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Why Those Who Work Hard Relish Their Rest Days

I recently came across an opinion piece in my church bulletin that left me scratching my head.

The writer argued that even on your rest days, you shouldn’t purely rest. They described how they and their family had planned a lazy day to relax and unwind, but it ended up being a disaster. Bickering, boredom, bad attitudes all around.

Their conclusion? You need to do some work even on your rest days.

They felt the need to sprinkle in a little bit of productivity to enjoy any rest at all.

Here’s my response to that:

If you find yourself bored and fighting on your rest day, it’s not because you need more work—it’s because the work you’re doing Monday through Friday isn’t that hard.

Rest should be something you crave, something you look forward to, not a source of frustration or restlessness. And if you’re experiencing that restlessness, maybe the problem isn’t that you need to work on your rest day, but that your everyday work isn’t taxing enough to truly warrant a real break.

Real Work Creates Real Rest

People who work hard—really work hard—don’t need to invent things to do on their days off to feel productive.

They’re too busy recovering.

If you’ve been grinding through long, demanding hours all week, rest isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

It’s the only way to reset, both mentally and physically. It’s when you catch your breath so you can hit the ground running the next week.

The only people who feel like they need to pepper in productivity on their rest days are people who haven’t been pushed to their limits in the first place.

If you’re finding yourself antsy or restless on a day that’s supposed to be for recovery, it’s a red flag.

It’s telling you that your usual work routine isn’t challenging enough.

I’ve never seen someone who spends their week breaking their back on hard labor, facing tight deadlines, or grinding through mentally exhausting work say, “I should really get some more work in on my rest day.”

No. Those people collapse into their rest days.

They relish them.

The Importance of Contrast

The problem with this argument that we should “work a little” on our rest days is that it fundamentally misunderstands the value of contrast.

If every day is a day of some work, then no day is truly a rest day.

If we’re constantly stuck in a mode of partial productivity, we’re just blurring the line between work and recovery.

That’s a fast track to burnout.

Rest days are most effective when they’re complete contrasts to our workdays—when you can fully step away from your responsibilities, recharge, and reset.

Imagine an athlete who trains six days a week. When their rest day comes, they don’t sneak in a “light workout” just for the sake of doing something. No, they rest because they know their muscles need time to recover to function optimally the next week.

That’s how improvement happens—work hard, rest harder.

The same logic applies to the rest of us. Full, deep rest is a part of the process, not an optional afterthought.

Working Hard Means You Value Rest

The whole idea of feeling “bored” on a rest day implies that you’re not working hard enough during your regular week.

If you’re consistently challenged and stretched by your work, by Friday or Saturday, you won’t need to “find something to do” just to fill the time.

You’ll be too grateful for the chance to take a break.

The truth is, people who work hard value their rest because they understand what it does for them.

It’s an essential part of staying sharp and focused. When you’ve been giving 100% at your job, your mind and body will demand that break, and you’ll welcome it. You won’t be looking for things to do.

The idea that you need to “work a little” on your rest day to enjoy it is telling.

It suggests that whatever you’re doing during your workdays isn’t demanding enough. Because if you’re truly pushing yourself, rest isn’t a chore—it’s a blessing.

Freeing Yourself

Look, I get that sometimes we have to work extra hard to break free from work responsibilities.

We want financial independence, freedom from our day jobs, more free time, and hat requires that we do more work upfront in our lives.

That should be a short term position.

We should eventually work to the point where we earn our freedoms.

True Rest

So here’s the real counterpoint: People who work hard, who genuinely push themselves throughout the week, don’t feel antsy or restless on their rest days.

They don’t need to find extra work to feel fulfilled because their regular work provides more than enough.

If anything, they might even wish for more time to rest.

If you’re feeling restless or bored on your day off, it’s time to examine whether your week is pushing you hard enough.

A proper rest day is about stepping away from work, from the grind, from the demands of the week. It’s about recovery. It’s not about guilt-tripping yourself into being “productive” for the sake of it.

True rest—whether it’s physical rest, mental rest, or both—only has value when it comes after real effort.

So, if you find yourself bored, unhappy, or fighting on your rest day, the problem isn’t that you need more work on the weekend.

The problem is that you’re not working hard enough the rest of the week.

The Paradox of Sacrifice

If you grew up in the church, you often encounter the concept of sacrifice.

It’s portrayed as a noble act, one that promises fulfillment and rewards.

However, my personal experience has led me to question this notion.

I’ve never truly felt fulfilled after making a sacrifice.

Instead, it often feels like a loss with no immediate return.

And I’m here to tell you that’s okay. That is the nature of sacrifice.

Many of the sacrifices you make may never pay off in this life.

The bulk of the rewards of Christianity are not found in this life but rather are found in the afterlife.

The Reality of Sacrifice

Sacrifice, by its very nature, involves giving up something valuable.

It might be time, resources, or personal desires.

The expectation is that this act will yield something greater in return. That’s what everyone tells you.

Do a good deed and you will have good feelings as a reward!

Yet, more often than not, a sacrifice remains just that—a sacrifice.

It doesn’t always provide tangible benefits in this life.

