I Need More Rest Breaks. I Deserve It.
TL;DR:
After decades of working, building, solving problems, and chasing deadlines, I've come to a simple conclusion: I need more rest breaks. Not because I'm lazy. Not because I'm giving up. Simply because I've earned the right to enjoy more of life. Retirement was never meant to be a different kind of full-time job. It was supposed to create space for slower mornings, longer coffees, fewer alarms, and more moments that don't need to be productive. Maybe it's time we stop feeling guilty about resting and start seeing it as one of life's rewards.
The Strange Thing About Semi-Retirement
For many of us, retirement isn't what we imagined.
We spend years dreaming about it. Decades, in fact.
We picture ourselves having more freedom, more flexibility, and more time to do the things we've always wanted to do. Then something unexpected happens.
We stay busy.
Very busy.
Sometimes busier than before.
One day you're working fifty hours a week. The next day you're managing projects, helping friends, volunteering, travelling, fixing things around the house, learning new skills, managing investments, answering emails, running side hustles, and somehow wondering where all your free time went.
Sound familiar?
The Productivity Trap
Many of us grew up believing that our value was linked to our productivity.
If you're not doing something, achieving something, building something, or fixing something, then somehow you're wasting time.
The problem is that mindset doesn't magically disappear when your working life changes.
It follows you.
You retire from your job but not from the habit of always being busy.
You start filling every gap in your calendar.
You create projects.
You create commitments.
You create responsibilities.
Before long, you've recreated the very thing you thought you were escaping.
Maybe Rest Isn't Something You Earn Daily
Perhaps this is where we get it wrong.
We often think rest must be earned every day.
“I'll relax after I finish this.”
“I'll take a break once that's done.”
“I'll slow down next week.”
But if you've spent thirty, forty, or fifty years working hard, maybe you've already earned it.
Maybe the rest break isn't the reward at the end of the day.
Maybe it's the reward for a lifetime of effort.
That's a very different perspective.
The Lost Art of Doing Nothing
When was the last time you did absolutely nothing?
Not scrolling.
Not answering messages.
Not planning.
Not researching.
Not multitasking.
Just sitting.
Watching the clouds.
Listening to birds.
Having a coffee.
Looking at the ocean.
Staring into space.
Modern life almost makes us feel guilty for these moments.
Yet some of our best thinking, healing, and clarity emerge when we stop trying so hard.
The irony is that doing nothing is often one of the most productive things we can do for our wellbeing.
Busy Relaxing (The Art Form)
I've often talked about the concept of being “busy relaxing.”
It sounds contradictory, but it's surprisingly common.
We schedule our relaxation.
We optimise our hobbies.
We turn travel into checklists.
We transform leisure into projects.
Suddenly the thing that was supposed to help us unwind becomes another task to manage.
True rest doesn't need a checklist.
Sometimes it's enough to simply be.
Rest Is Not Laziness
This is probably the biggest mental hurdle.
Many people confuse rest with laziness.
They're not the same thing.
Laziness is avoiding responsibility.
Rest is recovery.
Rest is maintenance.
Rest is fuel.
Athletes understand this.
Professional sports teams understand this.
Elite performers understand this.
Recovery is part of performance.
Without recovery, eventually everything breaks down.
The same principle applies to the rest of us.
The Older I Get…
The older I get, the more I realise that energy is one of life's most valuable resources.
Not money.
Not possessions.
Not status.
Energy.
Everything requires energy.
Travelling.
Learning.
Creating.
Helping others.
Building businesses.
Maintaining relationships.
Even enjoying life requires energy.
And the best way to preserve energy is not always by doing more.
Sometimes it's by doing less.
Giving Yourself Permission
Perhaps the hardest thing isn't finding time to rest.
Perhaps it's giving ourselves permission.
Permission to sleep in.
Permission to decline invitations.
Permission to postpone non-essential tasks.
Permission to spend an afternoon reading.
Permission to sit with a coffee and watch the world go by.
Permission to have a day with no agenda whatsoever.
You don't need approval from anyone else.
You don't need to justify it.
You've already earned it.
A New Definition of Success
Maybe success isn't about how much you can fit into your day.
Maybe success is having enough freedom to choose what not to do.
Maybe success is waking up without urgency.
Maybe success is protecting your peace.
Maybe success is having the ability to rest without guilt.
After all, what's the point of spending decades building a life if you never give yourself time to enjoy it?
……and finally
These days I'm becoming increasingly comfortable with the idea that I need more rest breaks.
Not because I'm slowing down.
Not because I've lost ambition.
Not because I don't have things to do.
Quite the opposite.
Life remains full of opportunities, ideas, projects, and adventures.
But I've also realised that some of the best moments happen in the spaces between them.
The quiet mornings.
The unplanned afternoons.
The extra cup of coffee.
The walk with no destination.
The day that achieves absolutely nothing except being enjoyed.
And perhaps that's exactly what retirement was supposed to be all along.
A little more living.
A little less rushing.
And a lot more rest breaks.
