As I am writing this diary-entry-turned-article, the clock strikes 3am and my brain has officially become sore from the day’s wear and tear.
All day, I have been sitting in the same spot, going back and forth on titles and subject ideas for my newest article. As a chapter writer for my university’s publication, my responsibility seems as simple as can be: publish two articles a month that discuss relevant and engaging topics for young women on campus. But in addition to this responsibility, I am faced with being back home and balancing a new job, summer classes, and my newfound commitment to my faith.
Now, this isn’t something that is rare. Most people my age are balancing multiple aspects of their lives, including jobs, family, relationships, friends, and faith. But as a young woman myself, I have experienced firsthand how detrimental this behavior is to our self-perception and personal wellness in the long run.
Studies show that nearly half of Generation Z reports some type of burnout, with causes ranging from academics to work to home life. This plays a role in how people sleep, eat, and engage with the world around them on a daily basis. The percentage reflects a broader trend when race is factored in, emphasizing how the experience of stress and burnout is exacerbated among young Black women.
For many young Black woman, pressure and strain are symptoms of daily existence and survival. There is this burden that we have come to adopt, whether as a child or throughout adulthood, that reduces our value to what we have done or can prove about ourselves. In transparency, it is a mindset that has plagued my decisions since middle school, causing me to overload myself with extracurriculars, classes, and people just to show my capability, despite my mind and body telling me to “slow down” or “rest.”
As young Black women, every step we take and every decision we make comes with the pressure of being perfect, trailblazing, or momentous. There is hardly ever room for normalcy or weightless existence for us. But I want to remind you that the choice to take care of you and prioritize your rest is more revolutionary and productive than you think.
From childhood, you were fed the idea that you had to be “strong one” for your family, friends, and the broader world, the “smartest” or the “most hardworking” person in your class, or the “bigger person” in hard situations. But you were never given any grace to be hurt, to fail, or to be rightfully (or wrongfully) reactive. You were never given the opportunity to process human emotions and experiences without filtering it through the lens of unrealistic standards or artificial expectations.
So, Black girl, if no one else reminds you, it is okay to take a pause from whatever is driving you mad and get some well needed rest. It is okay to be sad, mad, hurt, or embarrassed. It is okay to not want to be the best in everything, and to just exist and learn in this lifetime. It is okay to always choose you and your needs, even if it means rejecting other people’s perceptions of who you are and what you are capable of.
The clock strikes 5am, and it is gradually starting to get light outside. I have a whole day ahead of me tomorrow. Now it is my turn to take my advice.