The 17th century French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal once said, “All the unhappiness of men arises from one simple fact: that they cannot sit quietly in their chamber.” 

Four hundred years later, nothing has changed. The human propensity to strive and achieve has led to remarkable progress, but it has also atrophied an equally-important muscle: our ability to rest and reflect.

We live in a culture that celebrates the nonstop hustle. For example, last week we saw the following tweet on X from a venture capitalist who invests in hard-charging entrepreneurs:

It’s debatable if such a lifestyle makes someone one of the best startup founders. There are certainly examples of successful entrepreneurs who have pursued a more balanced life. 

But the bigger question is what do we give up when we don’t make time to rest? What is lost in a life that’s out of balance between doing and being, between striving and resting, between acting and reflecting?

Take a minute. Answer that question for yourself: what is lost in your life when there’s too much doing and not enough resting?

If you’re like us, it’s easy to make excuses. 

• “This busyness is a season.” 

• “It will get better as soon as [x] happens.” 

• “It’s not my fault. My boss emails me at all hours of the day and night.” 

• “Our kids have packed schedules between school, friends, and extracurriculars.”

But just like learning to throw a baseball or learning how to code, developing the ability to rest is a skill we can practice and learn. Is it any wonder that people who hustle for their whole lives have a hard time slowing down in retirement? They hadn’t practiced the art of rest. 

It can start small. Here are three ideas you can put into action before the end of the year:

• This week: Look at your calendar and block off one hour in the next week where you can rest and do something that’s restorative.

• Next month: Find a day where you can take a sabbath: a day of complete rest that doesn’t have any work or chores. You might be surprised how time slows down.

• Before the end of the year: Reflect on your balance (or lack thereof) between striving and resting in 2024. Are you satisfied with that balance? What might you change for next year?

Insights

How to take a tech sabbath. Taking a day of rest, a sabbath, is one of the oldest ideas in civilization. The author writes, “Rest is, fundamentally, about being human. About recognizing our limits when advertising tells us we are limitless. It requires intention, and working out what we do actually find restorative.” Plough (9 minutes)

What can we do about the crisis of masculinity? Many young men are facing a crisis of masculinity across education, mental health, intimate relationships, and friendships. But there is a way forward: offer a roadmap for young men, cast a positive vision, provide a mental picture of what they should aspire to, and model how they should act to get there. The Growth Equation (7 minutes)

Money advice for couples. The Diary of a CEO podcast interviewed Ramit Sethi, author of the books I will Teach You To Be Rich and Money For Couples, about the top 3 money-related red flags for couples and how to create a shared vision of a rich life as a family. The Diary of a CEO (1 hour, 49 minutes).

Take Action

Learn more about EVRYMAN

Man Memes