how do you deal with mental fatigue from working so much?

I collect VHS tapes

I collect VHS tapes

Gold Member
in my 20s I used to be able to work OT and not feel this burned out. I'm almost 40, and when I have to grind out a project/assignment I feel like I'm running on fumes by the time it hits 8pm. I just end up staring at the screen, completely braindead.

is there some secret vitamin or supplement I can take to not feel this way(outside of meth/amphetamines)? I just drank an energy drink and it feels like I had a glass of water.

not sure what I'm supposed to do in these situations. I feel completely worthless once I hit ~12 hour mark working. my work is mentally engaging/draining/exhausting, but there has to be a way around this.

only noticed this issue in the past year or so.

edit: I should add that I get plenty of sleep each night, so sleeping more isn't the solution I don't think
 
Last edited:
Play some video games. Talk to my family. eat some food. Exercise. read my Bible.

The normal stuff.
 
AJUMP23 said:
Play some video games. Talk to my family. eat some food. Exercise. read my Bible.

The normal stuff.
Click to expand...
I think you misread my post. I'm not asking how to find workplace balance or anything like that. I'm asking how do people cope with the extreme mental exhaustion and manage to power through to hit a deadline.

unless you're telling me you whip out your Vita or bible to briefly power up & get back to working? because I can tell you that shit wouldn't work for me
 
Time management is how I cope with workload as I age. I cut out all wasted time from my workday and generally avoid last minute crunches. There is no silver bullet for pulling an all nighter. I usually mainline coffee the entire day when I need to be up all night so that I can at least function.
 
Lasha said:
Time management is how I cope with workload as I age. I cut out all wasted time from my workday and generally avoid last minute crunches. There is no silver bullet for pulling an all nighter. I usually mainline coffee the entire day when I need to be up all night so that I can at least function.
Click to expand...
Sounds very unhealthy tbh
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
I think you misread my post. I'm not asking how to find workplace balance or anything like that. I'm asking how do people cope with the extreme mental exhaustion and manage to power through to hit a deadline.

unless you're telling me you whip out your Vita or bible to briefly power up & get back to working? because I can tell you that shit wouldn't work for me
Click to expand...
I probably just get up, get a drink of water talk to someone then go back to my cube.
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
in my 20s I used to be able to work OT and not feel this burned out. I'm almost 40, and when I have to grind out a project/assignment I feel like I'm running on fumes by the time it hits 8pm. I just end up staring at the screen, completely braindead.

is there some secret vitamin or supplement I can take to not feel this way(outside of meth/amphetamines)? I just drank an energy drink and it feels like I had a glass of water.

not sure what I'm supposed to do in these situations. I feel completely worthless once I hit ~12 hour mark working. my work is mentally engaging/draining/exhausting, but there has to be a way around this.

only noticed this issue in the past year or so.

edit: I should add that I get plenty of sleep each night, so sleeping more isn't the solution I don't think
Click to expand...
I think were are two in this thread 😅😂
 
i dont work but school is annoying
i wish we could start at 10-12 and end at 7 rather than the goofy ass shit of waking up at 7 in the fucking morning when i'm still cranky and can't think straight
 
KkiyB48.jpg
 
Exercise. Quality time doing activities I enjoy, like hikes or kayaking. Doing something away from electronics usually but listening to records also does the trick.
 
Last edited:
64bitmodels said:
i dont work but school is annoying
i wish we could start at 10-12 and end at 7 rather than the goofy ass shit of waking up at 7 in the fucking morning when i'm still cranky and can't think straight
Click to expand...
Another good thing for starting school later in the day is to avoid congestion on the roads.
Often times during school holidays the roads here are nice and free flowing in every direction.
Businesses should also consider staggered working hours so traffic is not as heavy in the morning.

