You're not an asshole, you're just tired.

What if every time you looked tired, snapped at someone, or were simply behaving a little too much like a three year old, your boss, partner, friend, co-worker handed you a blanket, an eye mask and a timer and said “its time for your nap.” And for 10 – 20 minutes you went into a room, closed the door and lay down.

Maybe you sleep, maybe you are just there, quietly, not looking at screens, not talking to anyone, not numbing the tiredness with sugar or caffeine or instagram. It is highly unlikely, impossible even, that you feel worse when leaving the room. It is highly likely, however, you will feel better. Positive, focused and clear. Disagree? Try it, and prove me wrong.

In a recent article in The Japan Times, it was stated that a decrease in productivity in the workplace since the 1950s is directly linked to a decrease in average sleep time for employees. Its an unfortunate irony – the more you sacrifice in the name of getting shit done, the less shit you actually get done. And with that sleep deprivation comes depression, malnutrition and a deeply compromised immune system.

I think we know this - but why do we resist it? Is it because we feel more worthy with a tightly packed schedule? Is it fear of being perceived as lazy or not pulling our weight? The guilt and shame associated with not doing enough in a world of #hustle and #sidegig is sadly what holds us back from living a life we have the energy to enjoy.

Next time you say something you wish you hadn’t, are hard on yourself for not eating healthy enough, having a cool enough Instagram or ‘achieving’ enough take a moment to pause, and say to your loved one, your co-worker or to yourself – “sorry, I’m not an asshole, I’m just tired.”

Then book yourself in Go the f*ck to sleep so you can take back control of your energy, your moods and your enjoyment of day to day life. Or at the very least, take a ten minute nap.

Thursday March 5th, 6.30pm-8pm

Become less of an asshole here.

Blog written by Emmie Rae.