I am famous for refusing to rest. Well, maybe "notorious" is a better word. Either way, I have a four-day upper limit for holidays, for instance, and my idea of a restful weekend is to tick off a myriad items on my ever-expanding to-do list.

By the time the world is waking up on a Saturday, I might have made bread, put yoghurt to bed to ferment for several hours, whipped up a batch of pancakes and made some stock. Then I'll typically go on to fix several DIY jobs around the house, and possibly sew something in the afternoon. And then feel guilty for plopping down in front of the TV. It's just the way I'm made.

But three weeks or so ago, I partially dislocated a rib thanks to the ligament laxity I have lived with my whole life. This is the third time I've done this, so it's not a new thing. I know it will take some time and physiotherapy and I'll be fine – except at first I thought I had just cricked something in my back while asleep, and by the time I realised what was going on, my physio was fairly solidly booked.

As I tried to manage the quite substantial amount of pain, I started to notice that every morning when I woke up, I was pain-free. And as soon as I started moving around, the pain would start to build again. Rest, it seemed, made a huge difference.

I decided to lean into resting. When sitting at my desk left me writhing, I would simply put down my glasses, go to my bedroom and lie down for at least half an hour. Sometimes I would sleep. Pain is tiring.

And then I noticed something else. I was getting a whole lot more done than I usually do. When it came to work, I was flying through tasks, doing them better, and consistently delivering ahead of deadlines. On weekends and in the evenings, instead of collapsing on the couch, I was making progress on my personal projects – just a little every day. And doing them with joy.

It seems counterintuitive, I know, especially if you're the kind of person who revels in productivity as I do. You think it's going to take time away. But it actually has the opposite effect. It's not what often passes as rest – mindless doomscrolling out of exhaustion, for instance, that leaves you feeling depleted. Instead, it's a deliberate, intentional strategy that seems to put time and energy back into the day.

It really has done wonders for my motivation and mindset, so if you can (I realise those who work in an office outside the home might not be able to) then give it a try. It really has been life-changing for me, and I plan to keep it up, even though two physio sessions mean my rib is slowly improving.

Let me know how it goes!

Until next month,

Mandy

PS. I'm running a special until 15 April 2025. Between now and then, refer someone new to me for coaching, and if they book their first session, you get one free! All they have to do is tell me who referred them.

I am famous for refusing to rest. Well, maybe "notorious" is a better word. Either way, I have a four-day upper limit for holidays, for instance, and my idea of a restful weekend is to tick off a myriad items on my ever-expanding to-do list.

By the time the world is waking up on a Saturday, I might have made bread, put yoghurt to bed to ferment for a several hours, whipped up a batch of pancakes and made some stock. Then I'll typically go on to fix several DIY jobs around the house, and possibly sew something in the afternoon. And then feel guilty for plopping down in front of the TV. It's just the way I'm made.

But three weeks or so ago, I partially dislocated a rib thanks to the ligament laxity I have lived with my whole life. This is the third time I've done this, so it's not a new thing, and I know it will take some time and physiotherapy and I'll be fine – except at first I thought I had just cricked something in my back while asleep, and by the time I realised what was going on, my physio was fairly solidly booked.

As I tried to manage the quite substantial amount of pain, I started to notice that every morning when I woke up, I was pain-free. And as soon as I started moving around, the pain would start to build again. Rest, it seemed, made a huge difference.

I decided to lean into resting. When sitting at my desk left me writhing, I would simply put down my glasses, go to my bedroom and lie down for at least half an hour. Sometimes I would sleep. Pain is tiring.

And then I noticed something else. I was getting a whole lot more done than I usually do. When it came to work, I was flying through tasks, doing them better, and consistently delivering ahead of deadlines. On weekends and in the evenings, instead of collapsing on the couch, I was making progress on my personal projects – just a little every day. And doing them with joy.

It seems counterintuitive, I know, especially if you're the kind of person who revels in productivity as I do. You think it's going to take time away. But it actually has the opposite effect. It's not what often passes as rest – mindless doomscrolling out of exhaustion, for instance, that leaves you feeling depleted. Instead, it's a deliberate, intentional strategy that seems to put time and energy back into the day.

It really has done wonders for my motivation and mindset, so if you can (I realise those who work in an office outside the home might not be able to) then give it a try. It really has been life-changing for me, and I plan to keep it up, even though two physio sessions mean my rib is slowly improving.

Let me know how it goes!

Until next month,

Mandy

PS. I'm running a special until 15 April 2025. Between now and then, refer someone new to me for coaching, and if they book their first session, you get one free! All they have to do is tell me who referred them.