Experts and business leaders have urged Nigerians to rethink the culture of constant hustle and exhaustion, advocating a more intentional approach to work, success and personal wellbeing.

The call was made at the sixth edition of the Wellness & Style Live Experience, organised by Exquisite Magazine and held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, with the theme, “Rest Is a Skill, Not a Reward – How to Live Well Without Burning Out.”

The one-day lifestyle and wellness experience brought together women, entrepreneurs, professionals and wellness enthusiasts for conversations and practical activities around stress management, self-care, mindfulness and sustainable living.

Rather than adopting a conventional conference format, the event combined expert sessions with meditation, breathing exercises, mindful eating, journaling, tea tasting, games, massages and other interactive activities designed to encourage participants to practise the wellness principles being discussed.

Opening the event, Founder of Exquisite Magazine, ELOY Awards Foundation and Mindset Stylist, Dr. Tewa Onasanya, shared her personal experience with the consequences of prolonged stress and overwork.

Onasanya recalled that in 2009, while working excessively and neglecting adequate sleep and nutrition, she passed out and had to be revived. She later experienced stress-induced prediabetes in 2018; an experience she said prompted her to become more intentional about her health and wellbeing.

Today, she incorporates swimming, healthy eating, mindfulness, journaling, visualisation and affirmations into her lifestyle while seeking to create a healthier integration between her professional and personal life.

“Your next level requires a well-rested you,” she told participants, while introducing her VASE framework – Visualisation, Affirmation, Scripting, Embodiment and Excited Energy – as a practical approach to becoming intentional about both the life one wants to create and how one wants to experience it.

The cost of pursuing success was also examined during a special address by Executive Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Pamela Shodipo, titled “The Cost of Success: Leading Yourself Without Losing Yourself.”

The session focused on the pressures associated with professional and personal achievement and the importance of maintaining one’s health, identity and sense of self while pursuing ambitious goals.

The conversation continued during a panel titled “Burnout Is Not a Badge of Honour,” featuring Executive Director, Optiva Capital Partners, Dr. Amaka Diane Okeke; and Deputy General Manager and Regional Bank Head, Fidelity Bank, Chetachi Okechukwu. The session was moderated by Mental Health Responder, Dr. Kemi Dosunmu,.

The panel explored experiences of burnout, warning signs that are often overlooked and practical ways individuals can manage pressure and protect their wellbeing.

Speakers challenged the perception that being constantly busy or exhausted is necessarily an indication of ambition or success, stressing instead the importance of creating healthier boundaries and sustainable approaches to work and achievement.

The programme also expanded the conversation to other aspects of everyday wellbeing.

CEO, Vianda, Dr. Morenike George-Taylor, delivered a special address titled “The Art of Dining Well: Why Eating Out Is a Form of Selfcare,” examining the relationship between food, enjoyment and personal wellbeing.

A guided reset session led by Wellness Coach, The Art of Living Happiness Center, Priyanka Bagaria, incorporated breathing and play, while Onasanya led participants through an affirmation meditation and letter-to-self exercise.
Participants also engaged in mindful eating, tea tasting, journaling and games, alongside relaxation experiences and massages. A “Drop Your Stress” dance session provided another opportunity for participants to unwind and release tension.

The event was anchored around three central ideas – Reset, Recharge and Redefine: resetting the mind and releasing overwhelm, recharging the body and spirit, and redefining what success and living well mean.

For Onasanya, the philosophy reflects Exquisite Magazine’s longstanding belief that “life should feel as good as it looks. We don’t need to stop being ambitious. We need to stop believing that exhaustion is the price of ambition. Women can build extraordinary lives and still be healthy, peaceful, present and joyful enough to enjoy them.”