Do you ever tell yourself you’ll rest after you finish everything on your to-do list—only to discover the list never actually ends? Or find yourself feeling guilty the moment you slow down, convinced you haven’t earned a break yet?

Many of us understand that rest is important, but knowing we need it and actually making space for it are two very different things. Productivity culture has taught us to see rest as a reward instead of a requirement, leaving us exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering why we’re still running on empty.

In this episode, Lisa explores the biggest barriers that keep us from getting the rest we truly need and shares practical strategies for making rest part of everyday life. Building on last week’s conversation with Gary Ware, she explains why rest isn’t something you have to earn, how to identify the types of rest that genuinely restore you, and simple ways to weave meaningful breaks into even the busiest schedule. You’ll discover that sustainable productivity begins with rest—not after it.

This week, episode 324 of the Positively Living® Podcast explores how to find time to rest and shares practical strategies for making restorative rest a realistic part of your daily life.

How to Find Time to Rest

When was the last time you rested without feeling guilty?

Not because you finished everything on your to-do list.

Not because you “deserved it.”

Not because you were completely exhausted.

Just because you needed it.

For many of us, that feels almost impossible.

We’ve been taught that rest is something we earn after working hard enough. We tell ourselves we’ll take a break after one more email, one more project, one more load of laundry, one more thing crossed off the list.

The problem?

The list never ends.

What if we’ve been thinking about rest all wrong?

What if rest isn’t the reward for productivity—but the reason productivity is possible in the first place?

Why Rest Feels So Hard

Most people don’t struggle with believing rest is important.

They struggle with giving themselves permission.

Even when we know rest benefits our physical and mental health, there’s often a quiet voice saying:

“You haven’t done enough yet.”

“You’ll rest later.”

“You should be using this time more productively.”

These beliefs don’t appear overnight. They’re built from years of messages about success, achievement, responsibility, and hustle.

Understanding that rest matters doesn’t automatically silence those messages.

But recognizing them is the first step toward changing them.

Rest Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

One reason rest can feel ineffective is that we often choose activities that don’t actually restore us.

We assume rest means watching television, taking a nap, or spending a day doing nothing.

Sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed.

Other times, it’s the opposite.

An introvert who’s spent the day in meetings may crave solitude.

Someone who’s worked alone all week may need meaningful connection.

After hours of analytical work, your brain may benefit from something creative or physical instead.

Rest is deeply personal.

The question isn’t, “What should I do to rest?”

It’s, “What genuinely helps me feel restored?”

Pay Attention to What Refills Your Energy

One of the simplest ways to discover what restorative rest looks like is to notice how you feel afterward.

Ask yourself:

When was the last time I felt truly refreshed?
What was I doing?
What wasn’t I doing?
Did I feel more energized afterward?

Sometimes the activities that seem almost too simple—a short walk, sitting outside, reading for ten minutes, listening to music—leave us feeling better than elaborate self-care routines.

Those patterns are worth noticing.

They’re clues to the kind of rest your nervous system is asking for.

Three Types of Rest to Build Into Your Life

In my conversation with Gary Ware, he shared a framework that makes rest feel much more practical by breaking it into three categories: macro, micro, and mezzo rest.

Each serves a different purpose.

Macro Rest: Prioritize Quality Sleep

When most people think about rest, they think about sleep.

But it’s not only about getting more hours.

It’s also about improving the quality of those hours.

Simple habits can make a meaningful difference:

Creating a calming bedtime routine
Reducing screen time before bed
Writing down lingering thoughts in a notebook
Making your bedroom comfortable and relaxing
Giving your nervous system clear signals that the day is over

Better sleep starts long before your head hits the pillow.

Micro Rest: Five Minutes Can Change Everything

Many of us don’t have hours available for rest.

But most of us can find five minutes.

The key is making those minutes restorative instead of simply switching to another form of stimulation.

Instead of scrolling your phone between meetings, try:

Stretching
Stepping outside
Making tea mindfully
Playing an instrument
Working on a small puzzle
Sitting quietly without another task demanding your attention

These tiny pauses help your nervous system reset instead of carrying stress from one activity into the next.

Don’t Skip the Transition

One overlooked form of rest happens between tasks.

We often rush straight from one meeting to another, one responsibility to the next, without giving ourselves even a moment to reset.

Those transitions matter.

Even a two-minute pause can reduce stress and help you arrive more present for whatever comes next.

One simple strategy is creating a “When-Then” habit:

“When I finish my client call, then I’ll step outside for five minutes because it helps me reset.”

Connecting the action to a clear reason makes it much easier to follow through.

Mezzo Rest: Protect Larger Blocks of Time

Longer periods of restoration often feel the hardest to schedule.

A half day off.

An afternoon devoted to hobbies.

A vacation that isn’t spent catching up on work.

Without intention, those open spaces often get filled with more productivity.

That’s why it helps to decide ahead of time how you’d like to spend that time.

Not with a rigid schedule.

Just with enough direction that your brain doesn’t automatically default back to work.

Whether it’s reading, gardening, hiking, creating art, or spending time with people you love, giving your future self something restorative to step into makes protecting that time much easier.

Start Smaller Than You Think

If your life feels overwhelming, don’t try to overhaul everything overnight.

Choose one place to begin.

Maybe that’s:

Improving your bedtime routine.
Taking one genuine five-minute break each afternoon.
Scheduling one restorative afternoon this month.
Making a list of activities that genuinely bring you joy.

Small, consistent changes almost always outperform ambitious plans that never happen.

Final Thoughts

Rest isn’t something you have to earn.

It’s one of the most important investments you can make in your energy, creativity, focus, and overall well-being.

The more consistently you build moments of restoration into your life, the easier it becomes to show up fully for everything else that matters.

Instead of asking, “Have I done enough to deserve a break?”

Try asking:

“What kind of rest would help me show up as my best self today?”

The answer might change everything.

If you’re ready to create sustainable habits that support your productivity without sacrificing your well-being, I’d love to help. Whether you’re looking for personalized coaching, Async Coaching, or free resources like the Joy List and Transition Meditation, visit positivelyproductive.com/coaching to learn more.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Positively Living^Ⓡ and Lisa at https://positivelyproductive.com/podcast/

Stop trying to fit into someone else’s productivity rules! Grab my free Productivity Toolkit, a collection of workbooks designed to help you explore how you work, uncover what truly matters to you, and create your very own energy-friendly systems. Get it here: www.positivelyproductive.com/plpkit

CONNECT WITH LISA ZAWROTNY:

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Episode 297: The Joy List: Your Key to Self-Care

Episode 323: Why Rest Isn’t Optional with Gary Ware

Free Joy List Workbook

Free 2-Minute Transition Meditation

Book a Clarity Call

Async Coaching