Redefine rest before burnout redefines you: What I learned from the science of slowing down

Let me be honest with you.

For a long time, I thought rest was something you earned after doing all the “important” stuff. After ticking everything off the to-do list, after achieving something, after everyone else’s needs were met. Sound familiar?

But over the years, and especially through my own journey with anxiety and burnout, I’ve learned something surprising: the way we think about rest is all wrong. And the science now backs it up.

In this article, I want to share what I’ve learned—from research, from personal experience, and from listening to countless others navigating life’s transitions. Especially if you’re entering a new phase like retirement or reinvention, redefining rest could be one of the most powerful changes you make.

The myth that rest means doing nothing

We live in a culture that worships busyness. Even in retirement, I’ve seen people proudly say, “I don’t know how I ever had time to work!” And while staying active is great, there’s a difference between meaningful activity and constant noise.

Rest is not just sleep. It’s not laziness. And it’s certainly not a luxury.

Claudia Hammond, in her brilliant book The Art of Rest, explores this beautifully. She reminds us that rest isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for both productivity and well-being. She conducted what’s known as “The Rest Test”—the world’s largest global survey on rest. Over 18,000 people from 135 countries shared what makes them feel most rested. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t Netflix binges or lying on the couch (though those can help in small doses).

She also makes a crucial point: rest doesn’t have to be earned. When we carry guilt into our downtime, we rob ourselves of its benefits. True rest happens when we allow ourselves to unplug—guilt-free.

So what was restful?

The top 10 most restful activities, according to science

Here’s what people said restored them the most:

1. Reading
2. Spending time in nature
3. Being alone
4. Listening to music
5. Doing nothing in particular
6. Walking
7. Having a bath
8. Daydreaming
9. Watching TV
10. Mindfulness or meditation

What struck me is how many of these are gentle, quiet, and internally nourishing. They aren’t flashy. They don’t shout for attention. And most importantly—they aren’t things you need to earn.

Personally, reading and walking have always been my go to. I didn’t realise until later that they were actually recharging my nervous system. Especially during my most anxious periods, a quiet walk in nature did more than any to-do list ever could.

Why morning matters as much as night

In The Art of Rest, Claudia Hammond reminds us that rest doesn’t just happen when we sleep—it can (and should) be woven through our days. One surprising finding from her research is that what we do when we’re awake, particularly in those quiet moments of wakeful rest, can be just as restorative.

As Hammond writes, “Wakeful rest allows the brain to consolidate memories, process information and maintain our ability to focus.” It’s not about being idle—it’s about creating intentional pauses where your brain can breathe.

While the book focuses more on general rest than on specific morning routines, it’s clear that carving out time for calm, guilt-free pauses—whether morning, midday or evening—makes a significant difference to our overall wellbeing. It’s not about a strict routine but about making space in your day that is mentally and emotionally restorative.

Personally, I’ve found that starting my day with quiet journaling, a gentle walk, or just sitting with a coffee and no devices, helps create a foundation of calm that ripples through the hours ahead. It’s less about a rigid morning formula and more about protecting some early space where your mind isn’t pulled in a hundred directions.

Whether you’re an early bird or a slow starter, the takeaway is this: rest isn’t confined to the end of the day. How we structure our time—including small restorative moments in the morning—can shape how rested and resilient we feel overall.

Building your own rest ritual

Rest isn’t one-size-fits-all. What restores me might not restore you—and that’s okay.

The key is to experiment and pay attention. I recommend thinking of it like building a personal “rest menu.” What activities make you feel calmer, clearer, more centred?

Here are a few to try:

-A short walk in nature with no phone
-Ten minutes of gentle music and closed eyes
-Journaling your thoughts before bed
-Doing something creative just for fun
-Turning off your phone for a set window each day

Don’t underestimate the small stuff. Sometimes the tiniest changes have the biggest ripple effect.

Try journaling on this topic.  Ask yourself. “When do I feel most calm, clear, and restored? What activities help me return to myself?”

Claudia Hammond reminds us that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to rest. Your rest might look like a book and a blanket. Someone else’s might be a bath, a podcast, or a solo beach walk. The point is: find what works for you and claim it unapologetically.

Rest is preparation, not just recovery

One of the biggest mindset shifts I had was this: rest is not just what we do after we’re exhausted. It’s what we do to prevent exhaustion.

It’s fuel.

Rest helps regulate our nervous system, enhances creativity, improves decision-making, and strengthens emotional resilience. It makes us better friends, partners, parents, and problem-solvers. If anything, rest is one of the most productive things you can do—just not in the traditional sense.

Busyness might feel like a badge of honour, but in reality, it often leads to burnout. Hammond’s work reminds us that guilt-free downtime boosts—not hinders—our capacity to thrive.

And in retirement or reinvention, when you finally have the chance to design life on your terms, rest needs to be part of that blueprint.

You don’t have to burn out to wake up

I used to think I had to push through. That burnout was just a sign I needed to be tougher or better organised.

Now I know better.

If you’re feeling tired all the time… if your mind is foggy or your moods swing more than they used to… if you’ve lost joy in things that used to bring you pleasure—please don’t ignore those signs.

They might not mean you need to do more. They might be pointing you toward less. Less stimulation. Less comparison. Less pressure.

And more space. More quiet. More being.

Redefining rest in retirement

If you’re entering retirement, semi-retirement, or just slowing down in some areas of life, this is your moment. Not just to rest more, but to rest differently.

Forget the outdated version of retirement as endless leisure or total withdrawal. Today, we’re living longer, healthier lives. Retirement can mean a new portfolio of meaning: maybe part-time work, volunteering, travel, learning something new, or building community.

But even a purpose-filled life needs pockets of pause.

When you learn to rest well, everything else becomes easier. You start making decisions from clarity instead of overwhelm. You feel more in control of your time and energy. And most importantly—you begin to enjoy life again.

Ready to redefine your life?

If you’d like support building rest and reflection into your next life chapter, my course Reset Your Life Compass is designed to help you do exactly that.

Through guided journaling, goal setting, and practical habit-building, you’ll learn to listen to yourself more deeply, map out a vision that excites you, and move forward with more ease.

And if you’re closer to—or already in—retirement, you can sign up to The Vessel to be the first to know when my newest course Your Retirement, Your Way: Thriving, Dreaming and Reinventing Life in Your 60s and Beyond is released. It’s all about designing a purposeful, connected, and joyful next chapter.

Because rest isn’t a reward. It’s a right. And it just might be the key to your most vibrant years yet.