The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning

by Samhita Mukhopadhyay

In a conversation with psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, author of Real Self-Care, Petersen asks her about what Lakshmin has dubbed faux self-care: “wellness activities” like yoga, face masks, and spa days. “It’s faux because it’s not sustainable, not self-directed. It’s faux because it exonerates the oppressive social structures that come from every direction and conspire with each other—patriarchy, white supremacy, toxic capitalism. It’s faux because it places the burden on the individual instead of calling for systems reform,” Lakshmin says. As a culture, we have trouble resting. Every moment feels like it should be maximized: dating, exercise, self-care, and hobbies that can make us smarter, better, and more productive. We all show up to work in whatever emotional state we are in, and when work further exacerbates those feelings, we are forced to swallow our stress, squeeze what we can from our health, and deprioritize our wellness in the service of our jobs. And we think a few small moments of self-care will rectify this. But if you are constantly afraid of messing up at work or losing your job, you don’t have a lot of space for mental or physical healthcare. And when work piles on trauma or the microaggressions add up, the pressure compounds, and it leads to burnout, anxiety, health issues, and more. Work is supposed to trump all—and distract you from what it feels like to be a fully whole and functioning person. This is exactly why actual self-care—not just mani-pedi...