Rest Ethic

I was reading a fantastic blog post from author & journalist Kevin Kelly: 103 Bits of Advice. He turned 70 and shared bits of wisdom from a life well-lived.

It’s worth a read in full, but I loved this one in particular:

“Efficiency is highly overrated; Goofing off is highly underrated. Regularly scheduled sabbaths, sabbaticals, vacations, breaks, aimless walks and time off are essential for top performance of any kind. The best work ethic requires a good rest ethic.”

A hardened work ethic is lauded by many — the coffee-infused, all-night sprints. And it’s true that putting in the hours unlocks great outcomes. But there’s a natural limit — too much for too long leads to diminishing returns.

We need to take care of ourselves for true sustained performance. It should be prioritized as much as other things on our to-do list.

So to be all well, we need to rest well.