Non-Physical Activities Can Be Exhausting, Too!

It's fairly obvious that a person is well within their right to declare themselves "exhausted" if they have been doing heavy work like digging ditches all day.

It's also fairly obvious that we'll get tired if we have to be at the office for 12 hours a day.

But we don't think as much about exhaustion in the context of things like sitting in a vigil for a friend or loved one who has a terminal illness.

After all, we're not exactly doing anything, right?

I really first realized how tiring non-physical things can be when I attended a week-long retreat back in the 1990s, and the workshop facilitator was constantly on about how we had to "stay hydrated" because we could expect to lose as much water as one might from walking briskly for hours on end.

We would have three sessions per day: From 9:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon; from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, and again from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

I can't remember ever being more tired than when I would crawl into bed after the last session and pretty much sleep the sleep of the dead for 8+ hours.

And the retreat was all about de-stressing and relaxation techniques, as well as engaging in deep self-inquiry on difficult topics in our lives.

I think back on that, and am reminded that what makes us tired is often the amount of concentration we are expected to put in, more than the actual work.

It's funny how some of these things sometimes sneak up on us!

For example, when I lived in Texas I was owner/proprietor of an art gallery and I realized — retrospectively — that one of the most exhausting things about it was having to carry the hopes and dreams of the aspiring artists whose work we were showing.

They were forever hopeful and calling and wanting to know "if anything had sold," and much of the time we had to be the bearers of the sad news that nothing had sold... even though the work had been on display for a while.

We often underestimate the weight we carry in our psyches... because that weight is not visible, so folks assume it's also not real.

It's definitely real! And it can be an exhausting load to carry.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week ahead!

How about YOU? Have you ever felt truly MENTALLY exhausted, even if you had done no physical work? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 2026.02.02 00:56 PST
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