Why improving your rest ethic could help improve your work ethic

We need to unpick the myth that more always equals more. Unless we are talking about ice cream and then more is always more. By Ryan Hopkins

Why improving your rest ethic could help improve your work ethic

A strong work ethic is something that we praise, but not enough is said of a strong rest ethic, which is equally, if not more important. Sure, it is amazing that Dale and Sarah ‘went above and beyond’, working weekends to get the project done and over the line. ‘Can someone wake them up please? They are dribbling on their desks.’ Or, perhaps, it is a shame that they were unable to spend more than 3 minutes with their families over the past 2 weeks and that this is not a one off – let us not kid ourselves.

Would it not be amazing one day to hear that Cyrus hit the deadline, with happy clients, and did so without having to sacrifice his personal life? There is no such thing as work life balance. If we try to balance life against work, work wins every time. Life should come first, work second. Work is one part of our life – not something we are trying to balance against life. In our fast-paced, achievement-driven world, we often associate rest with laziness or a lack of ambition.

However, rest is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for our physical and mental wellbeing. Robert Pirsig (philosopher and author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) noted that people need periods of doing nothing in the same way plants need periods of darkness. “If a plant gets nothing but sunlight,” Pirsig said, “it’s very harmful. It has to have darkness too. In the sunlight, it converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, but in the darkness, it takes the oxygen and converts it back into carbon dioxide. People are like that too. We have to have some periods of doing and some periods of non-doing.”

We often fall into the trap of thinking that more work equals more productivity. If only meetings were actually what we were paid for, we would all be very wealthy, as we have 250% more of them compared to pre-pandemic. The joy. At least your workload has been reduced to account for this. Wait a second, no – it hasn’t been. So it is hardly surprising that global stress, anger and sadness has risen by 37.5% since 2010 (Gallup’s Negative Experience Index), which in turn is fuelling rocketing depression, anxiety and burnout around the world. Anxiety and depression are costing the global economy $1 trillion, according Gallup.

Given the above, it is tough to argue that a strong rest ethic shouldn’t be as important as a strong work ethic. It’s about giving ourselves permission to take time off, as even if we have time, we cannot help but dip back in willingly – just one more email… This is like some perverse Stockholm syndrome relationship. So, how do we rest, recharge and rejuvenate? Give yourself permission to relax. This may seem obvious, but it’s essential that we first acknowledge that rest is not a bad thing.

We need to let go of the guilt and shame that we often associate with taking time off. I am a demon for this, I am writing this on a Sunday evening, when I should be knee deep in some ice cream. Explore different forms of rest. What works for one person may not work for another. Experiment with different activities to find what helps you relax and recharge.

Set boundaries. It’s important to create clear boundaries between work and personal life. This means disconnecting from work during non-work hours and not checking work emails or messages after hours. Prioritize sleep. Sleep is essential for both physical and mental health. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Schedule rest breaks throughout the day.

Even short breaks can help you to improve your focus and productivity. Engage in activities that you enjoy. Don’t force yourself to rest if you’re not enjoying it. Find activities that you find relaxing and enjoyable, such as reading, listening to music, or spending time in nature.

Take vacations. Regular vacations are essential for preventing burnout. Make sure to take some time off each year to relax and recharge. By prioritizing rest, we can improve our physical and mental health, enhance our productivity, and improve our overall quality of life. Rest is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength and self-care. So, give yourself permission to rest, and enjoy the many benefits that it has to offer.

Ryan Hopkins is the author of ’52 Weeks of Wellbeing: A No-Nonsense Guide to a Fulfilling Work Life’ (Kogan Page, out now), Deloitte’s former Future of Wellbeing Leader and now Chief Impact Officer at pioneering digital wellbeing platform JAAQ.

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