"This summer, I did something unusual for me: I hit pause. After a year that included launching an in-person summit for nearly 200 women, hosting a retreat in Cabo, launching my podcast (with co-host Dr. Nicole Martin), and releasing a book, I was, in a word, tired. The kind of tired that no amount of coffee or color-coded planner could fix."
"So I gave myself permission to step back. I spent long mornings with my family, read novels that had nothing to do with "professional development," and let myself rest without an agenda. It wasn't easy at first. There was a nagging voice telling me I should be "using my time productively." But over the weeks, that voice quieted. By the end of summer, I realized that this pause wasn't wasted time; it was exactly what I needed to finish the year strong."
Rest functions as essential fuel that enables sustained achievement rather than wasted time. Neuroscience indicates downtime supports memory consolidation, enhances creativity, and resets stress responses through the brain's default mode network. Cultural norms often equate busyness with status, but habitual overwork undermines long-term performance. Taking a deliberate mid-year pause — spending unstructured mornings with family, reading for pleasure, and resisting productivity pressure — reduces fatigue and quiets self-critical voices. Such restorative breaks renew energy and sharpen focus, making it easier to return to major goals. True self-care involves intentionally scheduling unstructured time away from obligations.
Read at Psychology Today
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