Rafael Alonso, HR expert: “Choose where you put your energy, you’re not that important, the company can continue without you”
Rafael Alonso explains why choosing where you spend your energy could be the key to protecting your mental health and avoiding burnout.
Work can drain even the most committed professional. When daily pressures pile up, it becomes easy to lose perspective, take on more than we should, and fight battles that were never ours to win.
For many people, those struggles spill into their personal lives, where frustration and exhaustion follow long after they’ve clocked out.
That’s why understanding what type of problem you’re facing can completely shift how you manage stress.
The three types of problems, according to HR expert Rafael Alonso
Rafael Alonso, a well-known Human Resources specialist in Spain, breaks challenges into three categories — and argues that most burnout comes from confusing them.
- Problems that have a solution and within our control: These deserve our full attention because our actions truly make a difference.
- Problems that have a solution but are beyond our control: We can support the process, but we can’t control the outcome.
- Problems that have no solution: “Accept it and move on.”
Alonso explains that burnout often begins when we try to control everything:
“That the client is happy, that the team functions well, that the project is perfect, that the company recognizes my effort.”
But none of those depend on a single person.
Why trying to control everything leads to burnout
Some people still try to carry it all. And that, Alonso says, is where they start to break.
“In Human Resources, you see it constantly: brilliant, dedicated people who end up burned out. Not for lack of ability, but for excessive responsibility,” he warns.
The biggest issue? They don’t know how to let go of what isn’t theirs to fix.
A simple rule to protect your mental health
Alonso offers a practical way to respond to each type of problem:
- If it depends on you, take action.
- If it doesn’t depend on you, trust others — or ask for help.
- If it has no solution, accept it and move forward.
This framework helps people focus their energy where it actually matters.
“You’re not that important” — and that’s a good thing
Alonso ends with a blunt but freeing reminder for anyone feeling overwhelmed:
“Sometimes taking care of yourself starts with choosing where to put your energy. You’re not that important — the company can continue without you. The real question is: can you continue without the company? Take care of yourself, and protect your mental health.”
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