As you read that question, your first thought is probably more along the lines of, “Wait, shouldn’t I not be resting so that I can get more done?” My approach may sound like an upside down plan. But I would ask you to consider a story told by author Steven Covey.
There were two men who worked together, side-by-side, all day long, chopping wood. One of the men would stop every hour to rest while the other continued to work straight through the day. At the end of the day, when they finished, they discovered that the man who had rested actually chopped more wood. Why? Because when he stopped he did two things: 1) he allowed his muscles to recover and reenergize and 2) he also used the time to sharpen his axe.
Resting allows us to sharpen our proverbial axes – physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Ecclesiastes 10:10 tells us that when the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is required to accomplish the same results. I have known individuals who get less done in their 70 hour work week than those who maintain a schedule closer to 40 hours. And it is because of this very principle.
So, back to my question. “Are you resting to be more productive?” If not, I encourage you this week to consider resting more just might make you more effective.