I recently came across a concept that made me stop and think. I was listening to Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom podcast when he discussed the idea of ‘rest ethic’. Not as something to replace work ethic, but to sit alongside it. Something we should value, talk about, and celebrate just as much within our workplace cultures.
I couldn’t agree more.
The Cost of Celebrating Grit
We’re great at celebrating grit, but at what cost?
You’ve probably heard this before:
“She’s a trooper. Never takes a day off, even when she’s sick.”
“He replies to emails at all hours – weekends, evenings, holidays – he’s always on.”
Often said with admiration, it’s as if being constantly available, relentlessly committed, and working through illness is something to aspire to.
But, those aren’t signs of strength. In fact, they’re often signs of depletion. Someone inching closer to burnout, working in a culture that celebrates hustle and forgets humanity.
What If We Flipped The Script?
Imagine if we started saying things like:
“She’s brilliant. Never replies to emails at the weekend.”
“He’s amazing. Clear on his boundaries, always offline after hours.”
“They prioritise recovery, and it shows in the quality of their work.”
That is what rest ethic looks like. It’s not laziness, it’s wisdom, discipline and a conscious decision to protect the energy, mood, and motivation that high performance depends on.
Here’s the paradox: when we rest well, we work better. Protecting our downtime allows us to show up more fully; when we recharge, we have more to give.
Rest Ethic Is Essential
Rest is not a reward for working hard, it’s what allows us to keep going, stay well and sustainably contribute at a high level.
Let’s rethink the kind of behaviour we reward and role-model. Let’s normalise logging off, taking leave, and respecting boundaries. Let’s celebrate the person who knows when to pause, not just the one who powers through.
Sustainable success doesn’t come from always ‘being on’, it comes from knowing when to switch off. Let’s talk about rest ethic and, more importantly, start living it.
I talk about ways to build sustainable teams in my keynotes – find out how we can support your business to use wellbeing to sustain high performance.
