Why I Measure Rest

Around this time last year, I was discussing annual reviews with my friend and fellow Cavedweller, Susie G.

She was explaining her whole system and then mentioned a life category I had never considered tracking: REST.

It makes perfect sense: measuring something makes me pay attention more. When I notice something more, I’m more likely to make sure it happens. Tracking something can help me get things done, but that doesn’t mean I have to work more. I can also use that logic to rest more.

So with her inspiration, I kept track of rest this past year.
Some of my tasks in that category this year were to:

✅ Read 12 Fiction Books - (13 so far)
✅ Sit in a hot tub for 20 minutes and read 5x
✅ Take 3 afternoons off for myself
✅ Go for a long walk by myself
✅ Take a kid on a hike
✅ Hire a babysitter for a night out
✅ Take 26 Naps - (34 actually)
✅ Average >7 hours of sleep/night for 2022 (7.54!)

We can be so focused on being productive that rest seems wasteful and unproductive. But rest helps us recover from hard work. Rest can also help us restore our energy. Rest can be fun. Rest allows me to be regulated, spend time with my family, pick my kids up from school, and feel better.

Rest is not a luxury.
Rest is necessary.

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Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts on Medium and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.