What If Rest Was the Most Productive Thing You Did Today?
Sheila Tucker, LMFTC-S, CEO & Founder of Heart Mind & Soul Counseling in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Feeling rested and casually standing by the water’s edge at Broad Creek Marina.
📸 by MKAT
***This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Celebrate Hilton Head, Bluffton, & Beyond (CH2/CB2).
My facial expression must have given me away. The slight tilt of my head, pursed lips, and squinted eyes. The look that reads, “What?” or “I don’t understand.”
She knows I don’t nap.
“But I won’t be doing anything,” I said. “That doesn’t sound very productive.”
Lynn nodded and said, “That’s right.”
Lynn, my lovely and eccentric therapist, suggested I rest. She didn’t want me to meditate or strategize. Zero doing. Simply exist, that is all.
Her suggestion was not met with enthusiasm. More like a “huh?”
Tangling productivity (or doing) with self-worth into a knotted mess is one of my superpowers. It’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. The idea of rest felt irresponsible and like a jumbled mess. I had a lot of feelings about the concept.
When was the last time you truly rested – without guilt (OK, maybe with a little guilt), distraction, or the constant mental nagging that you should be doing something “more productive”?
It’s been a minute or never, right?
Genuine rest can seem elusive. We live in a culture that equates worth with busyness. We celebrate hustle, productivity, and pushing through, even when we’re mentally and physically exhausted.
What if I told you that “doing nothing” is not laziness – it’s a lifeline?
True rest is not only healing. It’s essential. It reconnects you to yourself and softens the grip of stress.
If you’re like me, the concept of rest sounds magical and meant for someone else with more spare time. It feels complicated. The truth is, it’s not your fault that rest feels difficult.
We live in an overstimulated environment. From the moment you wake up, you’re bombarded with notifications, decisions, noise, and responsibilities. Then, even if you have a spare moment for your body to be still, your mind continues to press on with constant thoughts.
For some of you, this will read as chronic low-level stress – think of it as background static – that keeps us in a state of hypervigilance. And when that becomes the norm, stillness feels foreign, even unsafe.
So, if you try to rest and your body tenses or your brain starts buzzing with to-do lists, you’re not broken. You’re responding exactly as a wired nervous system would.
Resting isn’t you being lazy. It’s about regulation and creating the internal safety to be still.
Sleep Isn’t the Same as Rest
Let’s clear up a common misconception: Sleep and rest are not the same thing, at least not in this conversation.
Sleep is biological. It’s a critical function that helps your body repair and recharge. Yes, you need adequate sleep. However, I’m talking about rest, which is broader and more nuanced.
Rest is about pausing – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. It’s about stepping away from effort. It’s about allowing, softening, and tuning in.
You can sleep eight hours a night and still feel exhausted if you’re not getting the right kind of rest (or sleep). Ask me how I know.
The 7 Types of Rest
According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith (Sacred Rest, 2017), there are seven distinct types of rest. Understanding them can help you identify the specific kind of rest you might be craving.
1. Physical Rest is simply resting your body. It includes passive forms like sleeping or napping and active forms like yoga, stretching, or simply slowing down.
2. Mental Rest. If your thoughts are racing or you’re constantly overthinking, you need a mental break. Try journaling, stepping away from screens, or giving yourself permission to pause problem-solving.
3. Sensory Rest. Modern life is filled with sensory input – bright lights, noise, and screens. Sensory rest means turning it all down. Sitting in quiet. Closing your eyes. Turning off notifications. Breathing deeply.
4. Creative Rest. Feeling uninspired or stuck? Consider resting your creative mind. Yes, I know this sounds counterintuitive. However, forcing creativity isn’t working either, is it? Creative rest can look like spending time in nature, appreciating art, or listening to music – not to produce anything, but to restore your beginner’s mind of wonder and curiosity.
5. Emotional Rest can be difficult. It involves being able to show up authentically. It’s letting go of emotional labor, taking off the mask you wear, and being real instead of performing. Emotional rest often looks like saying, “I’m not OK,” and letting that be enough – because it is.
6. Social Rest. Some people restore us. Others drain us. Social rest means spending time with people who energize you – or taking a break from those who don’t. For my introverted friends, this can also look like pacing your social events and being mindful of taking alone time.
7. Spiritual Rest. Instead of taking a break from spirit, tap into it. Maybe you connect to a higher power, meditate, journal, or spend quiet time reflecting on your values. Admittedly, it’s a little more doing, and it’s also an invitation to tap into something larger than yourself.
The point isn’t to master all seven forms of rest. The suggestion is to become more curious about yourself. Notice what feels most helpful by asking yourself, “What kind of rest do I need today?”
Spiritual Rest: Maybe you connect to a higher power, meditate, journal, or spend quiet time reflecting on your values.
Permission to Pause
Growing up, I learned that rest is a reward. I can’t tell you how many times I heard the phrase, “You can play when your chores are done.” I had to earn it.
The truth is, rest is not a reward. It’s a requirement. You don’t have to prove your exhaustion to deserve it. You don’t have to wait until you’re falling apart.
That sense of discomfort you feel when doing nothing? That’s just your nervous system adjusting to a new way of being. It’s also your mind feeding you those same unhelpful stories about productivity, worth, and the need to be doing something. Be patient with it. That’s part of the process.
Here’s an introductory rest exercise for you to try:
Set a timer for two to five minutes.
Sit somewhere quiet.
Breathe.
Eyes open or closed – your choice.
Do nothing.
If your mind wanders (and it will), notice it gently. No judgment.
I have come to learn that doing nothing is, in fact, doing something. It’s caring and reconnecting with yourself. Lynn would be so proud.
The art of rest is not about escaping. It’s about returning to yourself, to your rhythm, to your body’s wisdom.
This week, don’t just say you’ll squeeze in rest when everything else is done. Make space for it. Prioritize it. Protect it. Not because you’ve earned it, but because you’re beautifully human, and you’re worth every second.
Sheila
Sheila Tucker is a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of Heart Mind & Soul Counseling. She empowers clients who overthink, worry, and experience their fair share of anxiety to become more rooted in peace, ease, and confidence. When not in the office, you'll find her walking her pups or planning her next mountain getaway with her husband.
*** If you like what you’re reading and you want more, you’re in luck.
I have an email list.
By subscribing, you’ll know when a blog goes live instead of checking back on repeat. You’ll also receive strategies and skills to manage anxiety and relationship issues.
And I’ll let you know when I’m holding workshops and retreats.
I promise no spam.
Only witty words to inspire, entertain, and educate so you can begin to experience a greater sense of well-being…from the comforts of…wherever you are.
Oh, and you can unsubscribe anytime, so there’s absolutely no downside.
