Ever noticed how everything feels 10x harder when you’re exhausted?

I have.

Replying to an email feels like writing a thesis.

A short walk? Feels like a trek through the Himalayas.

And don't get me started on “just one more Zoom call.”

At one point, I genuinely wondered:

> “Am I losing motivation… or just sleep-deprived?”

Turns out, it was the latter.

The joy-sucking, focus-wrecking, motivation-melting power of too little sleep.

That’s when it hit me:

Burnout isn’t always from doing too much.

Sometimes, it’s from sleeping too little.

As an occupational therapist, I’ve seen this with clients—

Burnout masked as laziness.

Fatigue misread as apathy.

Productivity guilt layered over a very human need for recovery.

And let’s be honest: in a culture that glorifies hustle, rest can feel rebellious.

But maybe the bravest thing we can do is listen to our yawns, not silence them with caffeine.

So today, I’m inviting you to pause and ask:

🛌 Are you tired… or are you drained?

🧠 What could change if you gave your brain the rest it’s begging for?

Sleep isn’t weak.

Sleep is strategy.

And honestly? It’s the most underrated productivity hack I know.

SYNERGY