Rest is Part of Growth Too
- Nora Mangan
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
There are times when slowing down can feel uncomfortable for many of us.
Even when many of us know we need rest, it can come with a quiet sense that we should be doing something more. There can be a pull to stay productive, to keep going, or to use our time in a way that feels “useful.”
This feeling can become even more noticeable during seasons like spring, when everything around us seems to be growing, changing, and moving forward. As the world shifts into a season associated with renewal and progress, many of us may feel an unspoken pressure to keep up.
But growth does not always look like constant movement.
Why Rest Can Feel So Hard
Many of us have learned, often without realizing it, to associate productivity with worth.
When we are busy, checking things off a list, or moving toward a goal, it can feel like we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. Rest, on the other hand, can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable. It can bring up thoughts like, "I should be doing something right now," or "I will rest later when everything is done."
In a culture that often values being “on” all the time, it makes sense that slowing down can feel difficult.
At the same time, our capacity to keep going is not unlimited.
Research on short breaks and recovery suggests that ongoing demands can gradually deplete our mental and emotional energy, making it harder to stay focused, engaged, or even motivated over time (Albulescu et al., 2022). Many of us have likely experienced this firsthand. After long periods of effort, even simple tasks can start to feel more overwhelming.
So while pushing through may feel productive in the moment, it is not always sustainable.
Growth Is Not Always Visible
Spring is often associated with visible growth. Flowers bloom, trees regain their leaves, and everything begins to look more alive.
But much of that growth starts long before we can see it.
In nature, there are periods where change is happening beneath the surface. Roots are strengthening. Systems are rebuilding. Energy is being stored and redistributed. These processes are not always visible, but they are still essential.
In many ways, our own growth can look similar.
There are seasons where progress feels clear and noticeable. And there are other times when things feel slower, quieter, or even stagnant. During those periods, it can be easy to assume that nothing is happening.
But that is not always the case.
Not all growth is meant to be visible.
Rest as Part of the Process
Many of us tend to think of rest as something separate from growth. It can feel like a pause, a delay, or even a step backward.
This can feel especially true during seasons like spring, when growth around us feels more visible and constant.
But rest is not outside of the process. It is part of it.
Research shows that even brief breaks can support well-being by reducing fatigue and helping restore energy (Albulescu et al., 2022). When we give ourselves space to pause, we are not losing progress. We are allowing our mental and emotional resources to recover.
Without that recovery, it becomes harder to stay present, make decisions, regulate emotions, and engage fully with what we are doing.
In other words, rest supports the very capacities that growth depends on.
Even if it does not always feel productive in the moment, it can make a meaningful difference over time.
Letting Go of the "Earned Rest" Mindset
Many of us have learned to treat rest as something we earn.
We might tell ourselves that we can rest once everything is done, once we have worked hard enough, or once we have been productive for long enough. But in reality, that point often keeps moving.
There is always something else to do.
When rest is treated as a reward instead of a need, it can become harder to access. We may delay it, minimize it, or feel guilty for taking it at all.
At the same time, research suggests that recovery is not just helpful, but necessary. Without opportunities to step away from ongoing demands, fatigue can build, and our overall well-being can be affected (Albulescu et al., 2022).
Rest is not something we have to earn after we are already depleted. It is something that helps prevent that depletion from building in the first place.
What Rest Can Look Like
When many of us think about rest, we often picture something like sleeping or doing nothing at all. While those forms of rest are important, rest can actually take many different forms.
Rest does not always have to be long or structured to be meaningful. Even small pauses throughout the day can help support our well-being and energy over time.
Research suggests that short breaks, even just a few minutes, can help reduce fatigue and support a sense of renewed energy (Albulescu et al., 2022). Because of this, rest does not always have to wait until the end of the day. It can be something we return to in small, intentional ways.
For many of us, rest might look like:
Stepping outside for a few minutes of fresh air
Taking a short walk without focusing on productivity
Sitting quietly without distractions
Listening to music or a podcast
Sipping a warm drink and noticing the sensory experience
Stretching or moving your body gently
Checking in with someone you feel comfortable with
Taking a break from screens or social media
Journaling about what you are feeling
Allowing yourself a moment to pause between tasks
Rest can also look different depending on what feels draining.
If you are feeling mentally tired, stepping away from focused tasks may help. If you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed, quiet or calming activities may feel more supportive. If you are feeling physically tense, gentle movement or stretching might help release some of that tension.
There is not one “right” way to rest.
What matters most is noticing what helps you feel even slightly more grounded, present, or restored. Over time, these small moments can begin to support a more sustainable sense of energy and balance.
A Few Questions to Reflect On
Sometimes it can help to pause and reflect on how rest shows up in our own lives.
You might consider:
When does rest feel easiest for you? When does it feel more difficult?
What messages have you learned about rest and productivity?
Do you tend to view rest as something you need, or something you have to earn?
What might change if you saw rest as part of growth instead of a break from it?
What does rest actually look like for you right now?
These questions do not always have immediate answers. But taking a moment to reflect can help us notice patterns that often go unquestioned.
Moving Forward, Gently
Growth is not constant motion.
Sometimes it looks like taking action, making changes, and moving forward in visible ways. Other times, it looks like slowing down, stepping back, or allowing yourself space to rest.
Both are part of the process.
Spring reminds us that growth happens in cycles. There are seasons of visible change, and there are quieter seasons where important work is happening beneath the surface.
If things feel slower right now, or if rest feels more present than progress, that does not mean you are falling behind.
It may simply mean you are in a different part of the cycle.
And that part still counts.
References
Albulescu, P., Macsinga, I., Rusu, A., Sulea, C., Bodnaru, A., & Tulbure, B. T. (2022). "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PloS one, 17(8), e0272460. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272460
Further Readings
The Importance of Taking Breaks
Taking Breaks
Give Me a Break
Taking Breaks is Good for Your Brain - Here's Why
How to Take Better Breaks at Work, According to Research
Nora Mangan is a Master of Social Work (MSW) intern at Aurora University. She is dedicated to strengths-based, client-centered practice and is especially interested in helping individuals and families access resources and build resilience. After graduation, she plans to pursue clinical social work.
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