Sorry this is way off topic
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
I think you misread my post. I'm not asking how to find workplace balance or anything like that. I'm asking how do people cope with the extreme mental exhaustion and manage to power through to hit a deadline.
Click to expand...
It honestly just sounds like you're working too much. If you're nearly 40 and you still have a job that's requiring you to regularly put in 12 or more hours - there are a series of (probably bad) decisions that led you down this path.
 
jshackles said:
It honestly just sounds like you're working too much. If you're nearly 40 and you still have a job that's requiring you to regularly put in 12 or more hours - there are a series of (probably bad) decisions that led you down this path.
Click to expand...
oh trust me, I question my life decisions regularly

I make really good money, and I really only have these crunches a few times a month. But yeah, I've definitely contemplated a career change.

Edit: I could switch jobs and have a fraction of the stress, but it would come with a significant pay decrease
 
Last edited:
Hawking Radiation said:
Another good thing for starting school later in the day is to avoid congestion on the roads.
Often times during school holidays the roads here are nice and free flowing in every direction.
Businesses should also consider staggered working hours so traffic is not as heavy in the morning.

Sorry this is way off topic
Click to expand...
Good point, although i didnt really consider it since i'm lucky enough to be able to walk to school
i think we should find a way to get MORE students to be able to walk to schools, so they don't need buses and cars as much and we can reduce congestion on the roads, as well as encourage exercise for the students
 
I just took a 1 week vacation at the end of July and immediately came back and worked 10 days in a row including a bunch of 10–12 hour days. Had today off and will probably not get another one until mid September. I've just accepted that life is a soul crushing grind and have started planning for my retirement that is over 30 years away. The struggle for me is not acting miserable at work and pretending I'm cool with all the hours and my cunty coworkers. If I request 2 days off in a row my coworkers (boomers in their late 50s mostly) will be like "how was your vacation 😏" the day I come back over and over for the entire day. Idk man. I just force myself to be grateful for good pay and benefits. Really though I hate everything about my job. My wife is having our first kid in October and I can already tell it's gonna be an issue getting time off when she's born.
 
BennyBlanco said:
I just took a 1 week vacation at the end of July and immediately came back and worked 10 days in a row including a bunch of 10–12 hour days. Had today off and will probably not get another one until mid September. I've just accepted that life is a soul crushing grind and have started planning for my retirement that is over 30 years away. The struggle for me is not acting miserable at work and pretending I'm cool with all the hours and my cunty coworkers. If I request 2 days off in a row my coworkers (boomers in their late 50s mostly) will be like "how was your vacation 😏" the day I come back over and over for the entire day. Idk man. I just force myself to be grateful for good pay and benefits. Really though I hate everything about my job. My wife is having our first kid in October and I can already tell it's gonna be an issue getting time off when she's born.
Click to expand...
I'm good about taking vacations. fortunately the culture at my current job is chill and people generally encourage you to go on vacation, but I've had jobs in the past where people were bitter about you taking vacations and I still didn't give a fuck.

at my current job, OT becomes PTO, so you get plenty of vacation time in.

I'm taking a tropical vacation for most of September with the wife. honestly that just might be the trick, at least temporarily.
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
oh trust me, I question my life decisions regularly

I make really good money, and I really only have these crunches a few times a month. But yeah, I've definitely contemplated a career change.

Edit: I could switch jobs and have a fraction of the stress, but it would come with a significant pay decrease
Click to expand...
I wasn't trying to be mean about it - hell, I'm the same way. Thankfully my thing is once every three years, but when that project hits it hits hard. Currently at the tail end of working like twenty 16+ hour days in a row myself.

definitely sucks, and there were definitively some bad life decisions that have led me to this point. Only advice I can give is to just power through somehow until it's over and done with.
 
I stopped having a "boss" a long time ago. I work when and how much I want. I make just as much as when I worked 60+ hours a week in my 20s.

I'm getting a bit sick of it not getting "ahead" as much as I want but that will come with creating something and building a business and more passive incomes.

For now I value my time more than anything. I'm able to work 20 hours a week and cover my necessities.



Is slacktivism and not working as hard as you do now an option? I find you don't owe these big companies much. If you aren't prideful in the job maybe just don't work as hard.
 
