88% of Black Women Report Burnout at Work—Resolve to Lower That in 2025

There is no doubt in my mind that most of us are using this time to fill up our cup for the New Year. Oh so often at the end of the year, Erickas hear folks saying “202X needs to be over.”  That means that folks are tired; even burnt out.  And you are hoping that if you get lots of rest  now, it can carry you through the new year.  What if we explored an alternative? 

For 88% of Black women, burnout is an unwelcome reality. The question isn’t if we’re experiencing burnout; it’s how much longer we can sustain the cycle of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion before something breaks.

During the recent LinkedIn Live session, From Surviving to Thriving: Black Women & Conquering Burnout, we explored  burnout is and its pervasive grip on many of us—especially  Black women.

Recognizing Burnout for What It Is

Many of us think that burnout is just feeling tired or overworked—it’s not. We need to see it for what it truly is: a systemic issue rooted in unrelenting stress and unrealistic expectations from organizations that care more about productivity than people.

The reality is: burnout isn’t just feeling tired, which goes away after a good night’s sleep or a weekend off. It’s a deeper, more pervasive cycle that affects our emotional, mental, and physical well-being. 

For Black women, the stakes are even higher. Burnout often stems from the compounded pressures of perfectionism, the emotional toll of educating others, and the constant need to navigate spaces that were never designed with us in mind.

Ericka’s Silent Symptoms

During a LinkedIn Live conversation around burnout, Ericka shared her own wake-up call—one that began with friends and colleagues noticing what she couldn’t see. It all started with minor inconveniences, such as the occasional brain fog, which eventually led to feeling emotionally detached and physically drained, even after what should have been restful weekends. 

At first, she dismissed these signs as just part of a busy life. But over time, these “minor inconveniences” compounded, showing up as forgetfulness, irritability, and an overwhelming sense of dread at the start of each day.

Burnout had not just crept into her life; it had taken over. 

How many of us have felt this and brushed it off as “just being tired”? Or just something we have to deal with?

The Cost of Always Being Resilient

Resilience has long been a badge of honor for many, but it can also be a double-edged sword. While resilience helps us persevere, the expectation to always push through can be damaging. It keeps us in survival mode. It masks the toll that stress and exhaustion take on our bodies and minds.

Resilience shouldn’t come at the cost of our well-being. After all, we all deserve more than survival—we deserve to thrive. It’s about time that we, black women, reimagine what strength looks like and to prioritize rest, joy, and balance in our lives.

How to Break Free from the Burnout Cycle

If burnout teaches us anything, it’s that we cannot pour from an empty cup. Thriving requires us to shift the narrative—both for ourselves and within our workplaces, and here are some of the ways how: 

Identify Your Stressors and Drivers
Take inventory of what’s stressing you out and the ambitions driving you. Are you ignoring your well-being to chase goals that don’t serve you?

Redefine Success
Success doesn’t have to mean endless hustle. For Ericka, success is about sustainability—creating a life that nourishes you instead of depleting you.

Embrace Proactive  Rest as Resistance
Rest isn’t laziness; it’s a radical act of self-care. From physical rest to mental breaks, learning the seven types of rest can help you recharge holistically.

The Path Forward

Burnout is not the story we have to accept. 

We deserve more than survival; we deserve thriving. This means asking hard questions about what success means, building systems of support, and advocating for change in both personal and professional spaces.

If this resonates with you, it’s time to take action. Define your success. Protect your peace. And most importantly, remember that thriving isn’t a luxury—it’s your right.

Ready to chart your path from surviving to thriving?

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