You're not imagining it, burnout culture is more prevalent than ever.

Thanks to our brand partner, Ostelin

Remember when we all realised we were running ourselves ragged and promptly addressed it? No? Oh, that's because the second part never happened.

Lately, I've been really tired. I know, I KNOW we're all tired — move on, next. But the kind of tired I'm talking about feels persistent, and somehow, it's become my new baseline. I still manage to get everything done, but so often I find myself staring at a screen, sipping a now-room-temp chai and struggling to remember what I actually get paid to do.

I'd bet some version of this is happening to you too. Perhaps you wake up (immediately check your emails), squeeze in a workout, prepare lunches for several small humans and arrive at work ready to conquer the day. But before you can get stuck in, that tiny burst of productivity has fluttered away.

If this sounds at all familiar, welcome to modern life. Yep, burnout culture has slinked its way into every part of it, morphing from an occupational hazard into our collective reality.

The glorification of "busy" means rest feels almost transgressive, and taking even a quick break might see you falling behind. Aussies, I'm afraid to say, are leading the charge, with some research suggesting our rates are among the highest globally.

Eventually, something's gotta give, right?

When 'tired' is your baseline.

Before we try to unpack this mess, let's get a bit practical.

When tiredness is your default setting, it's worth checking in with what your body might be missing. Of course, nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining energy levels. For those of us juggling careers, families and everything in between, energy maintenance isn't just a "nice to have", it's a necessity.

Did you know women of reproductive age need more than twice as much iron as men? Regular menstruation increases iron requirements, which is why maintaining adequate iron levels is important for normal energy production in the body. So when the afternoon slump hits, your nutrition might be worth considering.

Enter: Iron & B+ Energy from Ostelin's Women's Health Range, scientifically formulated with iron (ferrous bisglycinate) plus vitamins B2, B6, B12 and C. These nutrients work to support energy production — vitamin C helps with iron absorption, while B vitamins play roles in energy production at the cellular level. Pretty fascinating stuff, right?

But like I said, nutrition is key, so it's important to remember supplements are there to complement rather than replace whole foods. Make sure you prioritise a balanced diet.

The pace of modern life.

Okay, back to the very real problem of burnout culture. Why does it feel like we're all perpetually running on empty?

I know I sound like a naggy parent here, but one key piece of the puzzle is how quickly we jump to adopt new tech. Our devices have blurred the boundaries between work and rest, creating the expectation that we're "always on".

At least it sure has for me. My phone light vies for my attention at the dinner table. "I'll just quickly clear my inbox" often turns into three hours of work on a Sunday afternoon. And "just one more thing" steals the rare evening I set aside for relaxation.

Then there's the social pressure to stay connected. That subtle drive to appear busiest, to be hustling hardest, to be achieving more. We've collectively adopted a value system where busyness is a status symbol and rest equals laziness.

We love a chance to tell other people how bloody tired we are, or how busy we've been — often with equal parts complaint and pride. The result is a glorification of fragmented attention spans and precious little downtime.

The internal battle.

I don't know about you, but these days, my brain feels more like a computer than ever. Not one of those new models, an old one with decaying software and so many tabs open you can't actually remember what they're all for — why was I Googling: how to make marshmallows?

This might just be the worst of what burnout culture takes from our already stretched reserves.

A relentless mental load puts us in a state of low-grade stress that our bodies interpret as a threat. This means our nervous systems stay on high alert, leaving little time for actual rest or recovery.

We're tired but wired — unable to fully recharge, even when we do find time to slow down. And of course, this load is heaviest for women. We're more likely to be carrying not just our own responsibilities but the weight of others' physical and emotional wellbeing.

Finding our way back to balance.

So where do we go from here? How do we tear down burnout culture while still making our way in a world that's hell bent on depleting us?

The answer isn't better self-care routines or new productivity hacks (I know, right? I wish it was that simple). It's taking a cold hard look at the values driving our collective tiredness.

The truth is, burnout isn't our natural state.

It's a product of systems and expectations that have evolved faster than our beautiful bodies can keep up, and noticing this might be the first step to creating a more sustainable relationship with our energy.

We may not be able to change burnout culture overnight, but we can start to make conscious choices about how much of our precious energy we give to it.

Find Ostelin Iron & B+ Energy online or in-store at Chemist Warehouse.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Feature Image: Getty.

At Ostelin we believe we are all different and experience the stages of life in unique ways, with different highs and lows.
New Ostelin Women's Health Range is designed to empower and support women through these different life stages.