Weekend Boost No. 181
REST FOR LEADERSHIP IMPACT
Lately, I’ve been noticing how often rest gets framed as something we earn.
After the project is done.
After the deadline is met.
After we’ve given just a little more.
And yet, in so many conversations with leaders right now, I’m hearing something different. Not just fatigue — but depletion. A kind of quiet, ongoing tiredness that doesn’t fully go away with a good night’s sleep. Because what’s needed isn’t just sleep. It’s restoration.
As leaders, we are constantly in motion — making decisions, holding complexity, caring for others, navigating change. Rest, in that context, isn’t stepping away from leadership.
It’s how we sustain it. It’s how we return to clarity, presence, and the capacity to choose how we want to show up.
Below are a few resources that offer different ways to think about rest — not as a reward, but as a practice.
Take Time to Pause Throughout Your Workday: A quick but powerful reminder that constant motion doesn’t equal effectiveness. This piece highlights how small, intentional pauses throughout the day help you stay present, think more clearly, and avoid burnout.
The Hidden Power of Rest: In this short clip, Brené Brown reflects on the connection between rest, worthiness, and vulnerability. She reminds us that many of us tie our value to productivity — believing we have to earn rest. Instead, she invites a shift: rest is not a reward, but a necessary part of being human.
How Resting More Can Boost Your Productivity: This article challenges the idea that rest is simply the absence of work. Instead, it shows that rest is an essential part of doing meaningful, creative work. Even when we’re not actively focused, the brain continues processing, solving problems, and generating insights in the background.
THE PRACTICE
This weekend, instead of asking:
“What do I need to get done?”
Try asking:
"What kind of rest do I actually need right now?”
Then choose one small way.
Rest doesn’t have to be long or perfect to be meaningful. It just has to be intentional.
