Why Rest Matters at Work

Rest is an essential part of maintaining mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. However, many people find it difficult to slow down, particularly when managing work demands, family responsibilities or ongoing stress. Rest can feel unproductive, uncomfortable or even undeserved. Understanding what rest involves, why it matters and how to practise it can help you manage stress, prevent exhaustion and support your wellbeing.

What Is Rest and Why Is It Important?

Rest involves giving your mind and body opportunities to recover from physical, cognitive and emotional demands. It is not simply the absence of activity. Without sufficient rest, stress can accumulate, contributing to irritability, anxiety, reduced concentration, emotional exhaustion and burnout. You may notice that everyday challenges feel harder to manage or that you have less patience with yourself and others. Regular rest supports emotional regulation, clearer thinking, physical recovery and resilience.

 

Understanding the Different Types of Rest

Different demands create different recovery needs. Seven commonly recognised types of rest include:

• Physical: Sleep, stretching and recovery from physical activity.
• Mental: Taking breaks from concentration, planning and decision-making.
• Emotional: Having opportunities to acknowledge and express feelings.
• Sensory: Reducing exposure to noise, screens and stimulation.
• Social: Spending time alone or with supportive people.
• Creative: Reconnecting with inspiration, nature or enjoyable activities.
• Spiritual: Engaging in activities that provide meaning, connection or purpose.

 

Rest Versus Distraction

Rest and distraction can look similar, but they serve different purposes. Distraction redirects attention away from thoughts, feelings or stress. Rest provides an opportunity for recovery. For example, scrolling through your phone may temporarily distract you from work worries but leave you mentally stimulated. Sitting outside, taking a gentle walk or listening to music may help you recover. Distraction can be useful. The important distinction is whether an activity helps you feel restored or simply postpones dealing with stress.

 

Why Can Rest Feel Uncomfortable?

Rest may trigger guilt, anxiety or thoughts about unfinished responsibilities. Common beliefs include:

• “I should be doing something productive.”
• “I haven’t done enough to deserve a break.”
• “If I stop, I’ll fall behind.”

For people accustomed to staying busy, slowing down can also make uncomfortable emotions more noticeable. These reactions do not mean rest is unnecessary. They may indicate that learning to rest requires practice.

 

Practical Psychological Skills for Rest

 

CBT – Challenging Unhelpful Thoughts About Rest

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps us recognise how our thoughts influence our emotions and behaviours. Sometimes, beliefs about productivity, responsibility or achievement can make rest feel uncomfortable or undeserved.

What it is:

Challenging unhelpful thoughts involves noticing automatic thoughts about rest, questioning whether they are accurate or helpful, and developing a more balanced perspective. The aim is not to force positive thinking, but to respond to ourselves more realistically.

Why it helps:

Thoughts such as “I’m being lazy” or “I should be doing something useful” can create guilt or anxiety, leading us to keep working despite feeling exhausted. Challenging these beliefs can reduce self-criticism and make it easier to prioritise recovery.

Practical example:

• Situation: You sit down to rest after a demanding workday.
• Automatic thought: “I haven’t done enough today to deserve a break.”
• Emotion: Guilt or anxiety.
• Balanced thought: “I’ve managed several demands today. Rest is a necessary part of looking after my wellbeing, not something I need to earn.”
• Action: Allow yourself 20 minutes of uninterrupted rest without returning to work tasks.

DBT – STOP Skill: Pausing Before Pushing Through

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) teaches practical skills for managing emotions, tolerating distress and responding mindfully rather than automatically.

What it is:

STOP is a four-step strategy that creates space between noticing discomfort and reacting to it.

• S – Stop: Pause what you are doing rather than automatically continuing.
• T – Take a step back: Give yourself a moment to breathe and create some distance from the situation.
• O – Observe: Notice your physical sensations, emotions, thoughts and urges. Are you tired, tense, overwhelmed or feeling guilty about stopping?
• P – Proceed mindfully: Choose what to do next based on what you need, rather than reacting automatically to pressure or guilt.

Why it helps:

When we’re stressed or accustomed to staying busy, we may ignore signs of exhaustion and move straight to the next responsibility. STOP interrupts this pattern, helping us recognise our needs and make more intentional choices.

Practical example:

You finish a busy workday and immediately feel the urge to start household chores, despite feeling mentally exhausted.

Use STOP to pause, notice your tiredness and recognise the pressure you’re placing on yourself. Rather than pushing through automatically, choose to sit quietly for 15 minutes before deciding what needs your attention.

ACT – Cognitive Defusion, Acceptance and Willingness

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps us develop a different relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings, rather than trying to eliminate or control them.

What it is:

Three ACT processes can be particularly helpful when rest feels uncomfortable:

• Cognitive Defusion: Learning to step back from thoughts and recognise that they are mental events, not necessarily facts or instructions. For example, changing “I should be working” to “I’m having the thought that I should be working.”
• Acceptance: Acknowledging uncomfortable feelings, such as guilt, anxiety or restlessness, without immediately trying to remove them.
• Willingness: Making room for these experiences while choosing actions that support your wellbeing and values.

Why it helps:

Trying to eliminate guilt or anxiety before allowing ourselves to rest can create an ongoing struggle. ACT encourages us to recognise that uncomfortable feelings can be present without needing to determine our behaviour. We can feel guilty about resting and still choose to rest.

Practical example:

You decide to spend Sunday afternoon relaxing but begin thinking about unfinished tasks.

Instead of arguing with the thought or immediately becoming productive, notice: “I’m having the thought that I should be doing more.”

Acknowledge the guilt or restlessness without judging yourself. Remind yourself that caring for your health is important, and continue with your planned rest, even if the discomfort hasn’t completely disappeared.

The goal is not to feel perfectly relaxed, but to become more comfortable allowing yourself to rest.

Practising Self-Kindness and Compassion

Self-compassion involves recognising when we are struggling, acknowledging our needs and responding to ourselves with the same kindness and understanding we would offer someone else.

What it is:

Practising self-kindness means treating yourself with care rather than criticism, particularly when you feel tired, overwhelmed or unable to meet your usual expectations. It involves recognising that rest is a basic human need, not something that must be earned through productivity or exhaustion.

Why it helps:

Self-critical thoughts such as “I should be doing more” or “I don’t deserve a break” can create guilt and make it difficult to rest. Self-compassion helps reduce this internal pressure by encouraging a more understanding response to our physical and emotional needs. Rather than judging yourself for feeling exhausted, you can acknowledge your limits and recognise that taking time to recover is a reasonable and healthy choice.

Practical example:

You have had a demanding week and decide to spend Saturday morning resting. However, you begin feeling guilty about the household tasks you haven’t completed. Pause and consider how you would respond to a friend or colleague in the same situation. You would likely encourage them to take a break rather than criticise them for being tired. Try offering yourself that same understanding:

“I’ve had a demanding week, and it’s understandable that I’m tired. I can give myself permission to rest without feeling that I need to justify it.”

Choose one manageable act of self-kindness, such as taking a proper lunch break, spending time outside or allowing yourself an afternoon without obligations.

The aim is not to eliminate guilt completely, but to respond to yourself with greater kindness while recognising that your need for rest is valid.

 

Key Reminder: Rest is not a failure to be productive. It is a necessary part of maintaining your wellbeing.

If stress, guilt or difficulty switching off is affecting your wellbeing, your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help you explore these patterns and develop practical strategies for recovery.