Pushing Through the “Even More Tired” Phase

When you first decide to add more fun, social, or active things into your life, you expect to feel more fulfilled right away. You imagine yourself going to that community event, hitting the pool after work, or saying yes to a weekend camping trip and instantly feeling whole again. Reality is a little different. At the start, there is often an “even more tired” phase that no one really talks about.

This is the part where your body feels extra drained because you are asking it to do more than it is used to. You go to trivia night after work and instead of feeling refreshed, you feel ready to crash. You meet friends at a baseball game and wake up the next day feeling like you need another day off. It can be frustrating, because you are putting in effort to live more fully, but your energy seems to drop instead of rise.

The important thing to know is this phase is normal and temporary. Your body is adjusting. Just like when you start a new workout routine, there is soreness and fatigue before your strength and stamina builds. The same happens when you start filling your life with new activities. Eventually, the tiredness shifts into energy, excitement, and a sense of balance.

The trick is to push yourself enough to get through the adjustment, while also listening to your body. If you truly need rest, take it. If you just feel lazy but know you’ll enjoy yourself once you get moving, go anyway. Over time, you learn the difference. And once you’re past that initial stage, you’ll see that living fully outside of your normal routine doesn’t just add more to your schedule—it adds more living to your life. So grab your favorite redbull, a planner, and tell me what activities you can add in this coming month.