Summer Slump or Nervous System Signal? How to Rest Without Guilt

If summer has you feeling slower, sleepier, or less motivated—you're not lazy, you're human. 

The sun is blazing, routines are shifting, and your nervous system might be quietly asking: Can we please take a breath?

For go-getters, the urge to “make the most” of summer can backfire. The constant pressure to be productive—even during rest—is exhausting. But what if rest isn’t the opposite of progress? What if it’s the secret fuel behind it?

When you normalize rest as part of the work, you start seeing it differently: it’s room to breathe, reflect, and reset. A nap isn’t indulgent—it’s brain care. And trying a new hobby just for fun? That’s how creativity sneaks back in.

This summer, experiment with rest as a practice.

• Schedule space in your day like any other meeting.

• Set a rest goal each week—something delightfully non-productive.

• Try something playful with zero expectations attached.

Rest isn’t a reward you earn; it’s a rhythm your body needs. And when you honor that rhythm, you often return with more clarity, energy, and purpose than before.