The Radical Power of Rest  

In today’s hustle culture, the idea of rest often comes with a side of guilt. The glorification and even aestheticization of “busy-ness” from late nights to side gigs is so pervasive that even moments of downtime are seen as something to monetize or justify.  

But a growing number of thinkers, writers and everyday people are beginning to challenge that narrative. They argue that rest is not a sign of laziness or weakness, but a form of soft strength — one that quietly resists capitalist ideals of overwork, inherited guilt and the pressure to have to overachieve. From school to work, many of us are raised to believe that our worth is measured by our productivity. The grind mentality isn’t just encouraged, it’s celebrated. Productivity hacks and “success” affirmations permeate our social media feeds, reinforcing the message that if you’re not constantly pushing, you’re falling behind. 

For those from marginalized communities, the stakes are even higher. The pressure to outperform, prove yourself and survive in spaces that were not built with you in mind can make rest feel like a risk. In response to this culture of relentless productivity, a growing movement is reframing rest as something radical.  

Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, calls rest a form of resistance. Her work argues that reclaiming rest is a political act — especially for Black people, women and workers whose labour has historically been undervalued or exploited. “Rest,” Hersey writes, “is a form of resistance because it disrupts and pushes back against capitalism and white supremacy.”  

Through this lens, rest is no longer a luxury but rather a refusal to allow systems of oppression to dictate how we treat our bodies, our time or our worth. It suggests that resilience doesn’t have to look like powering through or pushing past your limits. Sometimes, strength looks like slowing down, unplugging or simply doing nothing. 

So, what does it mean to embrace rest in practice? It doesn’t have to involve expensive retreats or perfectly curated self-care rituals. For many, it starts with giving yourself permission to stop. This might look like simply taking a nap, going for a walk instead of forcing your way through a productivity block, requesting an extension or declining extra tasks when you’re already overwhelmed. 

These small acts may seem insignificant, but they challenge powerful norms. They assert that worth is not conditional on output and that being tired is not a weakness. Rest is not a retreat from life. It’s part of living fully. And in a world that tells us to go faster, do more and stay visible, the quiet act of doing nothing can be one of the most courageous things we do.