By Zimkhitha Mathunjwa
I recently returned from an almost two-week break to a standard barrage of questions from colleagues: Where did you go? What did you get up to? How did the time off refuel you for H2?
What struck me most was the underlying assumption that time away from work must be filled with a jam-packed itinerary.
The older I get, the more I cherish the art of doing nothing. I relish watching the kids ride their bikes as we walk, spending lazy afternoons soaking in the sun while lost in a gripping book, and leaning into slow mornings marked by an unhurried sense of being. While I did travel home to enjoy much-needed time with family and breathe in fresh, crisp mountain air untouched by city pollution, I didn’t do much, and it was easily the best time out I’ve taken all year.
There seems to be a constant tension between the hyper-performance grind and the elusive promise of rest. Yet, I firmly believe there is a world where women can reclaim their time without stepping back from their corporate ambitions.
In an era dominated by hypervisibility and performative productivity, claiming a meaningful piece of ourselves back is essential.
Crucially, Human Capital practitioners are beginning to realise this, moving past simple metrics like eNPS to measure how employees truly feel about their teams, leadership, and work culture. Rebranding from Human Resources to People and Culture isn’t just cosmetic; it signals a shift toward placing the human being at the center of every decision.
By prioritising mental well-being, organisations empower employees to actively co-create a culture conducive to growth and lasting contentment. It is a refreshing approach to employee advocacy; one that shifts culture from a passive corporate framework into something individuals can actively shape.
Herein lies the secret to building a truly resilient team: ensuring every voice contributes to defining the environment they show up in daily.
For women in particular, distinguishing drive from perfectionism remains a persistent challenge. Psychotherapist Annie Wright unpacks the neuroscience of compulsive work in a way that crystalises the unique pressures women face in the professional realm. For decades, we have been told to lean in, often without accounting for the steep trade-offs, or what that relentless drive costs our minds, bodies, and souls. There is also a pervasive rest bias that continues to shadow women in the workplace.
There is a constant tension between the grind-driven hustle and what many view as elusive rest. We often internalise the harmful idea that our output must hit a certain threshold before we are allowed to earn our rest. While this isn’t unique to women, there is a marked prevalence of women feeling the pressure to over-deliver just to justify taking a break.
Yet, we have plenty of evidence that high performance and personal well-being are not mutually exclusive. We can be high-performing individuals who lead key initiatives, drive strategic business imperatives, and show up as active partners, present parents, or loving family members without losing ourselves in the endless go-go-go nature of corporate life.
In a hyper-visible performance culture, claiming a piece of ourselves back is essential. Fortunately, Human Capital and People & Culture (P&C) leaders are shifting away from using eNPS scores as the sole litmus test for organisational health. By placing the human at the center of culture design, they empower employees to actively shape their environment rather than passively endure it.
Annie Wright’s work on the neuroscience of compulsive work highlights how deeply perfectionism drives women, while the concept of rest bias shows how we undervalue recovery. We have preached leaning in for too long without counting the cost or the effects.
To remain resilient amid constant workplace changes, consider these practical shifts:
Set clear boundaries: Establish firm cut-off times (e.g., closing email by 17:30) so you can enjoy dinner with loved ones without a mental to-do list running in the background.
Practice agility: In a volatile and ambiguous (VUCA) environment, adapt quickly when changes hit. Self-reflection and self-regulation are essential for both current and aspiring leaders.
Extend grace: See the human being behind the metrics before focusing on KPIs or deliverables.
Reclaiming your well-being doesn’t have to be complex. Simple habits like optimising your sleep hygiene; getting sufficient rest, prioritising REM sleep, and putting screens away before bed, can transform how you show up. From a psychological standpoint, a regulated nervous system directly drives optimal performance.
Ultimately, trust and camaraderie do more for a team than any financial bonus ever could. As Simon Sinek reminds us, “Leadership takes work… it is always a commitment to human beings.” Trust is the bedrock upon which resilience rests, and creating spaces where individuals can bring their authentic selves to work is where true high performance begins.
