“Sometimes it can be helpful, but it also needs to come with changes to the context that’s causing the distress,” said Davies.
“For many people rest is necessary, but it’s not always enough. If you go back to work and your attitude to work is the same, then you’re going to have the same result, so something needs to change,” added Williams.
Jo ended up leaving her career after she realised it was not sustainable. She was diagnosed with anxiety and depression.
“I’ve learnt the hard way that rest doesn’t fix burnout, and it certainly didn’t fix the breakdown for me. Actually changing the things that burnt you out or broke you down is the only way to get over it.
“Now I’m a woman on a mission to convince others to work less, because I spent 10 years not doing that, and it nearly broke me.”
Jo does public speaking and coaching to support business owners and employers to help others avoid reaching burnout.
“I’m in control, I run my business, I get to decide how it works, I get to decide what I do and who I work with, and that’s a huge part of the process for me,” she said.
“I detest this optimisation culture of trying to be as productive as possible. Feeling like we constantly have to optimise ourselves and productivity is just forcing us into working more and living less… I think it just needs to get in the bin.”
