Black professionals and specifically women are more susceptible to higher levels of stress due to systemic racism, workplace politics, and various life factors, leading them to experience detrimental effects mentally and physically, leading to “weathering” accelerated physiological aging and cumulative health deterioration, as well as higher rates of hypertension, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and more.
However, some high-performing Black women professionals are keenly aware of the debilitating effects of chronic stress and are actively choosing to protect their mental health and peace, and are actively redefining what balance looks like in today’s always-on culture.
Chantal Rochelle, Talent & Influencer Partnerships Consultant at Hulu and owner of Realm Media LLC, has a hectic schedule as an entrepreneur and actively contributes to one of the world’s largest streaming media companies. How she stays sane and peaceful is solely attributed to her strong boundaries and time management. “I’m very on top of my time management, my schedule, and my calendar. I do not play when it comes to not being available after a certain time, but each day is different. Every day stretches me to grow and to kind of stretch this muscle when it comes to ideation, when it comes to creativity, every day is different, and that’s what makes me happy and thrive as a creative,” she told EBONY.
From working on major television titles like The Testaments to ideating a Pride Month campaign, Rochelle strives to ensure she’s in a good headspace to curate her best work. “What’s important is the type of work I say yes to. I’ve turned down brand opportunities. I’ve turned down things because they weren’t conducive to my time management or my well-being. I was asked to do a major production recently, and I declined because it wouldn’t have given me time to rest. I’m now asking myself whether certain projects are worth my sanity and well-being,” she said.
While actively setting health boundaries for yourself in the work setting is ideal, many Black women often struggle with doing so. Rochelle suggests making your expectations about the project or work schedule known up front. “I let it be known what my expectations are and ask clients what their expectations are of me when it comes to the work we’re doing. I also have a strict no-contact policy after 5 pm for work. I set that precedent for onboarding. I put it in my capabilities deck, I put it on my onboarding kickoff calls, and uphold it,” she said.
As someone who’s experienced burnout before, Rochelle knows the signs of when it rears its ugly head. In her 20s, while working in New York City, she fainted on the subway train. Although she had noticed symptoms leading up to what I was feeling, getting headaches, having numbness in her fingers, she ignored them for two to three months. After passing out, she popped an aspirin and went to work.
“Burnout for me shows up as distance. I’m still getting things done, still performing at a high level, but I feel disconnected from myself. The things that used to energize me start to feel heavy; even small tasks take me longer than they should. It’s almost like my spirit is asking me to slow down, but my life hasn’t caught up to that yet, and so that’s how I really monitor what I’m able to do and what my output will look like,” she shared.
Rochelle continued, “Burnout becomes almost inevitable when you don’t create space to just be without needing to prove anything. I didn’t want to be seen as unworthy. I was trying to climb the career ladder, but I wasn’t putting myself first. I was putting my job first. So for me, healing wasn’t one big moment; it was a series of small choices. Like choosing rest without guilt, saying no to things, and being honest about what I actually had capacity for, and also reconnecting with things that had nothing to do with productivity feels joyful.”
Now, she makes it a practice to pay close attention to her body, which helps her stay present and aware of any signs of burnout creeping in.
Lauren Paige Woulard, founder and communications strategist of LPC Consulting, decided to take a step back and reflect on how she wanted her life to feel after her layoff from Paramount in June 2025, which led her to actionable self-care when she was exhausted.
“When you’re in a role where you’re building other people’s brands and initiatives, and you’re always behind the scenes, you get used to being in a role where you’re constantly doing for other people. The exit from Paramount allowed me to really sit with myself and figure out what I wanted. I dove headfirst into health and wellness. Because people always say, ‘When you look good, you really do feel good.’ I used the layoff as an opportunity to take care of myself in totality: my health, fitness, and wellness,” she said.
Woulard has also found solace in content creation, believing it’s a way to bolster her joy while allowing her audiences to connect with a side of her they haven’t seen before. “I’m so used to people knowing me for this part of my life, but I wanted to open up a bit and show people other parts of myself that I’m discovering or rediscovering. I also felt like my journey and story could influence or help someone during a difficult transition without being ashamed of it. Now I use content creation as a form of healing and self-care,” she shared. “People think self-care, too, has to be a really expensive thing, but it actually is about doing whatever is important to you and pouring into yourself.”
Here are some helpful additional tips on managing stress from Dr. Akua K. Boateng, PhD, a licensed psychotherapist and founder of Ambition Well (an emotional wellness firm).
Take a Sabbatical
“I am a firm believer in the 7-7-7 rule around deep rest. Every 7 days, take a day; every 7 weeks, take a weekend; and every 7 months, take a week. These micro-sabbaticals offer regulated, scheduled time for rest, recovery, and restoration.”
Pre-Burnout Analysis
“Take a deep dive each quarter to assess how you are doing mentally and emotionally. Block out a lunch every quarter to evaluate your largest energy drain, what is restorative, and what better boundaries would look like. ”
Self Compassion
“We are our own toughest critics. Unfortunately, regulation and critique have difficulty coexisting. Give yourself credit at the end of your day for the things accomplished, create a loving self-care day in gratitude, and—with a gentle hand on your heart—remind yourself, “You are doing amazing, love.”
Express Yourself
“A powerful way to manage stress is to express it. Call a friend, write in your journal, talk to yourself, dance, cry, and release the energy from your body. Suppression fuels disorder.”
Mental Load Inventory
“It’s the load everyone is talking about. Mental load can be exacerbated by overcommitment. Stress commonly signals that your system is overloaded. Insomnia, digestive issues, anxiety, brain fog, etc. In these moments, it’s important to take stock of how much you are holding. Take a moment to ask yourself: What signal is my body sending me? In what brave ways will I choose to respond?”
Front-Load Recovery
“When showing up as excellent isn’t a choice, you need intentional time before and after projects for care. Plan a massage, getaway, or even community time ahead of taxing weeks or projects. Book a therapy session, a silent 2-day retreat, or a fun day after completing a task. It will remind you that you are worthy of care.”
Burnout Prevention Starts with the Body
“Before burnout happens, your body will send warning signs. Fatigue, irritability, short fuse, gut issues, etc. Find a naturopath to walk you through holistic repair.”