Stop Rewarding Yourself With Rest

Sometime between millennials being labeled "lazy" and "entitled," and the growing trend of entrepreneurship, rest was out and hustle was in. Then, unsurprisingly, came the burnout epidemic. 

I saw a quote on Twitter the other day that said "Rest is not a reward. You don't have to earn rest. You need rest. You deserve rest. You are worthy of rest simply because you are a living being. And don't ever feel guilty for taking time to rest." As a millennial myself, and one that despises the lazy title, I found myself working until 2 or 3 am every night. I say "found" like it's past tense, and I have gotten better, but I'm still guilty of overworking myself pretty frequently. So this blog is as much for me as it is for you. 

But the truth is, you can't pour from an empty cup. We'll actually get more done if we let ourselves rest properly vs. trying to work incessantly without a break. Research has shown that with regular breaks, productivity actually increases and more is accomplished. 

Rest isn't "self care." It's not a reward. It isn't something to be earned or won. You deserve rest simply because you are alive; because humans need rest to survive. When that becomes a non-negotiable, your productivity will rise and in all likelihood, your success too.