Why you're exhausted by 2 PM (it's not what you think)

Carolyn Frost
Aug 8
3 min read

Yesterday I was exhausted by 2 PM and couldn't figure out why.

Then I realized: I wasn't tired from working too hard, or not getting enough sleep the night before.

I was drained from the tiny habits I don't always pay attention to (Hello 3, 5, and 8 below ), but they add up to mental, physical and emotional exhaustion.

We blame our schedules for feeling tired, but the real culprits are hiding in plain sight.

These aren't the obvious ones like sleep or exercise.

These are the sneaky, everyday patterns quietly stealing your energy.

✨ I N S P I R E

"Your energy is your life's most valuable currency. Spend it wisely."

- Unknown

✨ T H R I V E

15 Surprising Energy Drains (The everyday habits stealing your spark)

1) Too Much Screen Time: Constantly staring at devices drains you faster than you realize

Action: Set specific phone-free zones - bedroom, dining table, first hour of your day

2) Too Much Caffeine/Alcohol: The energy crash always follows the high

Action: Switch every second coffee to herbal tea. Notice how your energy stabilizes.

3) Not Drinking Enough Water: Even mild dehydration cuts your energy by 23%

Action: Drink a full glass of water before reaching for caffeine

4) Too Much Artificial Light (especially at night): Disrupts your natural sleep rhythm

Action: Use blue light blockers after sunset, or dim all screens 2 hours before bed

5) Sitting Too Much: Your body wasn't designed for 8+ hours of sitting daily

Action: Set hourly movement alarms. Just 2 minutes of walking resets your energy.

6) Spending Time with Draining People: Some people consistently leave you feeling worse

Action: Limit time with negative people. Protect your peace like you protect your paycheck.

7) Stressful Work Environment: Constant tension keeps your nervous system on high alert

Action: Create micro-breaks - 30 seconds of deep breathing every hour

8) Ignoring Your Own Needs: Always putting others first depletes your reserves Action: Schedule your needs like important meetings. They are.

9) Pushing Down Your Emotions: Avoiding feelings takes enormous mental energy

Action: Feel it, name it, then release it. Emotions are meant to move through you.

10) Constant Negative Thoughts: Your brain believes the stories you tell it

Action: Catch one negative thought daily and flip it to neutral (not fake positive)

11) Unresolved Arguments or Issues: Mental loops about conflicts drain you all day

Action: Address it, accept it, or actively choose to let it go

12) Messy, Cluttered Spaces: Visual chaos creates mental chaos

Action: Clear one surface completely. Feel the instant energy shift.

13) Being Too Critical: Constantly judging yourself and others is exhausting

Action: Practice the "good enough" rule for non-essential tasks

14) Worrying About Things You Can't Control: Weather, traffic, other people's choices

Action: Ask "Is this in my control?" If not, redirect your energy.

15) Always Expecting the Worst: Maintaining a negative outlook takes constant effort Action: End each day by writing down one good thing that happened. Just one.

Your energy is finite.

Stop leaking it on things that don't matter.

You deserve to feel alive, not just survive.

Always,

Carolyn

✨FURTHER READING

The Beauty of the Slow Down: How pausing creates space for the moments that matter most

Tips for When You're Losing It: Practical strategies to prevent meltdowns before they happen

Take Care of You: Self-care, self-love and self-compassion practices