Hustle hard. No days off. Sleep when you die.
This grind it out mentality is often preached in society…especially in the fitness industry. We are taught to push our body to extremes, whether that be in the gym or the workplace. No rest for the weary, as if we earn some type of award when we die for always showing up.
I don’t know about you but I can no longer adhere to those standards. Attempting for years ultimately contributed to the destruction of my very tired adrenals. I am now learning to master the art of slowing down. In fact, this past Thanksgiving break I took 4 days off from everything. I slept in, often getting 10-12 hours of sleep a night, shut down from work, and didn’t go to the gym. I ate whatever I wanted and did absolutely nothing. It was glorious. Today is my first day back to work and working out—I finally feel refreshed. And despite what is often accepted in the fitness industry, I didn’t lose any gains by taking four days off. In fact, I actually accelerated muscle growth by allowing my body to heal. I was even able to PR on my bigger lifts. So just in case you never hear it from anyone else, please know this…
REST IS PRODUCTIVE.
The results I experienced after taking time off is proof of that.
Within the last year I have become a huge fan of 4 day work/workout weeks. I have noticed significant benefits in my energy levels, productivity, and overall health when I stick to this schedule. So in a society that encourages you to hustle hard, take no days off, and to sleep when you die…rest. Be unapologetic about setting boundaries and saying, “no” without fear of missing out because true rest is what actually allows you to do the rest.