Burnout, Invisible Labor & the Feminist Fight to Rest
a conversation with burnout coach Nicole Havelka
This week on Feminist Founders, we’re diving deep into one of the most personal and political topics of our summer series on women’s labor: burnout.
I sat down with burnout coach
to talk about the invisible weight so many women carry, not just at work, but at home, in our relationships, and inside our own heads.We unpack the mental load, why selflessness is weaponized against us, and how rest can be a radical, feminist act of resistance. Nicole brings both smarts and heart to this conversation, offering insight into the systems that keep us exhausted and tools to help us reclaim our spaciousness.
If you’ve been feeling fried, numb, resentful, or just straight-up done… this one’s for you.
(Check out Nicole’s newsletter on Substack,
)Nicole Havelka's Website | Newsletter
💬 Discussed in This Episode
What burnout really is (and why it’s more than just being tired)
How gendered expectations and invisible labor feed chronic overwhelm
The critical role of embodiment and nervous system work in healing
Why capitalist and white supremacist systems depend on our burnout
The illusion of spaciousness and what it means to actually rest
How meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting still and saying "om"
The power of giving yourself permission to not volunteer at the damn PTO
How to plan your schedule to not be a human version of a doctor's waiting room
Why moms get guilted and dads don’t—and what that says about our systems
📚 Resources Mentioned
🎧 This show is part of the Feminist Podcast Collective, a community of progressive creators reclaiming media through storytelling and solidarity.