Why the inability to disconnect is more than just a “bad habit”

You close the laptop, but your brain’s still running. You’re answering emails at dinner. You wake up at 2am thinking about that unfinished task.

Sound familiar?

Let’s be honest: chasing performance without thinking about wellbeing is a fast track to burnout. In today’s workplaces, the real competitive edge doesn’t come from overdrive—it comes from resilience. And resilience doesn’t mean “pushing through.” It means creating the kind of environment where people can perform well and stay well.

And even if you’re not their manager, your support could be exactly what helps them pull up before things get worse. The challenge? Knowing what to say. You don’t want to overstep, make it awkward, or get it wrong. So here’s how to check in in a way that’s human, helpful, and respectful.

They’re your star employee. The one you trust. The one everyone leans on. And they might be burning out in silence. In many workplaces, the people who seem the most “together” are often the ones quietly struggling the most. Here’s why.

A belief that you’re not allowed to struggle.

That leaders must be resilient, composed, always calm—even when they’re burning out behind the scenes. But here’s the truth: you’re human first, leader second. And the moment you allow yourself to say, “I’m not doing great right now,” you create space for others to do the same.