We’re slowly forgetting how to rest

The long holiday break we’ve all being eagerly waiting for – more than 2 weeks of work free space, wow! – is ending today. And just like the famous Carrie Bradshaw, I cannot help but wonder how many of us have genuinely used this hiatus to rest, enjoy quality time with our families and friends, detox from digital devices and, why not, simply exist and let our minds wander freely without the guilt of wasting time and lacking productivity.

Observing the social media activity from a distance, I think it is fair to say that most of us got bored and/ or were sucked back into work mode quite fast after New Year parties were over. We barely made it past January 1st. On the second day of 2025, LinkedIn was flooded with business related posts, luring all of us back into the addictive mouse wheel run. I was actually hit by a (induced, I dare to say) feeling of guilt for choosing to stay away from work until January 8 and quickly regrouped to upload a post on the networking platform. A little bit of FOMO, perhaps. And then I realized there was nothing that I was missing out on, nor would I be forgotten as a professional after not posting for 2 weeks. Neither one of us would, actually.

Why is it that we cannot hold still for two weeks in a row? How did we get to the point where genuine rest is still considered lack of productivity or waste of valuable business time? It feels like we are all turning into a bunch of burnt-out zombies driven by fear and living our lives on autopilot. Pardon my bluntness, but if it helps, I am including myself in this exclusive Country Club. What are we chasing, after all? A better house, a better phone or car, a more luxurious vacation or simply social status? These are questions that are being asked over and over again, but how many of us are genuinely reflecting upon the answers? Are we being reduced to consumers, and are we ending up consuming our mere lives?

I have an outrageous proposition for you at the beginning of 2025: consider prioritizing rest, but what I mean is take rest seriously. I assure you; the Earth will continue to spin even if you take a few days off the grid and allow yourself to exist beyond your corporate role, your profession or business. We are, after all, human beings and our main purpose is to simply exist and enjoy life (outrageous, I know!). You might even discover that your mind, when left free to wander away from any corporate distraction, will become more creative and serve you on a silver platter new ideas for your professional life. Or you might get surprised by an epiphany and get the crazy idea to shift careers.

I dare you to allow yourself to step down from the mouse wheel every now and then, fearlessly, and reconnect with yourself!