I can sit and work for about 20-30 minutes at a time at the moment then I need to lie down and rest for a while (eyes closed, no scrolling, maybe an audiobook) before I try again, then it's another rest, and so on. I've learnt that these lying down times are often MORE productive than the 'work' times because it's when my mind opens and ideas get dropped into me from on high, from whatever power it is that feeds us inspiration and intuition. I've started viewing those lying down, incubator times as the REAL work. Reframing my purpose not to produce as much as possible but to RECEIVE as much as possible has been really transformative for me and helped me rest a lot more peacefully. (Also, isn't it the best when you pull the 4 of Swords?! Relief!)
this!! creativity is like a muscle—you can lift all the weights you want, but without rest days, the muscle fibers won’t have the recovery time they need to knit back together and grow stronger <3
This deeply resonated with me. It’s a state I’m currently in, and more so battling my thoughts of wanting to do, but needing to rest. It is a balance and a tough line to walk. Thank you for this.
It is a tough line to walk, but I think that exercising our rest muscle (and not beating ourselves up over it) is a great start. Thank you so much for sharing.
This really resonated. The idea that rest isn't just a pause but an active part of the creative process is something I've had to learn the hard way. So many of us push through, thinking more effort = better work, when in reality, our best ideas often surface after we step away.
It makes me wonder—what would it look like if we designed our workflows with rest built in from the start, rather than treating it like a reward for exhaustion? I've started experimenting with this mindset shift, and it's been eye-opening. Would love to hear how others are reframing rest in their creative work!
I love the idea of integrating rest into the workflow, instead of just seeing it as a "reward" for work. I do this to some degree by putting rest into my planner; others might want to put it into their calendar. When I've worked for an hour, I generally need an hour of rest; I see this as an integral part of my work.
I love your 1:1 work-to-rest ratio approach. It reminds me of how our bodies are constantly balancing activity and recovery - during sleep, we're not just "shutting off" but actively repairing and processing. I've started viewing rest periods the same way - not as empty space, but as vital processing time that makes the active work possible.
I'm starting to look at automation the same way. I've found that automating certain tasks actually supports this rhythm - it creates more space for those natural cycles of effort and recovery. Instead of fighting against my need for rest, I'm learning to build my workflow around it. (PS - thanks for sharing!)
Oh gosh, exactly. Have you read or heard about the idea of the "energy envelope"--that for people with chronic fatigue, if you continually stop activity right before you hit the end of your energy allotment, you'll slowly expand the amount of energy you have?
Esme, as another creative living with multiple chronic illnesses that provide fatigue as a bonus, I do appreciated this post. Thank you for reminding us all that rest is not something to put off.
I'm so glad it helped you in that way. Chronic fatigue is a pain in the neck, but we might as well learn how to best live with it, in my humble opinion!
Naps are wonderful. 5 year olds have no idea what they're missing 🌹
5 year olds are like NO I DO NOT WANT NAP and adults re like DEAR GOD I NEED SOME SLEEP
I can sit and work for about 20-30 minutes at a time at the moment then I need to lie down and rest for a while (eyes closed, no scrolling, maybe an audiobook) before I try again, then it's another rest, and so on. I've learnt that these lying down times are often MORE productive than the 'work' times because it's when my mind opens and ideas get dropped into me from on high, from whatever power it is that feeds us inspiration and intuition. I've started viewing those lying down, incubator times as the REAL work. Reframing my purpose not to produce as much as possible but to RECEIVE as much as possible has been really transformative for me and helped me rest a lot more peacefully. (Also, isn't it the best when you pull the 4 of Swords?! Relief!)
Love this. Thank you Esme!
Thank YOU for reading!
Ideas being dropped FROM ON HIGH. How I absolutely love it. Thank you for sharing your process and how restful enhances your creative life.
this!! creativity is like a muscle—you can lift all the weights you want, but without rest days, the muscle fibers won’t have the recovery time they need to knit back together and grow stronger <3
Yesssss the analogy of muscle fibers between exercise day is such a great one. Thank you.
This deeply resonated with me. It’s a state I’m currently in, and more so battling my thoughts of wanting to do, but needing to rest. It is a balance and a tough line to walk. Thank you for this.
It is a tough line to walk, but I think that exercising our rest muscle (and not beating ourselves up over it) is a great start. Thank you so much for sharing.
This really resonated. The idea that rest isn't just a pause but an active part of the creative process is something I've had to learn the hard way. So many of us push through, thinking more effort = better work, when in reality, our best ideas often surface after we step away.
It makes me wonder—what would it look like if we designed our workflows with rest built in from the start, rather than treating it like a reward for exhaustion? I've started experimenting with this mindset shift, and it's been eye-opening. Would love to hear how others are reframing rest in their creative work!
I love the idea of integrating rest into the workflow, instead of just seeing it as a "reward" for work. I do this to some degree by putting rest into my planner; others might want to put it into their calendar. When I've worked for an hour, I generally need an hour of rest; I see this as an integral part of my work.
I love your 1:1 work-to-rest ratio approach. It reminds me of how our bodies are constantly balancing activity and recovery - during sleep, we're not just "shutting off" but actively repairing and processing. I've started viewing rest periods the same way - not as empty space, but as vital processing time that makes the active work possible.
I'm starting to look at automation the same way. I've found that automating certain tasks actually supports this rhythm - it creates more space for those natural cycles of effort and recovery. Instead of fighting against my need for rest, I'm learning to build my workflow around it. (PS - thanks for sharing!)
Agree! I’ve finally begun to recognize the warning signs that I’m getting fatigued. And I know that it’ll be worse—much worse—if I ignore them.
Oh gosh, exactly. Have you read or heard about the idea of the "energy envelope"--that for people with chronic fatigue, if you continually stop activity right before you hit the end of your energy allotment, you'll slowly expand the amount of energy you have?
Esme, as another creative living with multiple chronic illnesses that provide fatigue as a bonus, I do appreciated this post. Thank you for reminding us all that rest is not something to put off.
I'm so glad it helped you in that way. Chronic fatigue is a pain in the neck, but we might as well learn how to best live with it, in my humble opinion!
Gentle hug to you.