Why Rest Is a Smart Return on Investment

Picture a CEO bragging about not taking a day off in seven years, as if he’d earned a medal in the war on downtime. Then came the “mystery illness,” the endless fatigue that no amount of caffeine can fix, and a board of directors suggesting he step away for a while. When he finally took a week off—no laptop, no calls—he came back with two breakthroughs: one for his business and one for his life. He realized both were running him instead of the other way around. 

The return on investment of rest 

Modern business culture glorifies doing, doing, and more doing. Sleep less, crush more goals, and check off more boxes. Rest becomes the thing to do after success—if there’s time left.  

Yet, research reveals the need to prioritize rest. Downtime fuels creativity, clarity, and emotional regulation. A Harvard study found that strategic rest increases long-term productivity. Meanwhile, chronic overwork can cut cognitive performance. And leaders who model rest? Their teams are more engaged and less likely to burn out, according to Gallup. Translation: Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s a smart leadership strategy. 

The power of pausing  

Taking to pause isn’t just about sleep or vacation. It’s a mindset—balancing being and doing. Arianna Huffington built an entire company, Thrive Global, on the idea that rest restores humanity to business. Even Einstein is often quoted as crediting his breakthroughs to long walks and moments of “idleness.” Rest doesn’t stop the work. It makes the work better. 

Self-reflective questions 

Ask yourself the following questions to assess your relationship with rest: 

• When was the last time you truly unplugged—no email, no mental to-do list? 
• How does your leadership change when you operate from a place of rest instead of rushing? 
• What message does your rest or lack thereof send to your team? 

5 techniques for productive rest 

• Schedule sacred pauses.
  Block “white space” on your calendar. Treat it like a meeting with your best self. 
• Rebrand rest as ROI.
  Track the insights, solutions, and better decisions that come after taking time off. Share these stories with your team. 
• Lead by example.
  Tell your team when you’re unplugging and that they should, too. Better yet, build rest into company rhythms. For example, does your team truly need to come back for a day or two between Christmas and New Year’s? 
• Practice micro-rest moments.
  Do one-minute meditations, a mindful breath before meetings, or stepping outside between Zoom calls to reset your nervous system and improve focus.  

Own your meetings. Book 45-minute meetings instead of 60-minute meetings, and use those extra minutes to review, recharge, and reset. 

Team talk  

In a team meeting, reflect on organizational norms or habits in your culture that discourage rest. Discuss together how you might integrate rest and renewal into your daily workflow. Then, agree on one experiment: outside walking meetings, a creative quiet hour where people can think without interruption, or a 10-minute midday recharge break. Notice what changes. 

Rest and rise 

Great leaders know that rest refuels purpose, perspective, and presence. After all, people are human beings, not human doings. Leadership isn’t an endurance contest. When you unplug, you return to your work with sharper thinking, a steadier heart, and a truer sense of what matters. The best leaders don’t just keep going. They know when to pause and recharge. They have the wisdom and courage to stop long enough to see clearly again and that makes space for real power to show up.