Running on Empty

Here’s a photo from the walk I took this morning along the river trail. I did try to get my dog to pose for a photo but he was having the time of his life with all the smells. We try to walk here every couple of weeks because I do find that it helps to restore my battery. This feeling will be all too familiar to some of you. You trade in the 10 minute drive each way when you couple possibly use that time to fold more laundry or mop or clean bathrooms. Is it worth it? Sometimes, because sometimes you are just tapped out and need to be in the sunshine for a walk someplace you love.

I’m tired.

Not the “I need a nap” kind of tired — the kind that lives in your bones. The kind that makes you forget why you walked into a room, that makes small decisions feel like mental marathons. The kind of tired that stacks up over weeks, months, years of carrying everything for everyone, with no finish line in sight.

Welcome to the reality of working full time while solo parenting.

And let me be clear: I’m not here for pity. I’m here to tell the truth.

The Weight of It All

There is no clocking out. No one else is making dinner while you decompress from a tough meeting. No one else is handling the dentist appointments, the teacher emails, the grocery runs, the budget math, the laundry that never ever stops.

There’s just… you. And the people who depend on you.

Some of us are “solo” while still technically married — because our partners live elsewhere for work, or simply don’t share the load. Some of us are actually single. Some of us are co-parenting but still feel the pressure of holding the entire emotional and logistical universe together for our kids.

No matter what version of “solo” you are — this is for you.

The Lie of “Just Try Harder”

There’s a toxic myth in our culture that you can beat exhaustion by trying harder, waking up earlier, hustling better.

No. You’re not tired because you’re lazy or disorganized.

You’re tired because your life demands more energy than one human is designed to give.

You’re tired because you’re doing the job of two people — while also trying to be emotionally available, financially stable, and somehow… present.

And the truth is, no color-coded calendar or miracle smoothie can fix systemic burnout.

What Help Actually Looks Like

So how do we survive — and maybe even begin to feel like ourselves again?

Here’s what I’m learning (read: reminding myself, daily):

• You don’t have to do it all. Choose what actually matters each day, and let the rest slide without shame.

• Micro-rest is real rest. Five minutes sitting in the car, breathing. A ten-minute walk without your phone. These moments matter.

• Ask for help — even when it’s awkward. Whether it’s a friend swapping a school pickup or a neighbor grabbing milk, you are allowed to lean.

• You get to take up space. Your needs matter. Your body matters. Your sleep, your food, your joy — they matter.

Let’s Normalize Saying It Out Loud

I’m exhausted. And I know I’m not the only one.

So if you’re reading this with tears in your eyes or a lump in your throat — I see you. You’re not broken. You’re not failing.

You’re just tired because you’ve been strong for far too long.

Let’s build a world where solo parents don’t just survive — we thrive. And that starts with speaking the truth, supporting each other, and rewriting the rules about what “doing it all” should look like.

Want Practical Tools?

If this post hit home, check out the Rule the Chaos resource library (coming soon), where I’ll be sharing weekly planners, meal hacks, and mindset tools built exactly for lives like ours.

Because surviving shouldn’t be the bar. We deserve more than that.