How many times have you gotten off the bus at the wrong bus stop coming back from work? Or thrown the spoon into the trash instead of the yogurt lid first thing in the morning? Well, things happen when we are tired, and no one is immune to an occasional mishap.

Neither was this redditor, who accidentally stole $300 worth of groceries. However, in her case, it took a little longer to realize what happened than it takes for someone having thrown their spoon away.

Shopping for food can be tiresome and time-consuming

Image credits: Maria Lin Kim / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

This woman accidentally stole groceries worth hundreds of dollars

Image credits: Vladdeep / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

Image credits: rahrah999_

Image credits: Ephraim Mayrena / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Being tired is a feeling many people are familiar with

It’s no secret that many of us often feel tired—if you’re in a room with people, try carrying out a vote and see for yourself. And while it might not be something too troublesome, it’s not something one enjoys, either, as it can lead to situations like the one the OP found herself in.

Research suggests that fatigue, be it chronic or not, is something people all over the world tend to experience, with general fatigue (typically lasting less than six months or with unspecified duration) affecting roughly a quarter of adults and around one in ten adolescents. (Chronic fatigue, in the meantime, reportedly affects nearly 12% of adults and roughly 1.5% of adolescents.)

Data from the US shows that Americans are not exempt from feeling tired. A OnePoll survey from a couple of years ago found that nearly one-in-six of them felt “unfocused or disjointed”, to the extent that taking a brief nap would not be of any help; 55% of respondents said that no amount of rest, for that matter, could help them feel more focused.

A more recent OnePoll survey found that some people rely on certain beverages to keep them going when they feel like they no longer can. In such situations, the majority of tired respondents (63% of them) opt for something caffeine-infused; close to half of them (47%) choose a healthier option and down a glass of water, while nearly as many (46%) look for a sugary beverage to boost their energy.

Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Some activities can help people relax and unwind easier

Said recent survey revealed that for half of the respondents, family-related stress was the main reason for their burnout; 45% of them were led to the same outcome by work-related stress. Bearing in mind how much time we spend at work, and that the majority of the time that’s left is likely spent with our families, it’s no surprise that these two things tend to tire us out the most.

That’s why it’s crucial to create a good work-life balance, which entails not only regulating the amount of time we spend at work and outside of it, but also focusing on the way we spend the hours that are free.

As a matter of fact, as many as 46% of people reportedly find it difficult to relax even when they’re off work, Daily Mail reports; even if they arguably know that periods of calm are crucial for their well-being. “Relaxing, winding down and unplugging from our busy lives is important as it gives our bodies and minds a chance to recalibrate,” a chartered psychologist, Dr. Megan Arroll, told the Daily Mail.

The expert suggested that one of the easiest and most effective ways to relax is by breathing deeply through the diaphragm, just like babies do. “The problem is that as we age, we develop shallow chest breathing, which can maintain feelings of stress and anxiety,” Dr. Arroll pointed out. “But by drawing breath deep into our diaphragm, we kick start the parasympathetic nervous system which alleviates the stress response.”

She continued to add that concentrating on a simple task can help, too, as we can then actively rest our minds of worries. “The activity needs to be complex enough to hold our attention and have an end point to help engender a sense of achievement,” Dr. Arroll said, suggesting that origami or knitting are great choices for such an activity.

It’s unclear if half an hour of knitting before going to the store would have helped the OP unwind enough to be able focus on shopping, but chances are, it wouldn’t have hurt, either. But since it’s not always possible to make time for relaxing activities—or even enough sleep, for that matter—it’s important to at least try to be mindful of our well-being and, let’s say, spend a few minutes breathing deeply through the diaphragm. So, let’s?

The OP discussed the accident with fellow netizens in the comments

Some people have seemingly gone through similar situations themselves

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