Collective Burnout: Rest as Resistance
Burnout isn’t just an individual problem. For many BIPOC professionals, it’s a collective experience shaped by systemic inequities and generational patterns of survival. We hear a lot about “self-care” and “work-life balance” online, but that dialogue can miss a bigger picture when burnout is deeply tied to the weight of navigating systems that weren’t built with us in mind.
Choosing to rest isn’t about personal wellness. It’s an act of resistance.
What Do We Mean by “Collective Burnout”?
Tired? Yes. But for professionals of color, burnout can include some additional layers, like:
The pressure to overperform in workplaces where representation is limited.
The invisible labor of code-switching and managing the microaggressions of your boss and/or coworkers.
Generational expectations of resilience, providing, being the strong one, and/or not showing weakness.
And of course, the systemic backdrop of racism, economic inequity, and generational trauma behind it all.
These realities mean that burnout isn’t just about working too many hours; it’s about carrying the weight of survival in spaces where parts of us feel unsafe, unseen, or undervalued.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Burnout
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy helps us see burnout not as a flaw, but as a coping mechanism. Different parts may take on roles to keep us moving forward:
The Pusher: driving us to keep achieving, no matter the cost.
The Critic: reminding us we’re never doing enough.
The Caretaker: prioritizing others’ needs above our own.
The Exiled Parts: holding exhaustion, grief, and pain, often kept hidden.
From an IFS perspective, burnout happens when these protectors are working overtime, and the Self, aka the calm, grounded, compassionate center of who we are, has less space to lead.
Rest as Resistance
In systems that prize productivity above well-being, rest challenges the status quo. Rest says:
My worth is not tied to output.
My body and mind deserve care.
My ancestors’ struggles do not obligate me to run myself into the ground.
Healing is possible, and it matters.
For BIPOC professionals, claiming rest can feel radical, especially if parts of us have internalized messages that slowing down is “lazy” or “weak.” But in reality, rest reconnects us to Self energy: clarity, compassion, creativity, and calm.
Practical Ways to Reclaim Rest
Rest doesn’t always mean a vacation or a long nap. It can be woven into daily rhythms through small, intentional acts. Consider:
Listening inward: What part of me is demanding I push harder right now? What does it fear would happen if I slowed down?
Grounding rituals: Breathwork, movement, or spiritual practices that signal safety to your system.
Community care: Resting together, not just alone—whether that’s safe spaces with peers, group therapy, or cultural traditions of gathering.
Reframing productivity: Reminding yourself that rest fuels resilience, creativity, and joy.
We See You.
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means your system has been working too hard for too long. In IFS, we honor those hardworking parts while also creating space for them to step back. Rest is more than recovery; it’s a declaration of worth and a refusal to let oppressive systems dictate the rhythm of our lives.
At MINDplexcity, we believe rest is not only a form of healing: it’s a form of resistance. If you want to talk about your burnout experience, schedule a free consultation with founder Mayra Vasquez.
