Memo 004: You're Not Lazy. You're Exhausted

Unpstd – A weekly memo for men tired of the feed brought to you by OTW

SUBJECT: The burnout isn’t your fault. But staying there might be.

Let’s kill the myth right now:
You’re not unmotivated.
You’re not a failure.
You’re not falling behind.

You’re just overstimulated and under-recovered.
And that’s by design.

The Productivity Lie

You were sold this idea:
Wake up at 4 a.m.
Read 10 books a month.
Run a side hustle.
Maintain a six-pack.
Own your dream house.
Still be a “present father.”

All while smiling into a camera for content.

That’s not self-improvement. That’s performance-enhancing delusion.

And it’s killing us. At least me.

The System Wants You Numb

Capitalism’s favorite trick?
Convince you rest is laziness.
As I sit here working on this as a side hustle…

Scroll when you're tired.
Buy when you're empty.
Grind until your identity is “busy.”

Then reward yourself with… more screen time and dopamine spikes.

It’s a hamster wheel dressed up as ambition.

Here's the Quiet Rebellion:

1. Take rest seriously.
   Not just sleep. Intentional boredom. Stillness.

2. Log off like it’s a job.
   Because it is. Detox your inputs.

3. Do something analog daily.
   Not for content. For you.

4. Talk about it with another man.
   No shame. No TED Talk. Just truth.

You’re Not Weak. Society Sucks.

(Sometimes)

They profit from your exhaustion.
They win when you cope instead of change.

This isn’t about becoming some Zen monk in the mountains.
It’s about unplugging from the noise long enough to hear yourself think again.

Rest is your resistance.
Clarity is the flex.

You’re not lazy, man.
You’re just done pretending.