Last edited:
jshackles said:
I wasn't trying to be mean about it - hell, I'm the same way. Thankfully my thing is once every three years, but when that project hits it hits hard. Currently at the tail end of working like twenty 16+ hour days in a row myself.

definitely sucks, and there were definitively some bad life decisions that have led me to this point. Only advice I can give is to just power through somehow until it's over and done with.
Click to expand...
I make really good money and I'm at the point where both my wife and I have become accustomed to this salary.

if I could go back and do it over, I wouldn't have hustled so hard to make $$$ and would have chose a simpler lifestyle.

but over time, you get used to living life a certain way and I don't think I could adjust to making significantly less. especially given that I live in Los Angeles where the cost of living is already absurd to begin with.
 
Last edited:
I just got back from a two week vacation, which I don't usually take that much time off in a row. I was rewarded with a new workload that I've had no previous experience with. This constantly happens on my team. Management is dogshit. Back down the earth now, the realization of having to work another 25-30 years or so is crushing.

I feel your pain OP
 
Last edited:
You said you started feeling this since last year. I would advise you to look for a doctor as it might be something going on with your thyroid. Google about it and check whether you have other symptoms.
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
I make really good money and I'm at the point where both my wife and I have become accustomed to this salary.

if I could go back and do it over, I wouldn't have hustled so hard to make $$$ and would have chose a simpler lifestyle.

but over time, you get used to living life a certain way and I don't think I could adjust to making significantly less. especially given that I live in Los Angeles where the cost of living is already absurd to begin with.
Click to expand...
tumblr_ngwpgfEYNb1t5d337o5_500.gifv


Two years ago, I moved from a two story Victorian house into a trailer home built in 1991. My mortgage went from being over $3,000 a month down to just $1,300 a month. I've taken the extra money that I've saved and put it towards the rest of my debts - which over two years later still aren't totally paid down. I've also had to spent a lot of money on renovations (new roof, rebuilt flooring, overhauling the heating system, etc.) but overall it's been a huge net gain for me.

I'm obviously still dependent on my job to make ends meet, but if I stick to my financial goals then I'll have this place paid off in 10 years when I'm going to start thinking about retirement. I figured I'd rather have 15 years of less working than to live some place a lot fancier on the nicer side of town.

Everyone's situation is going to be different, but humans are remarkably adaptable beings. There is still time to choose a simpler lifestyle. There's still time to move out of LA and resettle somewhere less expensive. Don't get to the end of your journey and look back on your life with regret.
 
jshackles said:
tumblr_ngwpgfEYNb1t5d337o5_500.gifv


Two years ago, I moved from a two story Victorian house into a trailer home built in 1991. My mortgage went from being over $3,000 a month down to just $1,300 a month. I've taken the extra money that I've saved and put it towards the rest of my debts - which over two years later still aren't totally paid down. I've also had to spent a lot of money on renovations (new roof, rebuilt flooring, overhauling the heating system, etc.) but overall it's been a huge net gain for me.

I'm obviously still dependent on my job to make ends meet, but if I stick to my financial goals then I'll have this place paid off in 10 years when I'm going to start thinking about retirement. I figured I'd rather have 15 years of less working than to live some place a lot fancier on the nicer side of town.

Everyone's situation is going to be different, but humans are remarkably adaptable beings. There is still time to choose a simpler lifestyle. There's still time to move out of LA and resettle somewhere less expensive. Don't get to the end of your journey and look back on your life with regret.
Click to expand...
We bought our house in a small town not too far from work. That enabled us to pay our mortgage off very quickly. We're eyeing early retirement now. Do not forget to take advantage of investing your HSA money, if available to you.

In the past few years we've been able to max our annual 401k, IRA, and HSA contributions. Now it's just a matter of time. I'm projecting a soft retirement in about 5 years. We can go 10 if we want to be even more conservative in our estimates. Of, course, we will be at the mercy of inflation and other factors. But if we freeze time at this moment, that is the timetable we're looking at.
 
