A Smarter Way to Work When You’re Exhausted

Always feeling tired? Don’t just push through. Instead, work smarter when you’re exhausted.

Before we even get into what “working smarter” might look like, it’s helpful to dive into why you’re feeling the way you do.

Because you might actually be experiencing the kind of tiredness that sleep can’t fix.

You’ve got all the right parts. Your ambition is topped up (check). You still love what you do (check). You care deeply about your work (check again).

But things feel hard and heavy, and way more weighty than they should.

Clearly, this is not about motivation or a lack of it. What you actually have is a how-you’re-working problem.

Let’s talk more about that.

Two Kinds of Tired

It’s very easy to explain away your tiredness and slap a “need more sleep” label on it. It’s an “easy answer.”

But have you thought about the tiredness that comes from doing everything the hard way?

Here’s how this can play out:

1. Overextended Tired

You probably know this one intimately. This is the “I always show up for others no matter what” type of tired.

In the real world, it looks like this: your calendar is booked solid with no breathing room. Everyone around you thinks you’ve got it all handled, but in reality, you’re completely drained and have no time for yourself, your own projects, or the people you love.

2. Overwhelmed Tired

This kind of tired is a sneaky little bugger. It comes with a side of stress when you realize you haven’t done the thing you planned to do.

Like when you stare at a blank page when you need to finish writing your first chapter kind of stress. This is the “why can’t I just do this?!” ball of mental exhaustion that builds and sometimes paralyzes you. Or sends you into active avoidance.

(also known as procrastination)

Both types of tired are almost guaranteed to bring the pain of frustration, fatigue, or even shame.

That’s because your cognitive load is high while your executive function is low.

“Pushing through” doesn’t help because all you’re doing is ping-ponging between various tasks and commitments.

Which makes you even more exhausted. This is not the lather and rinse you want to repeat.

How to Work Smarter When You’re Exhausted

You have likely heard the following from the well-meaning people or perhaps an expert or two:

• “You just need more discipline.” (or willpower, or drive, or motivation, or <insert your word here>)
• “Have you tried XYZ app? It’s really turned things around for me.”
• “You can sleep when you’re dead. Hustle harder.”

Or maybe you tell yourself that all you have to do is re-work or perfect your plan. So back to the drawing board you go to start the process of combing through every. single. thing.

But the solution can be so much more simple than that.

These two steps will help you work smarter and avoid exhaustion:

1. Simplify

Calm things down by picking one or two things to focus on. No more ping-ponging. Less stress. Fewer decisions.

When you simplify, you automatically reduce the temperature and stress because your focus and priorities suddenly become super clear.

Instead of having your hands in many things, you purposely reserve them for one or two core things.

2. Find Your Squad

These are other solo business owners and entrepreneurs who will walk the journey with you. Show up for you. Support you. Cheer you on. And, yes, tell you like it is.

In fact, they are an essential component and can give an assist in the stress department too.

For example, those decisions that feel overwhelming to you? Get feedback and ideas from the folks in your corner.

Avoiding that project or task? Use the “body double” effect to your advantage and work alongside other solo business peeps in your squad who totally get how you’re feeling.

This is not tactic X plus strategy Y multiplied by the square root of Pi at play. It is a very different and intentional way of working.

A way of working that prevents you from feeling “exhausterwhemulated.” 😄

Live meetup, Wednesdays @ 2PM Eastern

A Smarter Way to Work: You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

As a solo business owner myself, I believe very strongly in working alongside other humans.

Because life on the entrepreneurial road can get bumpy. I know this first-hand. We need other people. 💯

Sure, maybe not every day. But there will come a point when you’ll be itching to share a win with another human.

Or you’ll need your “personal board of directors” to give you some honest opinions or advice.

Or for them to meet up and co-work with you so you can get your projects over the finish line.

These are the reasons I created Action Day (and the Thrive-Hive) in the first place. I needed that support, and I knew other solo biz peeps did too.

So whether you’re exhausted because you’re overextended or overwhelmed, Action Days are where all of this stops being a nice idea and starts becoming your new way of doing things.

It becomes a much easier way to actually get your work done.

You don’t have to work more. Or push harder. And you can stop overthinking.

You show up, work alongside other humans who get it, and make progress you can be proud of.

Even better, you get laser focused and manage your work in a way that your brain can actually easily handle.

Action Day is a dedicated time just for you to get your own work done, to get support, and maybe offer a little of that support back.

It’s where a lot of the friction and frustration disappears.

And when this smarter way of working becomes your normal way of getting things done, exhaustion stops running the show.

Come check out Action Day for yourself. Click here to join the next free session.