June 03 2026 at 04:15AM
Mental Health
Last month, we looked at how burnout builds quietly, in the signals most of us miss until they've been present for a while. But burnout does not land the same way for everyone. For women in project leadership, there is a layer of this conversation worth naming openly.
Psychologist Emily Nagoski** argues that what makes burnout particularly stubborn for women is not just the volume of work, but the gap between what is expected of them and what it actually costs to meet those expectations. A woman in a senior project role is often navigating two sets of demands simultaneously. The professional ones that appear on her job description (or not), and an unspoken set that rarely does: to be decisive without being perceived as harsh, available without ever appearing overwhelmed, and authoritative without losing the warmth the room still expects from her. That tension does not disappear when the standup ends. It travels with her, and the stress cycle it generates rarely gets the space to complete.
Nagoski draws a useful distinction. The stressor and the stress are not the same thing. You can resolve the first, close the project, end the meeting, send the email, and still be carrying the second. The body undergoes a biological response when it encounters a threat, such as a deadline or a tense stakeholder call. That cycle needs to be completed by a moment of genuine rest, movement, or connection that signals to the body the threat has passed. When it does not, and the next sprint begins before the last one has settled, the unfinished activation accumulates. That accumulation, in the long run, is burnout. Knowing this changes what you reach for at the end of a hard week, and why.
Completing the cycle requires something active and intentional. For some women, physical movement signals to the nervous system that the body is no longer under threat. For others, it is creative expression, genuine laughter, or time spent in connection that asks nothing of them professionally. The point is not what it looks like. It has to happen separately from resolving the stressor itself.
And if completing the cycle consistently feels out of reach, talking to a therapist or occupational health professional can always be the next step.
**Nagoski, E. & Nagoski, A. (2019). Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Ballantine Books. URL: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592377/burnout-by-emily-nagoski-phd-and-amelia-nagoski-dma/
What helps you complete the cycle as a woman in leadership? Write to us: editor@pmi-nl.nl
Author’s Bio
Sara is a project management professional with experience in institutional and digital transformation projects. She is particularly interested in the intersection of mental health and leadership in complex project environments.
Newsletter Editor’s Note: At PMI Netherlands, we believe that strong project outcomes start with healthy people, and mental health is an essential part of sustainable project management. We invite you to contribute your insights, habits, and personal experiences on maintaining balance in high-pressure environments. Reach out to us at editor@pmi-nl.nl.
