Today is a public holiday in Kenya and I’m prioritizing rest.
Is that laziness? I think not.
In fact, ever since Friday last week was declared a public holiday in honour of the late Hon. Raila Odinga, I’ve chosen to slow down intentionally. After a busy few months, I finally gave myself permission to do nothing. And yet, even as I rested, a small voice in my head whispered, “You should be doing something.”
Sound familiar?
Many of us, especially high achievers, confuse burnout with laziness. We feel guilty for pausing, as if rest is a moral failure. But in reality, our brains and bodies may just be waving a white flag, asking for recovery.
🔍 What’s the Difference Between Burnout and Laziness?
Let’s start here:
If you’ve ever said to yourself, “I’m just being lazy,” take a breath. It might not be laziness — it might be mental exhaustion.
Laziness is a lack of motivation or desire to act even when you have the energy to do so.
Burnout, on the other hand, is the loss of capacity to keep going after prolonged stress and overwork.
Burnout looks like fatigue, cynicism, disconnection, and poor concentration. These are all symptoms that can easily be mistaken for lack of discipline. But the truth is, burnout often strikes the hardest among people who care too much, not too little.
💡 The High Achiever’s Trap
Many high achievers equate their self-worth with their productivity.
Each accomplishment gives them a rush of dopamine — the brain’s “feel-good” chemical released when we complete a task.
That reward feels so good, it becomes addictive.
We chase the next achievement to feel worthy again.
In this relentless pursuit, rest feels undeserved, even shameful. When the body and mind finally slow down, we mislabel the fatigue as laziness. But it’s not laziness. It is actually your nervous system demanding a timeout.
⚖️ Is It Really Laziness? Ask Yourself These Questions
Before calling yourself lazy, dig a little deeper:
1️⃣ Are you stuck in perfectionism?
Spending hours obsessing over every small detail and never finishing? That’s not laziness, that’s fear of imperfection.
2️⃣ Are you procrastinating because of fear?
Avoiding tasks because you’re scared of failing is anxiety, not apathy.
3️⃣ Are you emotionally and physically drained?
If you’ve been operating at full capacity for too long, your brain is protecting you through exhaustion. That’s burnout, not lack of motivation.
Research shows that a large proportion of high-performing professionals experience burnout at least once in their careers and often misdiagnose it as laziness.
💥 Common Signs of Burnout (Not Laziness)
- Physical exhaustion: You feel drained no matter how much you sleep.
- Emotional detachment: You don’t care about things you used to love.
- Poor performance: You’re trying hard, but results don’t match effort.
- Negativity and cynicism: You’ve lost enthusiasm for your work or relationships.
- Low satisfaction: You feel unfulfilled and underappreciated.
- Poor concentration: Your brain feels foggy, decisions harder to make.
- Increased irritability: Little things suddenly frustrate you.
- Isolation: You’re withdrawing from friends, family, or colleagues.
- Unhealthy coping: Using substances, overworking, or bingeing to cope.
If several of these resonate, it’s not a lack of willpower, it’s burnout knocking.
🪞 Recognize, Reframe, Rest: The 3-Step Reset
1️⃣ Recognize
Notice when you label yourself as “lazy.”
Pause and ask: Am I overwhelmed, anxious, or just tired?
Identifying the real cause stops the shame spiral before it starts.
2️⃣ Reframe
Challenge perfectionism.
Remind yourself that “done” is better than “perfect,” and progress counts more than speed.
Break big goals into small, realistic steps even 20 minutes of focus can be enough.
3️⃣ Rest
Practice guilt-free rest.
High achievers often forget that rest isn’t a reward but it’s a requirement.
Your body isn’t lazy when it rests; it’s repairing.
When you feel drained, extend the same compassion you’d offer a friend: “You’ve done your best. You deserve a break.”
🌿 My Personal Reflection
As I write this on a quiet Kenyan public holiday, I realize how radical rest really is in a culture that glorifies hustle.
It’s an act of self-respect; it is not laziness.
Burnout taught me that if you don’t make time for rest, your body will eventually make it for you.
So today, I’m choosing to rest without guilt. It is tea in hand, phone on silent knowing that restoration is part of the work.
💬 Let’s Talk
Have you ever mistaken burnout for laziness?
How do you personally tell the difference, and what helps you reset when you feel stuck?
Share your thoughts below. Let’s keep normalizing rest, recovery, and honest conversations about mental health in Kenya.
