What to text when she says she's exhausted from work

When she says she's exhausted and wants to unwind, she has told you her current capacity. The useful reading is that she wants company that asks little of her. She is not necessarily signalling disinterest in you. Many people text someone they like on a bad day and simply want the message to land softly. The signal to watch is her tone. If she writes a short, flat line with no question in it, she's probably offering nothing to build on. If she includes a small detail about what she's doing to unwind, like a show or a bath, that's a gentle opening you can step into without making it a big deal.

Also notice what she didn't say. She didn't ask you to fix the day or cheer her up in any big way. Reading that accurately keeps you from overcorrecting with enthusiasm, which often reads as pressure to someone already drained.

A good reply does three things. It shows you heard that the day was hard, it makes space for her to keep going or stop, and it doesn't add a task to her night. Acknowledging the day can be as simple as recognizing what she said in a plain way. Leaving space usually means a light statement or an open door rather than a question that demands a full answer. Keeping it small means you're not asking her to plan, decide, or explain herself in detail.

The risk is in trying to do all three too hard. If the reply is warm and long, it becomes a thing she has to respond to. If it's a question-heavy check-in, she has to work to answer. Aim for something she can read in five seconds and answer in one word if she wants.

After a reply like this, timing matters more than the text itself. If she's unwinding, reply to her message in the evening she's describing, not in the middle of your own busy stretch where you're waiting to see if she answers. If she writes back briefly, match her length and let the conversation end naturally. If she doesn't reply at all, assume she's gone offline for the night and leave it. One follow-up the next day is reasonable if you have something light to add, like a question about how she's feeling now, but keep it casual and don't reference the exhaustion again in a way that makes it the topic.

You should stop pushing when she's given you short answers for two or three exchanges in a row, or when she signals she's signing off. Continuing to text at that point tells her you didn't hear her, even if you were just trying to be nice.