The Burnout Badge: When Performance Becomes Survival
There is a strange cultural trend we rarely question.
We admire the person who answers emails at midnight. My old boss in Singapore made sure his email was read and replied to despite the wee hours of the night.
We praise the colleague who “never stops.”
We describe ourselves as exhausted almost as if it proves our worth.
Somewhere along the way, burnout became a badge of honour.
But why?
Lately, I have been hearing more and more people say work feels relentless. We crave validation. We want reassurance that putting in long hours is the right path to success and recognition.
Recognition triggers dopamine. It feels good. So we chase it again. And again. Until rest feels lazy and slowing down feels dangerous.
I remember not allowing myself to slow down, not even to breathe, because I feared being seen as incompetent. I wanted my boss to see that I burned the midnight oil. I wanted to prove I was loyal, worthy, and unequivocally next in line for promotion. I believed sacrifice would make me stand out.
What sat underneath that drive was something I now recognise clearly: performance identity.
When your identity is tied to output, achievement becomes survival. If you perform, you belong. If you slow down, you risk being replaced.
There is a quiet undercurrent in today’s workforce: if you do not perform, you will be out.
With rising living costs and job instability, many people feel they simply cannot afford to lose their job. So they overperform. They overextend. They override their own warning signs.
This is not ambition. It is fear.
And fear-driven performance will always come at a cost.
That mindset was not sustainable. It cost me my health.
The truth is our workforce is under pressure. Burnout rates are rising. Absenteeism linked to chronic illness is increasing. Productivity suffers quietly in the background.
In a highly transient city like Queenstown, job security can feel fragile. When roles feel uncertain, overworking becomes a survival strategy.
But burnout from work should not be condoned. Busyness should not be a proxy for productivity.
If we want healthier workplaces, we must start valuing our greatest asset: our people.
We spend a significant part of our lives at work. Employees should feel safe there. Whether someone is recovering from cancer treatment, navigating burnout, or managing the pressures of life, we should support each other’s needs so people can perform at their best.
Yet culture does not shift without personal responsibility.
We are in charge of taking our breaks. We must schedule them. I block out my lunch breaks and focused work time in my calendar. That time is sacred. Advocating for ourselves requires courage. It means being unapologetic about protecting our health.
You do get to choose how you structure your day.
Imagine a culture where:
- Leaving on time is respected
• Boundaries are seen as maturity
• Asking for support is strength
• Rest is understood as strategic
• Performance is measured sustainably, not sacrificially
Healthy connection means noticing when someone is running on empty. It means championing those who prioritise self-care so they can think clearly and lead well.
As someone who learned the hard way what happens when the body is pushed beyond its limits, I can tell you this: no title, promotion, or applause is worth your health.
Let this be the month we stop glorifying burnout and start honouring wellbeing instead.
Because the strongest teams are not the ones who push the hardest.
They are the ones who look after each other.
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