setting clear boundaries, and mindfully consuming media. It's crucial to recognize systems that often prioritize relentless productivity over personal health. Prioritizing mental sanity isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for sustainable performance and overall well-being. How do you protect your mental space? #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #AnxietyManagement #WorkLifeBalance #SelfCare