We live in a world where being busy is often seen as a good thing.

From the moment we wake up, there can be something waiting for our attention – messages, work, family, appointments, jobs that need doing.  And somewhere along the way, it can begin to feel as though being productive means we’re doing well.

When we stop, rest can sometimes feel uncomfortable.  We may feel guilty or find ourselves thinking about all the things we should be doing instead.

But what if rest isn’t wasted time?

For many of us, being busy and getting things done can become closely connected with feeling productive or useful. When we stop, it can take a little time to adjust to that change of pace.

When stopping feels uncomfortable

When we try to rest, it can feel surprisingly uncomfortable at first. You might sit down only to find your mind immediately filling with a mental to-do list or notice a sudden wave of guilt.

We may notice thoughts about what we should be doing, what hasn’t been finished, or what still needs our attention.  Before long, the time we have set aside to rest can become another thing to feel guilty about.

Perhaps it simply reflects how easy it is to feel that, by resting, we’re somehow falling short of our own expectations.

What happens when we keep going

When we keep going without giving ourselves enough time to rest, eventually it can be harder to give our best.

We may feel more overwhelmed, find it harder to concentrate, become irritable, or simply feel that everything takes a little more effort.

When we are exhausted and running on empty, we may find it harder to achieve the very things we’ve been pushing ourselves to accomplish. We might not meet the goals and expectations we’ve set ourselves, which can leave us feeling frustrated or as though we should be trying even harder.

Sometimes, though, what we need isn’t to push harder. 

It’s to rest.

Rest gives our minds and bodies time to recover.  It can give us space to think more clearly, regulate our emotions and restore some of the energy we’ve been using simply to keep going.

Rest doesn’t always mean sleeping or doing nothing. 

Rest can look different for everyone

It might mean stepping away from work for a while, spending time doing something we enjoy, being outside, listening to music, reading, or simply allowing ourselves a little time without having to achieve anything.

That time isn’t wasted. 

It can be part of what helps us cope with everything else that life asks of us.

Sometimes we can treat rest as something we have to earn.

We tell ourselves we’ll stop when the work is finished, when everything on the list is done, or when we’ve achieved enough for the day.

Rest doesn’t have to be earned

But there will nearly always be something else that could be done.

If we wait until everything is finished before allowing ourselves to rest, that moment may never really come.

We don’t have to reach the point of exhaustion before giving ourselves permission to stop. 

Rest isn’t a reward for having done enough.  It’s part of taking care of ourselves along the way.

Self-care isn’t only about what we do when we’re already struggling or exhausted. 

Noticing what we need

It can also be about noticing what we need before we reach that point.

And when taking that time brings feelings of guilt, perhaps we can greet that guilt with a little more compassion.

So the next time you find yourself feeling guilty, remember that rest isn’t something you need to justify.

You don’t have to finish everything first.

You don’t have to wait until you’re exhausted. 

And you don’t have to earn the right to pause.

Rest isn’t wasted time.  Sometimes it’s exactly what we need.

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