A Real Look at Wellness - International Wellness Day

Today is International Wellness Day, and it feels like the right time to pause and reflect on what wellness actually means — beyond the slogans and values written on company walls.

“Work–life balance” has become a catchphrase. It’s spoken about often, but rarely lived. Too many companies still reduce staff to cut costs, expecting those left behind to take on twice the workload.

It’s not sustainable. It’s not balance.

And it’s certainly not wellness.

When people are stretched too thin for too long, it affects everything — from their health and families to the overall economy.

The Real Cost of Burnout in South Africa

Burnout isn’t just a personal issue anymore; it’s a collective one.

• Mental health challenges cost South Africa over R160 billion each year in lost productivity and absenteeism.

• Around 36% of employees say they feel overwhelmed by daily stress.

• And 7 out of 10 people report feeling emotionally drained or disengaged at work.

Behind those numbers are people — people sitting in traffic before sunrise, eating lunch at their desks, and replying to emails long after their workday should have ended.

What I’m Seeing in My Healing Work

In my healing practice, I see this pattern every week.

I have clients who work 12-hour days or more, often through weekends. Many believe it’s their only option. They spend their lives exhausted, anxious, and disconnected from themselves.

Some are taking medication for anxiety, depression, or sleep — which may help in the short term, but often brings its own side effects like fatigue or emotional numbness. (Although I believe these medications have their place, this would be a whole other blog if I were to go into it.) Many are grateful simply to be employed in a difficult economy, but that same fear keeps them stuck. They’re afraid to rest, to say no, or to ask for better boundaries. A few, I am grateful to say, have the courage and started to step away — moving into more fulfilling, balanced work. But for many, burnout has become the accepted cost of survival.

Dear Corporates: It’s Time to Live by Your Words

To the leaders of organisations — this is a sincere call:

If your company says it values well-being, please live by it.

When staff are retrenched and remaining employees are asked to double their workload, it might look efficient on paper, but the long-term damage is immense.

Healthy, rested employees perform better. They’re more creative, engaged, and loyal. Burnt-out employees make more mistakes, lose motivation, and eventually leave — or worse, stay out of fear and lose their spark.

Living your values means:

1. Hiring enough people to handle the workload.

2. Respecting boundaries around time off, weekends, and rest.

3. Creating safe spaces for open conversations about stress and pressure.

4. Offering real mental health support — not just slogans or token programs.

When companies truly care for their people, productivity rises naturally. People don’t thrive when they’re pushed beyond breaking point — they thrive when they feel supported and seen.

Shared Accountability — Remembering Our Own Power

While companies must take responsibility, each of us also has our own work to do.

We are responsible for holding our boundaries. Not just for our own sake, but for others too. When we quietly take on more and more, we set a precedent. We teach the system that it’s okay to overwork people — and the cycle continues.

But when we start to say no — calmly, respectfully, and firmly — we remind others that we are human. We remind them that we cannot and should not work all day, every day.

And this is also where self-love comes in:

Remind yourself of your worth every single day.

Remind yourself why you work — and what you’re truly working for.

If your job is taking away from the very life you’re trying to build — your health, your family, your peace — it might be time to choose another path.

We each carry a responsibility to ourselves and those around us.

By holding our boundaries, we quietly empower others to do the same. If we all keep silent, nothing changes. But if we speak up — even gently — we can shift the culture.

A Call for Change

This International Wellness Day, let’s move beyond talk.

To the corporates: stop using wellness as a marketing line. Live it. Your people are your business.

To individuals: honour your limits and your worth. You are more than your productivity.

We cannot build a thriving economy on exhaustion.

But we can build one on care, respect, and shared accountability.

Wellness isn’t selfish — it’s essential.

And it starts with every one of us.

A Gentle Reminder - Give Yourself Permission

If you’ve been feeling stretched, anxious, or disconnected, know that you’re not alone.

Healing begins with awareness — and one small step toward change.

You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to set boundaries.

And you’re allowed to choose yourself.