Forget the influencers who promise you unlimited energy 24/7: the real victory is being “very tired”

Let’s face it, lately it seems like everything is wearing us down. From the alarm that rings too early to the latest episode of our favorite series that keeps us up late, our daily lives are a frantic race against tiredness. And let’s not even get started on those influencers who always seem to be on top of their game, making us feel guilty starting at breakfast!

In the face of this constant pressure, the wellness industry bombards us with miracle solutions. From revolutionary mattresses to nutritional supplements to the famous adaptogenic mushrooms (no, that’s not what turns Mario into a superhero), we are promised miracles to overcome the limits of our energy.

But let’s be honest for two seconds: Even the most energetic person in your life (the one who does yoga at 5 a.m. and runs marathons on the weekend) eventually goes to bed. It’s a biological fact, my friends: We all need sleep. Every. Bitch. Day.

“Good Work”: The Holy Grail of Well-Being?

So if we can’t escape fatigue, what can we do? Why not try to tame it? This is where the concept of “good fatigue” comes in.

“Good fatigue” is that exhilarating feeling of having spent your energy on something worthwhile. It’s the satisfied tiredness after preparing a feast for your friends, the blissful tiredness after a productive day at work, or even the soreness after a wild game of… pickleball (yes, apparently it’s a real sport, not just an influencer’s illusion).

Of course, there are also less glamorous sources of tiredness: the world that is going to hell, the capitalism that is crushing us, the health problems that are undermining us… But even there we can try to find a meaning to our tiredness.

How to cultivate “good effort”?

1. Order your activities: Focus on what you’re really excited about, not what Instagram tells you to do.
2. Dare to say no: to boring commitments, to useless evenings, to toxic people. Your energy is precious, damn it!
3. Turn wasted time into time saved: instead of absentmindedly scrolling the networks, read this book that has been lying on your bedside table for months.
4. Give yourself micro-pleasures: 15 minutes spent writing, playing a video game, or knitting can turn a lousy day into a… less lousy day.
5. Accept that you will not always be at your best: it is okay to be tired, it is even normal. The important thing is to be satisfied with what has tired you.

Ultimately, the real victory is not escaping fatigue: that’s impossible, unless you’re secretly a robot (and even then, you should recharge your batteries). No, the real victory is getting to the end of the day exhausted, but satisfied.

Remember: Being tired doesn’t mean you’ve failed. On the contrary, it can be a sign that you’ve lived life to the fullest, that you’ve taken on challenges, that you’ve dared to step out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s working on a project you’re passionate about, spending time with loved ones, or even taking a well-deserved day off (yes, even relaxing can be tiring, especially when you’re not used to it!), the important thing is to end the day feeling like you’ve accomplished something worthwhile.