The Sensory Receipt: Why Being Exhausted is Sometimes a Win
I spent my weekend at two gigs and a band practice. By Monday morning, my brain felt like a browser with fifty tabs open, all of them playing different songs at once. I was overwhelmed, physically wiped, and staring at a wall with the kind of intensity usually reserved for deep-thinking, problem-solving and creative execution.
In the past, I would have viewed this state as a failure. I’d have told myself to “power through,” or felt a nagging sense of guilt that a bit of music and socialising had rendered me temporarily non-functional. We are often taught that if something is fun, it shouldn’t be draining.
But for the neurodivergent creative, that isn’t how the maths works.
The Myth of “Powering Through”
There is a particular brand of stoicism we like to adopt—the idea that with enough caffeine and willpower, we can bypass our sensory limits. However, “powering through” is usually just a polite term for ignoring a looming shutdown.
When we try to force ourselves to maintain a high level of output immediately after a high-sensory event, we aren’t being productive; we’re just being unkind to ourselves. Accepting that my battery is flat isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a mechanical fact. If the car is out of petrol, you don’t shout at it to try harder; you go to the petrol station. Get me a Twix while you’re there, yeah?
Reframing the Exhaustion
I’ve come to realise that this specific type of exhaustion is actually a “sensory receipt” for a life well-lived.
If I am tired because I spent time creating music or witnessing someone else’s art, that tiredness is evidence of a win. Instead of focusing on the fatigue, I’m learning to focus on the “why”:
- The Win: I showed up, I engaged, and I contributed.
- The Cost: My nervous system needs to recalibrate.
The fatigue shouldn’t overshadow the achievement. Being exhausted by “good things” is still a positive outcome, provided we allow ourselves the grace to recover.
Acceptance and the Recovery Protocol
The shift happens when we move from guilt to regulated recovery. This means:
- Foraging for Forgiveness: Letting go of the idea that you “should” be doing more on a Monday morning.
- Scheduled Silence: Recognising that recovery isn’t “doing nothing”—it is the active process of returning to baseline.
- Making Room: If we want to do more of the things we love, we have to build in the space to be tired afterwards.
I’m still tired, and my ears are probably still ringing slightly. But rather than fighting the slump, I’m choosing to celebrate the fact that I had a weekend worth being tired for.
