I grew up believing that busyness equaled productivity—and that being more productive meant being more successful. The fuller my schedule, the longer my to-do list, the more worthy, valuable, and useful I felt. This mindset showed up in both my personal and professional life.

 

As an entrepreneur, I tried to maximize every open hour of the day, filling each minute with tasks to make my business more “productive.” Whether it was creating marketing materials for doctors, designing Instagram reels, or tweaking my website to make it more user-friendly, I was always doing something. Personally, while my calendar had a healthy balance between work and rest, I found the need to always be productive or useful in my rest.  In the end, it’s not just about the calendar—it is about your internal state.

 

I lived that way for years until exhaustion finally caught up with me. I did not truly realize how depleted I was until I began to listen to my body and pay attention to how I felt. I noticed the tension, the sense of urgency, the constant rush—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Developing that self-awareness took time. It was not just a quick body check-in; it required a full mental slowdown—a complete pause.

 

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Rest is Productive

Rest is productive. A business cannot thrive if it is running full speed all year long. You as a person also cannot thrive if you are constantly on the go.  To be sustainable, a business must operate at a pace built for endurance. Just like people, a business needs rest—it needs downtime to recharge and refocus.  A healthy hustle is driven by purpose, grounded in values, and true to itself. It stays on the narrow path, aligned with its mission and direction. Walking that narrow path means remaining centered on your purpose and values, not swayed by what others are doing to grow or by society’s definition of success.

 

As a healthcare provider, friend, mentor, and family member, I cannot serve, love, or care for others from an empty cup. We cannot pour into others if we have not first poured into ourselves. Caring for others should never mean neglecting our own well-being. 

 

Even Jesus modelled rest.  He withdrew to lonely places to pray (Matthew 14:23).  He slept during the storms (Mark 4:35-40).  He took time to eat and be with friends (Luke 24:13-35).  Jesus even says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

 

When I think of rest, I used to think of finding rest in solitude. But we can also find rest in community, our pace of living, and God.  

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Rest and Community 𐦂𖨆𐀪𖠋

Humans were created for community — not isolation. I never truly thought about what it meant to rest within community until this year, when I found people I could fully rest with. People with whom I felt safe — where I could let down my guard, take off the mask, and simply be myself.

 

Jesus found rest among people, especially with His disciples as He shared meals with them (Matthew 26:17–30). Resting in community is shaped by the relationships within it. But not every relationship brings belonging. Some leave us feeling unseen, hurt, or misunderstood. Being in those spaces can be saddening when there is no genuine connection that allows us to be ourselves and be known.

 

Belonging is the foundation for experiencing rest in relationships. It looks like a friend who gives you space to share your deepest struggles and emotions.  A mentor who listens to understand, not just to respond. One who offers a meal freely, without expectation of receiving something in return.  It is sharing silences together and enjoying each other’s warmth and presence.  These are the relationships where true rest — the kind that renews your soul — is found.

 

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Rest and Pace 🏕️🌿🌲🌳

Society is always in a hurry. We live in a world that glorifies overworking, efficiency, and constant productivity — a culture that equates doing more with being more. Yet, rest is a sacred invitation to decelerate — to slow down and simply be.

 

We can practice slowing down in many ways. Through breathing, journaling, or meditation, we quiet the mind. For our bodies, we can nurture rhythm — a consistent sleep schedule, regular meals, daily walks, and gentle movement. In community, we can show up with hearts of abundance — being generous with our time, listening deeply, bringing our full presence, and remaining open and interruptible to serve those around us.  In our work, slowing down might look like setting boundaries — choosing not to work after hours.

 

Allow yourself to do nothing.  Listen to the birds.  See the clouds pass by.  Pause and admire the mountains at the peak of a hike.  Our souls fidget, always trying to optimize, to improve, to fill every gap.  But the in-between moments — the drive in the car, walk from the grocery store to the parking lot, or time spent cooking meals — can become sacred pauses.  I love these in-between moments — these are the moments when I recognize God the most.  Moments to breathe, to be still, and to return to the present.

 

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Rest and God 🙇🙏

God rests. We need rest too.  When we rest, we participate in something sacred. Rest is not merely about relaxing or refuelling — it is about remembering our dependence on God. It is an act of release — letting go of the bondage of our daily labor, worries, idols, and burdens.

 

It is easy to rest when the work feels complete — but when is our work ever truly done? Our to-do lists never end. We need to rest not just because we are tired but because we are called to. Learning to rest is relearning dependence all over again, especially as adults.  This spiritual discipline takes time. It requires us to recognize that rest is not a weakness; it is good — and we were created for it.

 

It is easy to mistake empty time on our calendar for true rest. But how are you using that time?   What is your purpose in rest?  What energy do you bring?  For me, I often find rest through journaling. Yet even in journaling, I can slip into trying to be productive — using reflection as a way to “improve” rather than simply be.  I am learning to approach it differently: to write as a way of being still, being present with my thoughts (rather than judging them or trying to "fix" them) and to connect with God.  To quiet the need to do, and simply be.

 

 

Thank you so much for reading ❤️

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