People Who Are Exhausted By Their Own Lives Usually Say 8 Phrases In Casual Conversation
Geartooth Productions / Shutterstock Exhaustion can creep up on you unexpectedly, as bad relationships, low self-esteem, money troubles, and an unfulfilling career all add to the strain.
If someone has become truly exhausted by their own life, it will usually become at least somewhat obvious to people around them that they’re unhappy. Even if they’re not particularly unsatisfied with one part of their life, not carving out enough time for rest and pushing themselves closer to burnout can quickly amplify negative feelings. When those negative thoughts spiral out of control, so too does their exhaustion. And when that happens, they almost always start to drop hints in even their most casual conversations.
If someone is exhausted by their own life, they'll frequently say these phrases in casual conversations
1. ‘I just need to make it to…’
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So many people in our world, influenced by hustle culture, find a way to justify putting their well-being on the back burner. Mothers do everything they can to hold together an entire household with emotional and physical labor. Young people claw their way to the top of their careers. And as they do, they make excuses for not resting enough or looking out for their well-being as they pursue the future.
People with this tendency often believe that if they can just work harder and strive toward that one thing that will make it all worth it, they can justify months, years, and even decades of struggle. However, this is the only life we get. Yes, succeeding in your career and making enough money to be comfortable are admirable goals, but when you’re living on empty, you’re missing out on so much.
In particular, you’re missing out on the rest you need to function, as well as mindfulness, connections with other people, joy, and ease in the present moment.
2. ‘I can’t handle this right now’
Especially when someone has a million other things on their plate and is constantly overwhelmed by the obligations swirling in their brain, unexpected inconveniences can feel heavier than they may otherwise.
For most people, these seemingly harmless duties actually create the most emotional turmoil. They bring up suppressed feelings and stress we haven’t had a chance to process, and for someone who’s already exhausted in their own lives, they can be the straw on the camel’s back.
3. ‘I’ll figure it out’
Rather than being a clear symptom of someone’s exhaustion, a person who says they'll figure it out instead of saying no when their plate is too full subconsciously reveals the cause of their suffering. They don’t know how to set boundaries and say no, because they’re either worried about disappointing someone or trying to prove that they can handle it all.
Whether it’s at work or in their personal lives, they sabotage their well-being by taking on more than they can handle. In the moment, it might feel easy to please someone else by being their savior, but eventually, it comes at their own expense.
4. ‘I just need to catch up on sleep’
A lack of sleep can often amplify someone’s stress and mental turmoil, but it’s not always the main cause of someone’s mental exhaustion. Especially if they’re taking on too much at work or not expressing their needs in a relationship, the fatigue will always come back.
If someone isn't addressing the root cause of their fatigue, sleep alone won't solve their problems. They’re going to continue to be anxious, exhausted, and fatigued in their daily lives, because their restlessness isn’t coming only from a lack of sleep. This justification for being disengaged or zoning out might make sense to some people, but if it happens consistently, sleep debt probably isn’t their only problem.
5. ‘I don’t have time for that’
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Financial problems and hectic work schedules can make us feel like we don’t have a choice regarding how we spend our time. However, we’re all in control of our own lives. At some point, we have to take accountability for our exhaustion and look after ourselves, or our bodies and minds will do it for us in the most inconvenient moments.
If you hear someone saying they don't have time for that when offered an invitation or support from a friend telling them to take time for themselves, they’re setting themselves up to fail. Whether they think they’re being stoic or just trying to survive, they’re keeping themselves stuck in a cycle of burnout that’s hard to break from.
6. ‘I’m fine, just tired’
When someone’s emotionally exhausted, suppressing their own feelings and shoving down complex ones can feel easier in the moment than processing or communicating them out loud. These people are clearly exhausted and fatigued, but still miss out on opportunities to ease that emotional burden by instead saying that they are fine and dismissing their own needs.
It’s an age-old excuse for avoiding vulnerability and support, but it does continue to keep people stuck in cycles of burnout and exhaustion.
7. ‘You decide’
When there are a million options and endless possibilities, people who are already dealing with overwhelming stress find it especially hard to make a decision. So, as harmless as it might sound, someone constantly saying you can decide or you choose might actually be signaling that their brain is too overloaded to make a choice.
Not only is this a sign of deeper cognitive struggles taking shape because of their burnout, but it can quickly sabotage their ability to express their own needs and advocate for themselves in social situations.
8. ‘Whatever’
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“Whatever” and “it is what it is” are passive phrases exhausted people tend to use when they just don’t have the energy to argue or dive deeper. When making a decision feels like the end of the world for their overloaded brains, of course, they’d choose to be passive and avoidant over expressive and communicative.
They’re overlooking opportunities to resolve conflict that could benefit their well-being, as well as dismissing their own needs and sabotaging inner trust at the same time.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