The immediate rewards we hope for may never materialize, leaving us to grapple with what we learned growing up.

“Did I do the Sacrifice Wrong?”

“Is there something wrong with me because I don’t feel fulfilled by good deeds and sacrifices?”

Let me set the record straight and tell you there is nothing wrong with you.

Deferred Benefits in the Christian Life

For those who follow the Christian faith, the concept of sacrifice takes on a deeper meaning.

Christianity teaches that the ultimate benefits of a sacrificial life are not necessarily experienced in the here and now.

Instead, they are deferred until the afterlife.

The Christian doctrine suggests that the sacrifices made in this life—whether they are acts of kindness, moments of self-denial, or enduring hardships—are investments in a future that transcends our earthly existence.

The return on those investments are not paid out until eternity.

Finding Peace in the Act of Sacrifice

While the immediate lack of fulfillment can be disheartening and even lead you to become angry and jaded at those who lead you astray with this idealistic and illusory notion of “fulfillment”, there is a certain peace that comes with understanding the broader perspective.

If you can accept that yo may not be rewarded on this earth, you can walk through life with improved clarity of thought.

Recognizing that not all sacrifices yield immediate rewards can help manage expectations and reduce feelings of disappointment.

It shifts the focus from seeking instant gratification to a patient, long-term view.

Sacrifice is a complex and often misunderstood concept.

While it may not always bring immediate fulfillment, especially in the context of the Christian faith, it holds the promise of greater, eternal rewards.

Integrating this perspective can help us find peace and purpose in our sacrifices, knowing that their true value may only be realized in the life to come.

Don’t Be Productive – Be Progressive

The word “progressive” is generally associated with some sort of ideology. People are “religiously progressive” if they think there is more leniency allowed in worship than what is dictated by the Bible.

People are politically progressive when they think more liberal policies would lead to favorable outcomes, though those outcomes are rarely specified. We are not talking about being politically or religiously progressive.

We are talking about being personally progressive.

What we mean is that you should be obsessed with making progress in your life, not with mere producing. Especially when what the average person is producing is mediocrity on a mass scale.

You have to question what you are producing. What are you building that brings value to the community around you? When you are being productive, it literally means you are producing something. Well, is what you are producing valuable? Are you making progress towards a goal with what you are producing? If not, you are likely wasting your time.

Not everything that is produced has value. Many people work four years in university to produce a degree, but that does not mean the degree has value. The same applies to the professors at these universities. They produce hundreds of graduates year after year. But what are those graduates [the products] worth? Are the professors producing graduates of value? I would argue that the average professor is not producing valuable graduates. They are producing entitled children with minimal skill and limited knowledge of how a functional society operates.

You need to make sure you are actually progressing toward a goal.

Learn to measure yourself. Track what you are producing as well as your progress toward your goals. If you are making progress, good, keep going. If not, make some course corrections and start being progressive. Tracking progress is one of the key factors in being progressive. If you know where you are and where you are going, you can track and measure progress over time. So be sure you have your goal in mind. Then set out to achieve it through progressive productivity.

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Many people become discouraged when they hit obstacles. But they would be much better off if they could learn to savor and celebrate those obstacles in their lives. Appreciate them for what they are – chances to build internal strength.

Those who learn to savor and celebrate obstacles are better equipped to achieve lasting success. They do not shy away from difficulties but confront them head-on with aggression, knowing that each obstacle conquered is a testament to their power.

Everyone knows how to think lofty thoughts and make big goals. But so often we hit one or two delays in our course of action then give up and quit. Instead, we should see these obstacles as gifts, celebrate, and push through them just slightly.

We celebrate because we know that when others hit these same obstacles, they quit. But when we hit those same obstacles, we press just a few steps farther.

In the relentless pursuit of our goals and dreams, obstacles often stand as formidable barriers along our path. It’s a shared human experience to encounter discomfort and adversity during this journey, and too often, people let these challenges deter them from continuing their pursuit. However, a better perspective is one that suggests using these obstacles as metrics of progress and strength.

When we encounter discomfort or adversity in any endeavor, it is a pivotal moment to get excited. Why? Because this is precisely the point where most individuals decide to quit.

They see the discomfort as a sign to turn back, abandon their goals, and settle for mediocrity. However, this is where the true opportunity lies. By shifting our mindset and viewing discomfort as an indicator of our progress, we can harness its power to propel us forward.

Every obstacle, and every moment of discomfort, is a milestone in our process of personal development. It’s a marker that signifies our growth and resilience. When we feel that resistance, it’s a signal that we are on the verge of breaking through to a higher level of achievement. By pushing ourselves just one percent beyond this point, we not only demonstrate our strength but also position ourselves significantly farther ahead than the majority of people who choose to quit.

With this perspective, obstacles cease to be hindrances; they become our allies and guides. They are the markers of our commitment, determination, and fortitude. They serve as proof that we are on the right path and that we are advancing toward our goals while most others falter. Instead of fearing discomfort, we should embrace it as a sign that we are on the cusp of something extraordinary.

By definition, you only have to be better than 50% of people in order to be better than most people in any given pursuit.

