The Tired Tax: The Bill Nobody Talks About
What if there was something in your life that was costing you money every month, and you had the power to reduce it while feeling better too?
Let me introduce you to the “tired tax”.
What is the tired tax?
The tired tax refers to the extra costs (financial, emotional and physical) that come from being tired. It’s the hidden price we pay when we’re exhausted, stressed, overwhelmed or running on autopilot.
When we’re exhausted, our decision-making suffers. We often choose what’s easiest in the moment rather than what’s best for us long term.
There are a number of different kinds of tired tax:
The financial tired tax
Examples include:
• Paying for gym memberships or subscriptions we don’t use because we’re too tired to engage.
• Ordering takeaways because cooking feels overwhelming.
• Paying for convenience foods instead of preparing meals.
• Missing payment deadlines and incurring charges.
• Making impulse purchases online.
The health tired tax
Sleep deprivation and chronic stress can lead to:
• Reduced motivation to exercise.
• Poorer food choices and increased calorie intake.
• Increased sugar, caffeine and alcohol consumption.
• Weakened immune function.
• Greater susceptibility to illness.
• Slower recovery from physical and emotional challenges.
The emotional tired tax
When we’re tired, we often:
• Become more irritable.
• Have less patience with loved ones.
• Feel more anxious.
• Struggle to regulate emotions.
• Lose confidence in our ability to cope.
Problems can feel much bigger if you’re tossing and turning at 3am than they do after a good night’s sleep.
The productivity tired tax
Being tired often makes us:
• Procrastinate.
• Make mistakes.
• Forget important tasks.
• Take longer to complete work.
• Struggle with concentration.
Many people try to push through fatigue, but exhaustion often reduces productivity rather than increasing it.
Why our lifestyles make the tired tax worse
We live in a world where are constantly expected to be connected. That email that your boss sends you at midnight is pinging on your phone and maybe it’s the first thing you see in the morning. Since COVID the blurring of the lines between home and work has become more noticeable. Do you find yourself just checking on something work-wise when you’re on holiday or just before bed? We have busy family lives – juggling all the caring responsibilities of ageing parents or young children and often both can leave us exhausted.
When people spend long periods in a state of stress, their nervous system remains on high alert. Sleep quality often suffers, recovery becomes harder, and the tired tax grows.
People don’t just need more sleep; they need time to properly rest and recover.
How to reduce the tired tax
Practical suggestions:
• Prioritise your sleep. It’s a necessity, not a luxury.
• Create evening routines that support rest. Watching the TV and scrolling through your phone at the same time isn’t as restful as you might believe it to be.
• Set boundaries around work and technology. Give yourself a cut-off time when you’ll stop looking at your phone. Mine goes silent at 9pm and also turns black and white. Research suggests that switching your phone to greyscale can make it less tempting to use. Decide a time when you’ll stop working and I don’t just mean when you’ll leave the office but when you’ll stop checking emails, planning that project or what you’re doing tomorrow.
• Learn relaxation techniques. I’ve got some great free resources in my online shop which you can find by clicking here..
• Schedule downtime before reaching burnout.
• Notice when you’re making decisions from a place of exhaustion.
How can hypnotherapy help
Hypnotherapy sessions can be really useful if you’re feeling stressed and burnt out or if your sleep is suffering. It can help you feel calmer and more resilient, relax your mind and body, and break the cycle of exhaustion and overwhelm.
To book your free consultation to find out how hypnotherapy can benefit you, click here..
I might not be able to stop your boss emailing you at 2am, but I can help you cope with the stress of it.
