39. Building Dreams on Little Sleep

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Can you really build big dreams when you’re running on five hours of broken sleep? Spoiler alert: Yes - and it’s beautiful.

This episode is your cozy, caffeinated pep talk for those tired nights and chaotic mornings. We’re not glorifying burnout - we’re celebrating the beautiful, messy, persistent work of building dreams in the middle of real life. If you’re a tired parent trying to grow something meaningful, this one’s for you.

Key Questions the Episode Answers:

• How do you redefine productivity when you’re exhausted?
• What does real progress look like when you have tiny humans depending on you?
• Why is rest essential to building your dreams?
• How can you prioritize without burning out?
• Why do small wins matter more than we think?
• How do you stay encouraged during slow, tired seasons?

Cheers! Thank you for joining us for another episode. Have a chaotic moment, question, or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message or leave a review! If you loved this episode, share it with a friend who thrives in beautiful chaos too.

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The views and opinions expressed by guests on Caffeinated Chaos are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs, or positions of Whitney Aguon or Aguon Studios LLC. The content shared by guests is for informational and entertainment purposes only. We encourage listeners to do their own research and form their own...

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Today's episode is for anyonewho's ever whispered to
themselves.
I'll work on it after bedtimeonly to realize after bedtime
means after 47 rounds of needingwater hugs and more book, if
you're running on five hours ofsleep, maybe less and still
daring to build somethingmeaningful.
This one's for you.

(00:21):
So sip on that extra strongcoffee today'cause we're gonna
need it.
Let's dive in.
Welcome to Caffeinated Chaos,where business deals happen
between diaper changes andfriendships are fueled by
caffeine.
I'm Whitney GaN, your host, andI'm here to talk all things
business parenthood, and ofcourse keeping up with the BFFs,

(00:42):
whether you're juggling theboardroom, the playroom, or just
here for some coffee fuel chaos.
We've got you covered.
Get ready for real talk, laughsand a whole lot of heart as we
dive into the beautiful messthat is entrepreneurship,
parenthood, and everything inbetween.
So let's embrace the chaostogether.
Caffeinated, of course.

(01:03):
Hello, friends.
So here's the thing, I'm nothere to push that toxic sleep
when you're dead.
Narrative not about that life.
Don't, don't do that.
I'm not about glorifying burnoutor pretending that we can do it
all.
That's not real life, especiallynot real life when there are

(01:23):
little humans relying on you forliterally everything.
I'm here to honor this veryreal, very human season where
dreams.
Don't just get paused, but theydo get built in the margins,
basically, the in-betweens,maybe it's in between diaper
changes.

(01:44):
Nap time at 10:00 PM when theworld is finally quiet and
you're so tired, you can barelyspell your own name.
So let me paint you a picturereal quick.
Okay.
It's 11:37 PM The baby's finallydown.
The taller has asked for water,a different stuffed animal, two

(02:06):
blankets, and all.
Within the last hour, we finallyget them all down.
I sit at my laptop, I'm finallyready to do the thing that's
been living in my head all day,and I just stare.
I just stare at it.
Blink.

(02:27):
Think about cheese sticks for noreason.
Type a few words, delete them.
Yawn.
I mean, friends, this is thereality of dreaming tired.
It's not glamorous, it's notInstagram worthy, but it is
sacred.
It's sacred because it's theproof that you believe in

(02:47):
something, even when your bodyis screaming for rest.
And let's be honest, thosedreams, they're usually powered
by the trifecta.
Ready?
Cold coffee, questionablesnacks, and pure stubborn
determination.
Forget the 5:00 AM MiracleMornings at Self-Help Books rave

(03:09):
about our five ams look likepeeling a sticker off the baby's
bottom while checking your emailwith one eye open and somehow,
somehow.
We still get up and keepbuilding.
So how do you build your dreamswhen your brain is feeling like

(03:29):
mashed potatoes?
How do you keep moving forwardwhen you're just so bone deep,
tired?
Here are a few things that keptme afloat that might be able to
help you.
One.
Redefine what counts as aproductive day.
This one I really had to do.
Your dream building doesn't haveto look like eight hours of

(03:53):
uninterrupted focus.
It can look like 15 minuteshere, 10 minutes there.
It can look like recording apodcast intro while the baby
naps.
I'm recording this episode whileboth kids are still asleep.
My husband has already left forwork and this is the one time I
get quiet.
And will it last?

(04:13):
No.
I probably have about 10 moreminutes, but that's the point.
It can look like brainstormingbusiness ideas while you're
stuck in the pickup line or thecheckout line.
Progress is progress even ifit's messy, imperfect, and
squeezed between life's chaoticmoments.

(04:36):
Two, when.
Your time is limited.
You have to let go ofperfectionism.
You don't need to do everything.
You just need to do the nextright thing.
What's the one thing that youcould do today that would move
the needle and know?

(04:57):
Reorganizing your whole officedoesn't count unless your office
is literally on fire.
Okay?
Think about it.
What is the one thing.
That you could do today thatwould move the needle.
Three.
Here's your permission.
Slip if you need it.
Okay.
You are allowed to take a nap.

(05:20):
You are allowed to close thelaptop and go to bed.
Did you hear me?
Dreams aren't built in burnoutmode.
They're built in resilience andresilience requires rest.
Okay, four.
Finish that Instagram post.

(05:40):
Celebrate sent that invoice.
Celebrate.
Do you get where I'm going withthis?
Brainstorm ideas while washingbottles.
Celebrate these tiny wins.
Add up and laying the foundationthat you're going to build on
tomorrow.
So celebrate your micro win.
It's, I think sometimes,especially in parenthood, we

(06:03):
fall into this trap where wethink, if I can't give 100%,
it's not worth doing.
But you know what?
Some seasons aren't about giving100%.
Some seasons are about givingwhat you have, even if it's 20%,
even if it's 5%, because here'sthe secret, consistency matters

(06:24):
more than intensity.
Your dreams aren't asking youfor perfection.
They're just asking you to showup.
Is that sleepy?
Is that messy?
Is that imperfect?
Who knows?
As long as you still show up.
If you are listening to thisright now, maybe while bouncing

(06:44):
a baby on your hip, or stirringmac and cheese at the stove, I
get it.
I want you to hear me loud andclear.
You are not behind.
You are not failing.
You are not less than becauseyou are tired.
You are building somethingsacred in the cracks of your
exhaustion.
You are weaving dreams into yourdays when your hands are full

(07:08):
and your energy is low, andsomeday sooner than you think
you are gonna look back andrealize you were never standing
still and you were alwaysgrowing.
Even when you were tired, evenwhen you were sleep deprived.
Even with dried apple sauce onyour shirt, you my friend, are

(07:31):
doing the dang thing and you aredoing it beautifully.
Alright, friends, if today'sepisode spoke to your very
sleepy soul, I'd be honored ifyou screenshot it tagged me over
on Instagram.
At Caffe Chaos Podcast and tellme what dream are you building,

(07:51):
even if it's on five hours ofsleep.
Also, if you have a chaotic,hilarious, or just plain real
parenting moment, you wannashare, submit it on our sip and
share segment.
It might actually just make itonto the show.
And yes, don't worry.
You can stay totally anonymous.
No judgment, just community.

(08:12):
The link is in the bio.
No one will know who's gonnaknow.
We're in this together, friend,dreaming, tired, building
beautifully, and living just alittle caffeinated.
Until next time, keep showingup.
Keep chasing what matters, andremember, even tiny steps move

(08:32):
you forward.
All right, now friends, I willsee you in the next episode.
Bye now.