If 50% is the point of “being average” anything beyond that point is “above average”, just as anything below it is “below average”.

Now do not allow this to go to your head. You are not more valuable than others, you are simply farther ahead. And you have gotten farther than others have simply by not quitting as early as they do.

All the rewards and accomplishments that men receive lay beyond the point where the majority of the population gives up.

You need to fix in your mind a higher goal, however. You likely need to be farther than 75% of people in order to begin to reap the highly valuable rewards in life.

What are things that 75% of people are not willing to do?
What is the point where 75% of people have given up?

You may not be able to identify this point, but just try to assess it and get in the ballpark. If you can be one of the best 25 men in a group of 100, you are a man of value.

Use any obstacles you encounter as valuable resistance for growth – it is the mental exercise that will allow you to conquer future difficulties with ease, paradoxically.

Each obstacle you encounter is a chance to grow strong. It is a “life set”. You have sets of exercises that you complete in the gym against resistance to grow physically stronger. What you are facing during difficulty is a “life set”, during which you struggle against resistance in order to grow stronger. Greater power can be found in viewing these obstacles simply as resistance to overcome with the appropriate amount of effort.

And remember that you only need to give slightly more resistance to the obstacle than it gives you. Just like in the gym: in order to lift 100 pounds, you need to generate 101 pounds of force. If 100 pounds is pressing against you, you need to press up with 101 pounds in order to move the resistance in the opposite direction. While you are generating more force, there is no movement of the weight from 0-100 pounds of force. It is only once you exceed the force of the weight pressing down on you that it starts to move.

If you can change your life perspective and view obstacles the same way you view lifting weights, you will be infinitely more powerful. Because we look at resistance in the gym as the pathway to growth. Why not do the same with each and every obstacle we face? That is the method by which you make every obstacle a celebration.

How to Be Productive After a Workday

The fundamental key to being productive after a workday is to only attempt the smallest workload. This does not mean that you will only complete a small amount of work, it does mean that you do not have to do much work to get started. Make your goal to do the smallest amount of work possible.

I’ll write one sentence for my book.
I’ll practice one guitar scale.
I will only do one exercise in a workout.

Focus on the smallest possible task. Being scared of getting started is what keeps most people from acting. The task looks too great, so they never bother with any of it.

We become discouraged when we see the whole task. To short-circuit that, ignore the whole task. Give yourself permission to stop midway. Better to start and then stop then never start at all.

The whole task is intimidating. It is difficult to be productive after a workday.

“I have to read a WHOLE chapter of this book?”
“Do I have to complete a FULL workout?”
“I have to edit a COMPLETE video?”
“Do I have to wash ALL the dishes?”

It does not matter what task it is, we are demoralized when we think the task before us is massive. When we believe that we have to finish the entire task, which would be a great deal of work, we never bother getting started in the first place.

But the reality is that we only have to get started. We have to give ourselves permission to complete just a small amount of work. This eliminates the barrier that prevents us from simply getting started. Procrastinators lose because they think in extremes. The pain of starting now is too high and the pleasure of putting it off is too great.

The smaller the task seems, the easier it will be to get started. The easier it is to start, the easier it is to maintain that momentum. If you can reduce the barrier to entry of action to the point that it is extraordinarily easy, then you will make it more likely that you actually complete the action.

Identify whatever it is that you want to start, whether spiritual or secular. Take reading the Bible, for example. Most people might tell you that you should try one of those “Read your Bible in a Year program. I do not think you should bother with this. Most people do not have the discipline to read daily the amount of Bible it would take to complete it in a year [it usually comes out to about 3-4 chapters daily]. For most people who are in the habit of reading precisely zero chapters of the Bible per day, this will be too much. It’s like never running a day in your life, then deciding you will rain for a marathon and deciding to start training by running six miles per day. That is not a recipe for consistent action.

Center on the present. Put your mind in the moment and it will allow you to lean into the effort of starting small. It is embarrassing how difficult it is to start even when the task is small. But knowing that, how could we ever think we would be capable of larger habits right off the bat? Some people may be, but if you have consistently failed to develop the habits you want, then do not think about those people. Just focus on the smallest amount of work you can do, and try to do it.

That is the key to being productive after a workday.

After you have been working all day, the last thing you want to do is focus on goals and more work. Most people want to relax, unwind and distract themselves. But if you tackle just a tiny amount of work, you can make a small amount of progress that will ater compound.

The goal of course is to get to the point where you are completing large and seemingly difficult habits. But this cannot start unless a person first begins in small ways.

Overcome the inertia of starting – select the smallest task that will move you forward. Slow progress beats no progress.

Select simpler activities and goals – build strength with what is simple so you can complete what is difficult.

In rehabilitation hospitals, some patients are so weak that they cannot even sit on the edge of the bed without desaturation, spiking heartrate, dropping blood pressure, feeling faint, and needing to lay back down. For these people, just sitting on the edge of the bed is a workout. Many people are in the same position with their personal development. It would be challenging just to sit at the edge of the metaphorical bed. So start there, build strength, and then slowly build up to a greater workload. That is how you are productive after a workday.

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