I once advised a client about practicing scheduled rest during his day, and kind of giving himself a second morning by taking a short nap around noon, this worked so well it boosted his productivity.
Today I took a break.
Not the kind where you scroll through social media during “me time.” Not the kind where you’re physically present but mentally rehearsing tomorrow’s worries. Not the kind where your body screams for rest, but your mind races through endless to-do lists.
No, I took a real break. The kind where you give yourself full permission to pause.
Take a guilt-free break. Seriously, step away. Watch an episode of your favorite show, snuggle under a soft duvet, or read something fun. Don’t work. Not even a little bit. Truly press pause. Whether it’s for 20 minutes or the rest of the day.
Because here’s what I’m learning: Rest isn’t just an activity – it’s an art. And like any art, it requires practice, permission, and presence.
Think about it:
– Your phone has a rest mode
– Your computer needs to reboot
– Even the earth takes seasons of rest
Yet somehow, we’ve convinced ourselves that we must always be “on.” That rest is a reward we
must earn rather than a requirement we must honor. Rest is the foundation of creativity. I once
read that Tech giants such as Google, Samsung and Facebook all have nap pods.
When you take a real break:
– Your creativity replenishes
– Your perspective shifts
– Your energy rebuilds
– Your clarity returns
– Your joy bubbles up
So today, I’m inviting you to join me in the practice of rest. Turn off notifications. Close the laptop. Put down the mental load.
Give yourself permission to:
– Nap without apology
– Read without purpose
– Sit without agenda
– Dream without deadlines
– Be without doing anything for a while.
Some of your best ideas, deepest insights, and most meaningful moments might come when you finally give yourself permission to pause because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing at all.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to continue doing nothing!
