The Art of Rest: Giving Yourself Permission to Slow Down

Let’s be honest: a lot of us treat rest the same way we treat dessert. We think we have to “earn” it. We’ll say things like, “I’ll rest when ____ is done,” or “I’ll take a break once I *insert milestone*.” Except, of course, the project never ends and the milestones keep moving further away, especially in a world that expects more and more of you in reward for your hard work.

And for those of us raised in busy households, where doing nothing was a crime punishable by passive-aggressive sighing, or worse, sitting still can feel… wrong. Rest starts to feel like laziness, guilt’s best friend.

But here’s the thing: rest is not the opposite of success, it’s part of it. Rest is just as productive as work. 

Why We Feel Guilty About Rest

If you’re a high achiever, you probably measure your worth by how much you produce and achieve in a day. (Been there, done that, got the burnout.) Our culture doesn’t help because it praises “the daily grind”, glorifies hustle-culture, and makes it seem like naps are for toddlers and the unemployed.

But what if you could reframe your perception of rest? Your brain and body literally need downtime to recharge. Imagine running your car on empty and then being surprised when it sputters out on the freeway. That’s you, running on fumes, wondering why coffee doesn’t work anymore.

Now, picture this: instead of seeing rest as “lost time,” you start viewing it as an active investment, like depositing energy back into your account. Rest can feel lighter and less guilt-ridden when you recognize it’s not wasted hours but part of the work itself. Shutting the laptop early doesn’t mean you’re slacking, it means you’re fueling your brain so tomorrow you’re not a zombie on autopilot.

Changing your perception of rest isn’t something that just happens because you tell yourself “I should rest more.” It takes intention, practice, and sometimes support. For some, that might mean scheduling downtime into your calendar the same way you would a meeting. For others, it looks like unlearning the voice in your head that says, “If you’re not hustling, you’re falling behind.” And honestly, this is where coaching can help—having someone remind you that rest isn’t a weakness, but a strategy, can shift the way you approach your entire routine.

The effort you put into reframing rest pays off in ways you can feel: calmer mornings, sharper focus, less burnout, and maybe even the radical discovery that you enjoy your own downtime.

Intentional Rest (Yes, It’s a Thing)

Now when I say “rest,” I don’t just mean lying in bed scrolling TikTok until your eyeballs ache. That’s passive rest, and while sometimes it hits the spot, intentional rest goes a lot further. Intentional rest is rest with purpose. It’s when you consciously step away from the noise and give your mind and body a chance to recharge in a way that actually supports your energy and focus.

So what does that look like in practice?

• Digital detoxes – log out, silence the pings, and let your brain stop buzzing. If you absolutely must be entertained, pick up a book or set up a chair outside and watch the birds, bugs, squirrels, etc. Be present in whatever you choose to do.
  

• Mindful breaks – even 5 minutes of deep breathing or stretching can reset your nervous system. Don’t have 5 minutes? Try three deep breaths in through your nose and out through an open mouth, incorporating shoulder movement by moving your shoulders up towards your ears with an inhale, and pushing them down on the exhale.
  

• Journaling – brain dump all the noise onto paper so your mind can actually chill. Still can’t calm down after a long day at work? Try writing everything that is bothering you, everything you did to feel accomplished, and what you are going to do tomorrow. Now try overthinking once you’ve already processed that; Difficulty mode: impossible.
  

• Somatic practices – think walking, dancing in your kitchen, or shaking your arms like a weirdo to release tension. Moving your body in ways that feel good helps release stress we store in weird places (yes, like your hips). Trauma, stress, and even that “ugh” energy from your last Zoom meeting? Your body remembers. Shake it out, literally.

Intentional rest takes a little more effort than flopping on the couch, but the payoff is huge. You’ll notice your mind feels less cluttered, your body less tense, and your creativity sneaks back in when you’re not chasing it down. It’s not about being perfect, but building small practices that remind you that rest is an active, nourishing part of your life, not just something you collapse into when you’ve hit a wall.

Rest Is Productive (Don’t Fight Me on This)

When we work together in coaching sessions, I sometimes give “homework.” And sometimes that homework is literally: do nothing.

I know, it sounds amazing. Until you try it. Then suddenly, you’re twiddling your thumbs, pacing the room, or complaining about being bored. Trust me, I am the biggest perpetrator of this. But here’s the secret: boredom is not the enemy. Hear me exclaim from the rooftops: “let yourself be bored!!”

Why? Because boredom gives your brain space to wander, process, and create. Some of your best ideas—the kind that just seem to fall out of the sky—only show up when you stop cramming your schedule and finally let your mind breathe.

So yes, letting yourself rest is just as productive as cranking through your to-do list. Maybe even more so.

Think about what actually happens when you’re bored:

• You process emotions that usually get shoved to the side.

• You notice the shadow parts of yourself that you’ve been too busy to face.

• You rediscover hobbies you forgot you loved (when was the last time you drew, or played music, or gardened just because?).

• You de-clutter your mental and physical space, making room for your current self instead of the chaos of yesterday.

• You connect with how you feel about things and their alignment in your life.
  

When we let boredom in, we reconnect with ourselves. And when that happens, you’re not just “resting”, you’re making space for breakthroughs, clarity, and growth. Honestly? We are literally unstoppable when we allow ourselves to be bored.

Final Thoughts

If you take nothing else from this, let it be that you don’t need to earn rest. You don’t need to justify it. And you definitely don’t need to feel guilty for it. Rest is not laziness, it’s strategy. It’s fuel, it’s creative power, and it’s part of the success equation. Without it, everything else you’re working so hard to build starts running on fumes.

So the next time you feel yourself spiraling into guilt for doing nothing, pause and reframe it. Sometimes “nothing” is exactly what your body and mind need most. That quiet space is where clarity shows up, emotions get processed, ideas are born, and your energy has the chance to catch up to your ambition.

Give yourself permission to slow down. Not because you’ve “earned” it, but because you’re human, and humans need rest to thrive.

If you resonate with this, and you’re craving more personalized support in reframing rest, breaking free from hustle-guilt, and actually learning how to integrate balance into your daily life, I’d love to connect. At Soul Ascension Coaching, I help people release patterns of overwork, reconnect with themselves, and create sustainable habits that feel aligned with who they are becoming.

Book your free consultation with me by clicking HERE and filling out the information on my contact page + follow @lifecoachirelynn on Instagram + TikTok for more content on rest, self-discovery, and building a life that feels lighter, calmer, and more intentional..