Why Rest Is a Leadership Responsibility

Today is one of those days when most of the world slows down and it always reminds me of something leaders tend to forget: rest is part of the job.

Most of the year, leadership pulls us into motion. There’s always a decision to be made, a deadline to meet, a conversation to navigate. Even when we’re fully committed, it’s easy to slip into a rhythm where the only measure of contribution is output. And it’s easy to move from one responsibility to the next without ever noticing how much you’re carrying.

That’s why rest matters. Not as a moment to analyze anything, but as a moment to stop. To let your system reset. To let your mind breathe. To give your capacity a chance to refill before you step back into the work.

And when we allow ourselves to rest, even briefly, we gain perspective. Gratitude emerges, not because we’re trying to force it in the "Christmas spirit," but because slowing down makes it easier to see what has been supporting us all along.

Leaders set the pace more than they realize. When we model constant motion, people assume they should do the same. When we allow ourselves to rest, to reset, to be fully human and present, we send a different message: the work matters, but the people doing it matter too.

Wherever today finds you in the middle of activity, tradition, or something completely different, I hope you get even a small moment to pause. Not to reflect. Not to be productive. Just to rest.

Rest is not a reward for finishing the year, it’s a necessity. It is, perhaps, the most essential form of leadership we practice.

P.S. I scheduled this post earlier in the week and I’m giving myself a break today. I hope you find a moment to do the same. Merry Christmas!