Experts urge prioritising rest to restore energy and improve work quality

After the holiday glut of travel, parties, shopping and baked goods, many people feel pressure to be more active and productive in the new year. Experts including Amelia Nagoski and Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith say the opposite may be needed: learning to rest so people are less depleted and more energised.

“Rest is anything that gives you more energy,” Nagoski says. That can mean doing different activities rather than stopping activity altogether: Alex Soojung‑Kim Pang argues the most restorative rest is often active, such as going for a walk, spending time in nature or exercising. Obstacles to rest include a culture that glamorises overwork and the fact that many people do not know what kind of rest they need.

To incorporate rest, Pang suggests taking the idea seriously and structuring work where possible—periods of 90 minutes to two hours of focused work followed by breaks of about half an hour. For less predictable jobs, he recommends better preserving nights and weekends. Drawing on Dalton‑Smith’s work, the American Psychological Association offers examples of seven types of rest: physical (sleep, naps); mental (journalling, meditation, low‑effort tasks); emotional (talking through feelings); social (time alone or with non‑draining people); sensory (time outdoors, screen breaks); creative (hobbies like drawing or dancing); and spiritual (connecting to meaningful causes or traditions).

Key Topics

Health, Rest, Amelia Nagoski, Saundra Dalton-smith, Alex Soojung-kim Pang, American Psychological Association