Resilience has long been praised as a mark of strength. In workplaces, we hear it in phrases like “she’s so resilient” or “we need to build more resilience in the team.”
But too often, resilience has been misunderstood. It’s been equated with pushing through no matter what, absorbing endless pressure, and holding everything together without complaint. For many women, this definition has led to exhaustion, self-silencing, and burnout.
It’s time to redefine resilience not as endless endurance, but as the ability to sustain yourself while you rise.
The old story of resilience
Traditionally, resilience at work has meant “bouncing back” quickly and showing you can cope with whatever comes your way. Women have been celebrated for being strong, adaptable, and unshakable, even under relentless demands.
But this version of resilience comes at a cost. It often asks women to:
- Carry impossible workloads without pushing back
- Stay silent about stress or exhaustion
- Hide the impact of personal responsibilities
- Prove their worth by being endlessly available
This isn’t resilience. It’s survival. And it’s not sustainable.
A new definition of resilience
True resilience isn’t about ignoring the toll work takes. It’s about noticing when you’re stretched too thin and taking action to restore balance. It’s not just bouncing back — it’s learning how to bend without breaking.
Resilience today looks more like:
- Setting boundaries so your workload is sustainable
- Asking for help and support when you need it
- Taking rest seriously, instead of treating it as a luxury
- Aligning your work with your values and purpose
- Building practices that protect your wellbeing every day
When resilience is redefined this way, it stops being about enduring hardship and becomes about creating conditions where you can truly thrive.
Why this matters for women at work
Women are still more likely to take on invisible labour at work and at home. Many are balancing leadership with caregiving, ambition with exhaustion, and high performance with limited recognition.
Without a new approach to resilience, the pressure to “be strong” can push women into silence or drive them out of workplaces altogether. But when organisations and individuals embrace resilience as a shared responsibility, the outcome is different: healthier employees, stronger leadership, and more inclusive cultures.
Building your own resilience toolkit
Redefining resilience starts with small, practical shifts. Consider:
1. Checking in with yourself daily
Notice your energy levels, stress signals, and emotional state. Awareness is the first step to adjusting what you need.
2. Protecting your boundaries
Be clear on what’s realistic, and communicate it. Saying no is not weakness,it’s a form of self-leadership.
3. Creating rhythms of rest
Micro-breaks during the day, regular time away from work, and moments that replenish you are essential, not optional.
4. Seeking connection
Surround yourself with people who support, encourage, and remind you of your value. Resilience grows in community, not in isolation.
5. Reconnecting to meaning
When you know why your work matters, it’s easier to navigate challenges with perspective and purpose.
Thriving instead of surviving
Resilience should never mean holding everything in and pushing through no matter the cost. It should mean designing a way of working and living that sustains you, where your energy, your voice, and your wellbeing are valued as much as your output.
When we redefine resilience, we move from simply surviving work to thriving in it. And that shift doesn’t just change individual lives – it changes workplaces, leadership, and the future of how we work together.