The Go-To Burnout

You know that feeling when everyone at work just assumes you’ve got it handled? Like, the moment something goes wrong or something needs to be done quickly.

They come to you.

At first, it feels kind of nice. It’s flattering, really. Like, “Hey, they trust me. They know I’m reliable.”

But over time, it starts to feel less like trust and more like pressure. Quiet, constant pressure.

It’s weird because no one gives you the title of “go-to” person. It’s not in your job description. But little by little, people start leaning on you more than they probably should. You become the one who answers the tough questions, who covers for last-minute messes, who steps up when no one else will. And you do it, because that’s who you are… you care. You don’t want to let anyone down.

But here’s the thing no one really talks about: being that person gets exhausting. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Because people don’t always realize how much you’re holding. They see the calm face, the organized emails, the results. What they don’t see is how you haven’t had a proper break in weeks, or how you’re mentally juggling five problems while smiling in the meeting. Or how sometimes you wake up already tired because you’re bracing yourself for all the things that will inevitably fall on your plate today.

It gets to a point where you start saying yes out of habit, not because you actually can. You don’t even stop to ask yourself if you should take something on, you just do. And when you finally feel stretched too thin, you start to feel guilty for not being available. Like you’re letting people down, when in reality, you’ve been giving more than enough.

And let’s be real. People rarely check in with the person they always rely on. Everyone assumes you’re okay because you always seem okay. But that doesn’t mean you’re not silently burning out.

I’ve been there. I’ve been the person who shows up, who gets it done, who doesn’t complain. But I’ve also been the person crying in the bathroom during lunch break because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. I’ve smiled through meetings while silently screaming inside. I’ve convinced myself that being dependable meant being constantly available, constantly “on.”

But that’s not sustainable. And it’s definitely not healthy.

The truth is, we become the go-to person because we want to help. Because we care about our work and our team. But caring doesn’t mean self-sacrificing. We don’t have to earn respect by burning ourselves out.

It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to say, “I can’t take this on right now.” It’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to carry it all alone, and you shouldn’t be expected to.

Being the go-to person shouldn’t mean being the only one who cares. You matter just as much as everyone you keep showing up for.

Always,

Prei