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In late 2025 former tennis star Jelena Dokic was feeling burnt out and mentally fatigued.
The beloved TV personality was coming to the end of a busy year, and had gone through a challenging time in her personal life.
In December was hospitalised as she underwent surgery to remove a large fibroid in her uterus, a procedure which left her with four cuts on her stomach.
“I will be taking it slow for a bit but will be back up on my feet very soon,” she told her followers in a post at the time.
There wasn’t too much time for Jelena to take her foot off the pedal – for the star needed to be back on screens for coverage of the Australian Open in January.
But behind Jelena’s cheery assertion that she would be right as rain in no time, there was something she could no longer ignore: she needed to rest.
“I was recovering from my surgery all of December so I was forced into resting, recovering and taking it easy for a few weeks going into a busy January and another busy year,” the star revealed in a new Instagram post.
“To be honest I probably should have taken a week or two off anyway regardless of my health and surgery rather than having to mandatorily do it.”
Jelena ended up taking a month to recuperate – jetting to Bali with her boyfriend Yane Veselinov. And as the TV star finally took it easy, she got to thinking…
“I am sometimes guilty myself of not resting and recovering at times when I should, especially because I find my work and everything I do so rewarding and I love to work and to be honest I do sometimes feel guilty about resting,” the star admitted to her fans.
“But taking December off due to surgery has really made me think deeper about rest, recovery, burn out and mental health.”
Jelena went on to make a vow – that she would start keeping track of how much she was working and resting – and not “feel guilty” for resting when she knows she is exhausted and needs it.
“I will really listen to my mind and body instead of my calendar and schedule dictating what I do,” she said.
“Because if I didn’t take December off I don’t know how I would have got through January and now the next few months as well because I realised I was actually mentally fatigued and even a bit burnt out,” the star added.
“So I am not sure who might need to hear this as well but remember rest is not a reward.
“You don’t have to earn rest. You need rest, you deserve rest and don’t ever feel guilty for taking time to rest, recover and heal.
“Your fatigue, exhaustion and overwhelm are real so don’t feel guilty for sometimes taking a break from the life and world that’s not designed to protect you unless you do it yourself.
“Rest, recover, heal and refresh when you need it. No guilt.”