I work 9-5:30 and not a minute longer unless it's some sort of emergency, which doesn't happen.

Stop overworking. If that's not possible at your current job, find a new job. You get one life, don't spend it making a ton of money you don't have any time to spend.
 
Maiden Voyage said:
In the past few years we've been able to max our annual 401k, IRA, and HSA contributions. Now it's just a matter of time. I'm projecting a soft retirement in about 5 years. We can go 10 if we want to be even more conservative in our estimates. Of, course, we will be at the mercy of inflation and other factors. But if we freeze time at this moment, that is the timetable we're looking at.
Click to expand...
I don't have a 401k, but I'm lucky enough to work somewhere that has an actual honest-to-god pension that I'm already fully vested in - meaning that even if I were get fired today, I would still be able to draw on it once I turn 65 (although I'd only get about half of my current salary then if that happened now).

If I work until I'm 58 then I'll have put in my 30 years and they'll basically keep paying me to not come into work. Unfortunately, that doesn't include health benefits, so I might have to also do a "soft retirement" then and find a less stressful job that still has health insurance. Maybe the US will get their shit together before then, who knows. Or, alternatively, a lot of my coworkers I've seen retire over the years are mostly retiring to places outside of the US that have that shit figured out already.
 
ysaI5Oe.jpg



Edit: for realsies I found a lot of the mental fatigue/endurance issues ended up being nutritional for me. I have been using athletic greens for almost a year now and swear by it just for keeping me mentally at the top of my game without going into the physical benefits
 
Last edited:
ENLsIq.jpg


Real answer- ask for less hours if you can afford it. I was finishing my five day weeks shattered and watching my weekends pass in the blink of an eye- too tired and sore to do anything. I asked to do four day weeks instead and was given a new contract. One less day of work and one more day of rest makes so much difference it's shocking.

I collect VHS tapes said:
I just drank an energy drink and it feels like I had a glass of water.
Click to expand...

Drink actual water instead? Water revitalises your body functions and will keep you going longer.

Sugar is fine for a short-term boost but you'll feel the energy crash sooner and caffeine will dehydrate you.
 
Last edited:
Try Omega3 but the best for mental fatigue is B complex injections , its a set of 5 injections ( one daily) and you can use it two times per year.

Its helps to reduce overthinking and in general stress.

If you do not like injections try pills but its effect will take more time to show results.

Anyway investigate about it.

beneficios-del-complejo-de-vitamina-b-conjunto-de-iconos-de-dibujos-animados-vectoriales.webp
 
Last edited:
It should be 30 hours a week if I'm being honest
Work should be the little side thing we attend for 5 days a week and not what defines our entire lives
 
Last edited:
Angry Star Wars GIF

and then I'm okay.

Honestly, Energy drinks, drugs are not the way to go. They will cause your body harm.

Healthy diet, vitamins, mental and physical exercise, getting outside, sleep is the answer. Get your yearly physical to ensure your body is functioning properly. Don't neglect your connection with the Eternal.

What you do now will prepare your body, mind, spirit for tomorrow. We are a complex system and quick fix solutions will leave you drained.
 
Last edited:
Maybe stop working till 8pm? What time does that leave for you to live your life? Wind down? Socialise with friends and family? Consistently working past 5-6pm (if you start at 8-9) is not normal or healthy if you are in an office/desk job.

More generally, spending more than 8-9 hours a day and 4-5 days a week working/studying is not sustainable in my opinion.

As for my working "on" hours, I take regular breaks, walks, stay hydrated, etc. All of the normal stuff.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

how you stop eat so much??
Opinion Business Science  2
78
2K
sCHOCOLATE replied
how do you give your ratings for restaurants?
|OT| 
25
227
Durien replied
How often do you update your important tech?
2
56
622
th4tguy replied
  • Poll
How often do you make your bed?
2
64
1K
ResurrectedContrarian replied
How often do you think about dying?
Cringe  2
57
888
ForAcademicPurposes replied
Top Bottom