Schedule Rest the Same Way You Schedule Important Meetings

29 Jan 2025 #misc

For the first time after over 10 years of non-stop work, in 2024 I suddenly found myself with lots of free time.

Thanks to the layoff in the tech industry and to fully recover from burnout, I decided to take a mini-retirement.

All of a sudden, I had 8 extra hours free on my day.

No more meetings, 1-on-1s, estimation sessions, or any other meeting that could be an email. I went nuts with that free time. Reading books, writing on my blog, reposting on dev.to and Medium, recording video courses, reviving my LinkedIn account, doing some freelance coding here and there.

I went to bed more tired than a full day of work. It felt so good. I was the master and owner of my calendar for the first time in years. Monday mornings didn’t feel the same.

But I realized I was chasing my ambitions.

The time that was supposed to be for rest and reconnecting with myself was as busy as the days when I had a full-time job.

Reflecting on this, I realized I need a change. I decided to start a new habit: Scheduling my rest time the same way I schedule important appointments on my calendar.

One day a week for one hour, I have a guilt-free time slot. I’m free to spend that hour doing whatever I want. The only rule is: zero work. Most of the time, I take a walk or read or watch a TV show.

We often are trapped in the productivity wheel that we forget rest is as important as active work, if not more important.

Rest time is the trigger for aha moments and bursts of inspiration. Often after taking a walk during my guilt-free hour, I have to rush to my computer to write something that came up while walking.

Remember to schedule your rest time too. You deserve it. And your mind and body need it.